SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – MARCH 20: A general view of a ‘March Madness’ logo is seen during practice before the First Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 20, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
The more the merrier, right?
Not in the case of college basketball apparently.
The NCAA Division I Transformation Committee released a 22-page report Tuesday outlining several recommended changes to college athletics. But one recommendation stood out from the rest.
The committee proposed allowing 25% of teams in sports with at least 200 sponsored schools to partake in championship tournaments. In men's and women's basketball, that kind of expansion would see March Madness increase from 68 teams all the way up to 90.
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The idea of adding 22 teams to the NCAA Tournaments wasn't exactly met with enthusiasm from fans on Twitter, either.
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The D-I board of governors will formally consider the committee's recommendations at next week's NCAA convention in San Antonio.
“Each sport will have the opportunity to take a look, comprehensively, at what the impact of expanded brackets might be and whether or not it’s something they should pursue for their particular championship,” said Ohio University athletic director Julie Cromer, who is the co-chairperson of the committee.
The men's NCAA Tournament expanded from 65 to 68 teams in 2011, while the women's tournament went from 64 to 68 teams in 2022. Those opposed to seeing both events being substantially altered again may not have to be worried at all, though.
CBS Sports' Matt Norlander reported Wednesday that there's no motivation for significant March Madness expansion.
"There is stern belief among many NCAA Tournament power brokers that significant expansion (say, anything north of 80 teams) isn't desired and won't be happening, according to my sources," Norlander wrote. "Minor expansion (going to 72 or 76) doesn't carry temptation right now either but would theoretically be more plausible way down the road if push ever came to shove."
