It was reported earlier today that the NCAA Tournament could be expanding to 72 or 76 teams as soon as next season, which most people around college basketball are against.
At the Big 12 Spring meetings in Orlando, FL earlier today, NCAA President Charlie Baker focused a lot on the expansion of March Madness, and stated that this expansion could be coming very soon.
"That would be the goal, to try and do this for next year...We've been talking about 72 and 76," Baker told Front Office Sports' David Rumsey.
Regardless of how much fans and experts around college hoops hate the idea of expanding the NCAA Tournament, it's likely inevitable. Several experts around the sport have expressed their frustrations with this idea, most notably Jon Rothstein.
Rothstein even proposed an open rally in Central Park to protest NCAA Tournament expansion.
Dear America,
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 29, 2025
I will host an open rally in Central Park to protest expansion of the NCAA Tournament if this chatter continues.
If you don't live in the NYC area, you are more than welcome to fly in and attend.
We must stick together if and when crisis occurs.
Sincerely,
JR
"Dear America, I will host an open rally in Central Park to protest expansion of the NCAA Tournament if this chatter continues. If you don't live in the NYC area, you are more than welcome to fly in and attend. We must stick together if and when crisis occurs," Rothstein preached.
Well, no matter his efforts, it doesn't look like the NCAA has any plans on changing its mind.
Other analysts, such as ESPN's Fran Fraschilla and Field of 68 Network's Jeff Goodman, proposed expansion plans while simultaneously citing their displeasure with the idea of expansion.
It’s that time of year, so I will trot my NCAA Tournament expansion plan out again. (keep in mind that I am not in favor of more expansion, but it is inevitable.)
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) May 29, 2025
Expand the NCAA Tournament to 72 team with 32 automatic qualifiers. NO auto qualifier will play in First 8.
24…
If you are going to do expansion (which again, I am not a proponent of), do something like this.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 29, 2025
An example of a potential play-in from this past season pitting HM's against MM's.
Texas vs. UC Irvine
Xavier vs. Santa Clara
UNC vs. North Texas
West Virginia vs. George Mason…
Fraschilla proposes a field that includes 72 teams, but it seems more likely that the NCAA Tournament would become a field of 76 teams if it expands.
And one can't forget Duke basketball legend and current analyst Jay Bilas' take on the potential expansion of March Madness from about a year ago.
Jay Bilas on potential March Madness expansion:
— On3 (@On3sports) February 24, 2024
“Never underestimate the NCAA’s capacity to do something stupid. And if they did this, it would be profoundly stupid.”https://t.co/oh2LmXYFu0 pic.twitter.com/sWkx4vkRSj
"Never underestimate the NCAA's capacity to do sometihng stupid. And if they did this, it would be profoundly stupid." Bilas didn't mince words one bit.
And beyond the experts in the sport and their opinions, there are also the fans and insiders who simply enjoy March Madness the way it is. It's worked this way for over a decade, and changing it now just seems silly to lots of people.
The ncaa tournament expansion talk is really frustrating
— Dustin Bleiweis (@Dueycbb) May 29, 2025
Making March madness should be a reward and well earned and not a participation trophy
All the extra spots should go to mid major schools, power 5 schools have an advantage and easier opportunity to make the tournament
Just my two cents…expansion of the NCAA tournament isn’t giving us any more quality product. The tournament this past March was some of the most unwatchable basketball at times. This is not a knock on the kids that are busting their butts to get drafted though.
— ChickenSpiediesNKoolAid (@SealedDruid_08) May 29, 2025
I see we're doing NCAA tournament expansion talk again this morning, sick
— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) May 29, 2025
No matter how much most folks around college hoops want to fight it, it's hard to imagine the NCAA Tournament doesn't expand soon, and potentially so soon that the days of a 68-team field are already behind us.