NCAA Nears Decision to Expand, but Key Steps Remain

The NCAA could finalize a decision to expand both the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s tournaments as early as mid-May, with the 76-team field starting in 2026-27, ESPN reported Tuesday.

But several hurdles remain before the move could be finalized, according to an NCAA statement to Front Office Sports.

“Expanding the basketball tournaments would require approval from multiple NCAA committees, including the men’s and women’s basketball committees,” the NCAA said. “No final recommendations or decisions have been made at this time.”

The NCAA has been exploring expansion for both tournaments for more than a year, and NCAA president Charlie Baker has said multiple times that he was in favor of increasing the number of teams for both the men’s and women’s tournaments. But discussions have been slow-moving.

For one, there’s the logistical lift required to add teams and game sites to two already large and complex events. A 76-team field (from 68 teams now) would require eight additional games to be played during the initial week of each tournament. Travel logistics for teams including flights, buses, and hotels, as well as game sites, would all be part of the equation.

Another hurdle is revenue. The media rights contracts governing the men’s and women’s tournaments stipulate that networks are not required to pay extra for broadcasting additional games. The women’s tournament is part of a media package with ESPN that runs until 2032. The broadcast deal for the men’s tournament includes coverage across CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery channels—TNT, TBS—and also runs until 2032. (Warner Bros. is set to be acquired by Paramount, which owns CBS, pending government approval.) However, the NCAA has been in discussions with the networks over the possibility of paying extra despite these contractual terms.

The NCAA has been able to secure enough revenue to cover the operating costs of the additional games in the expanded field, the NCAA prize payouts offered for each game of the men’s and women’s tournament, and more, according to the ESPN report. But the new media rights contracts have not been finalized or signed.

ESPN and CBS declined to comment.

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