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Nobody asked for this.
When we’re talking about NCAA Tournament expansion, it’s important to start with that point.
Don’t get distracted by looking at mock-ups of the new 76-team bracket or by wondering what city might get to share hosting duties with Dayton for the new opening round. And even as NCAA officials pat themselves on the back on Thursday for finally getting expansion across the finish line, don’t get it twisted. This isn’t what fans want. This isn’t even what most coaches want (which is why the men’s basketball coaches’ association refused to take a stance supporting expansion).
It was a decision that was thrust upon those who care about college basketball, and it came from the top down — from the leaders of the most powerful conferences and the leader of college sports’ governing body himself. NCAA president Charlie Baker has been a vocal proponent of expansion for years, believing that a higher percentage of Division I basketball teams deserve to play in the sport’s premier postseason event. On Thursday, he expressed excitement that there would be 240 more athletes that get to participate in March Madness, starting next season. It’s an admirable point to make, but it’s also missing the bigger picture.
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Expansion wasn’t necessary.
But it is somewhat by design. As the SEC and the Big 12 ballooned to 16 teams, the ACC to 17 and the Big Ten to 18, conference leaders argued that they needed more access points so more of their teams could participate in their sports’ most meaningful postseason events. The College Football Playoff expanded from four to 12 teams and is likely to expand further. And here’s basketball’s…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ncaa-tournament-expansion-changes-event-230619799.html
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Publish date : 2026-05-07 23:06:00
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