Wasn't 1 in 9.2 quintillion hard enough? Bigger NCAA tournaments mean bigger brackets, too

Yahoo SportsYesterday2 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

The NCAA is expanding its Division I basketball tournaments from 68 to 76 teams next season. This change will introduce eight new games but is not expected to significantly alter the familiar bracket for fans.

Key points

NCAA expanding tournaments from 68 to 76 teams
1 in 9.2 quintillion odds against a perfect bracket
Eight new games added to each tournament
NCAA expects $131 million in new revenue
Current broadcast deal expires in 2032

The NCAA will expand its DIvision I basketball tournaments from 68 to 76 teams next season. The change isn't expected to radically disrupt the familiar bracket for most casual fans. Here is a breakdown of some key numbers to know: 0 — The number of mid-major schools that advanced past the first weekend of either tournament the last two seasons. 1 in 9.2 quintillion — The estimated odds against picking a perfect bracket even before adding eight games to the mix. 4 — Games matching No. 12 seeds and No. 16 seeds in the opening round. 8 — The number of teams being added to each tournament (men and women). It's also the number of new games being added to each tourney. 15 — The number of years since the NCAA last expanded the tournaments (from 64 to 68 in 2011). 120 — Total number of games for the two tournaments over seven days between the bracket announcement and the conclusion of the secound round. 131 — As in $131 million, the amoung of new revenue the NCAA expects to share with tournament participants under the expansion. 300 — As in $300 million, the extra funding the NCAA expects to get from new advertising opportunities tied to expansion, including the addition of liqour ads that had largely been off limits. 2032 — The year the current $8.8 billion broadcast deal between the NCAA and partners like CBS, TNT and others expires, raising the potential for more change. 350,000 — As in $350,000, the value of a NCAA-distributed "unit' for a men's team that reached the tournament. \\\_ AP March Madness:

Q&A

What are the new odds of picking a perfect NCAA tournament bracket after the expansion?

The odds of picking a perfect bracket will increase to 1 in 9.2 quintillion with the addition of eight new games.

How many teams will be added to the NCAA basketball tournaments?

Eight teams will be added to each NCAA basketball tournament, increasing the total from 68 to 76 teams.

What financial impact is expected from the NCAA tournament expansion?

The NCAA expects to generate an additional $300 million from new advertising opportunities and share $131 million in new revenue with tournament participants.

Wasn't 1 in 9.2 quintillion hard enough? Bigger NCAA tournaments mean bigger brackets, too

TL;DR

Key points

Q&A

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