Rick Pitino questions expanded March Madness pushback: 'Why and who cares?'

Yahoo Sports1h ago10 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Rick Pitino supports the NCAA Tournament's expansion from 68 to 76 teams, questioning the backlash against it. He emphasizes that more teams will enhance the experience of March Madness.

Key points

Rick Pitino supports NCAA Tournament expansion
Expansion from 68 to 76 teams
Scheduled for the 2026-27 season
Pitino questions backlash against expansion
More teams enhance tournament experience

Mentioned in this story

Rick Pitino

March MadnessNCAA TournamentNCAA

Rick Pitino questions expanded March Madness pushback: 'Why and who cares?'

Consider Rick Pitino on board with the expanded NCAA Tournament.

The Hall of Fame coach alluded to as much on Monday, May 11 when he went onto X (formerly Twitter) to question why there is pushback on March Madness expanding from 68 to 76 teams on both the men's and women's side of college basketball starting this upcoming 2026-27 season.

"When I hear people are upset the NCAA expanded to 76 teams, I think "why and who cares?" The best teams advance and more teams get to experience the greatest tournament on earth," the St. John's basketball coach wrote on X.

LIKE IT OR NOT: March Madness is expanding to 76 teams, starting next season

The expanded tournament won’t impact the first round or any that follow, since games will still tip off from noon to midnight ET on that opening Thursday when 32 teams take the floor. The real impact will come in the days leading up to the first round.

On the men's side, the First Four will expand from eight teams playing four games in Dayton to 24 teams playing 12 games across two sites. Dayton will remain a host for the play‑in round, while the NCAA will announce the second location at a later date.

The 73-year-old Pitino isn't one to be shy about giving his opinions on NCAA-related topics and the current landscape of college basketball. He told a group of reporters, including USA TODAY Sports, that he wanted college basketball to create 18- to 20-team "super leagues" to "combat football" at the then-height of conference realignment, which was triggered by football.

Q&A

What did Rick Pitino say about the NCAA Tournament expansion?

Rick Pitino expressed support for the NCAA Tournament's expansion, questioning the reasons behind the pushback and stating that more teams will enhance the tournament experience.

When will the NCAA Tournament expand to 76 teams?

The NCAA Tournament is set to expand to 76 teams starting in the 2026-27 season.

Why are some people opposed to the NCAA Tournament expansion?

Some individuals are upset about the expansion due to concerns over the quality of competition and the integrity of the tournament format.

How will the expansion of March Madness affect college basketball?

The expansion is expected to allow more teams to participate, providing additional opportunities for schools and players to experience the tournament.