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Jeff Borzello, ESPN editor
While conference expansion has been the topic du jour in college sports all offseason, the NCAA announced Thursday that it discussed a different type of expansion this week.
The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee acknowledged that its members had talked about expanding the NCAA tournament at its three-day meeting this week, but the organization also said expansion in this area was “not imminent.”
“The committee needs to be good stewards of the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship,” said Dan Gavitt, NCAA senior vice president of basketball. “They are committed to doing their due diligence by looking at a few different models to make an informed decision that is in the best interest of the championship, and that could very well include a decision not to extend.”
“The committee and staff will continue to study options and gather feedback from various constituents,” Gavitt added. “It remains to be seen whether or not the tournament will expand.”
Here’s what you need to know about where everyone stands on expanding the field.
How did we get here?
Although the expansion of the NCAA Tournament has been a topic of conversation in college sports for some time, it became an official talking point in January, when the NCAA Division I Transformation Committee released a 22-page report with various recommendations to college sports. Among these recommendations was one allowing 25% of sports teams comprising at least 200 schools to participate in championship events. In men’s college basketball, which had 363 schools last season, that would mean as many as 90 teams could make the NCAA Tournament.
The Division I Board of Directors approved this recommendation (and others) later that month.
The NCAA men’s tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, then to 65 teams in 2001 and 68 in 2011. The NCAA has not specified whether there is a particular model or number of teams it considered in these expansion discussions.
When can the committee discuss this topic again?
The committee’s next in-person meeting will be in late October in Phoenix, although it is likely that one or two virtual meetings will be scheduled before the committee meets in the fall.
How do influential players in college sports view the expansion of tournaments?
While individual conference expansion has been at the forefront of most discussions among conference commissioners, a few league executives have already made their stance on tournament expansion clear.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey got the ball rolling last summer, when he told Sports Illustrated that he was ready to take a “fresh look” at the tournament.
“If the last team can win the national championship and they are 30 to 40 years old from an RPI or (NCAA) NET perspective, does our current approach support competing for national championships?” Sankey said at the time. “I think there’s a health issue in this conversation. It doesn’t exclude people. The question arises: How can we include people in these annual national celebrations that lead to a national champion? “
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips told ESPN at ACC media day last fall that he thought tournament expansion was worth exploring.
“It’s the crown jewel of all our championships,” Phillips said. “There’s nothing that really replicates it, on both sides, the men’s side and the women’s side. So you have to be respectful not to screw it up either, and understand that it’s in a really good place and healthy. But you also have to continue to be progressive, and I try to think of these things that way.”
“More access, more opportunities for more young men and women,” he added. “There are a lot of positives to this.”
Big East commissioner Val Ackerman has expressed concerns about television contracts and the logistical and scheduling complexities of an expanded tournament.
CBS and Turner Sports have signed a contract to broadcast the NCAA Tournament through 2032.
What do college basketball coaches think about expansion?
Coaches are quite divided on the opportunity to expand the tournament to 68 teams.
At the end of last month, Michigan StateTom Izzo of ESPN told Myron Medcalf of ESPN that the expansion could diminish the product.
“I just think it’s going to be watered down,” Izzo said. “I’m a little worried about that. I wouldn’t mind if they did that, but I’m worried that if it’s watered down, it won’t be good. … I think 68 has been a pretty good number. I think you get enough good matches in the first round. That’s me.
At ACC media day last fall, Miami coach Jim Larrañaga explained why he was in favor.
“I’ve been a proponent of NCAA Tournament expansion for a long time,” Larrañaga said. “If you look at the mission of college basketball, the NCAA Tournament is the culmination of every player’s dream. But if you look at history, it’s always the same teams with a few exceptions. So expanding the tournament at 96, it really should be. went from 64 to 96.”
VirginiaTony Bennett said at the time that he did not want to overhaul the support, but was not opposed to minor expansion.
“I think the NCAA Tournament is arguably the best, start to finish, best event in sports,” Bennett said. “I don’t want to lose what we have. If we have a little expansion and it doesn’t take away from us and it’s not a major change, I would be for that. I would protect what we have, and if there are small tweaks, a few more here and there, I’d be for that, but not a major overhaul.”
AuburnBruce Pearl of Bruce Pearl expressed similar thoughts to Medcalf last month.
“I think when we went from 64 to 68 (teams), it didn’t hurt anything,” Pearl said. “I would be (in favor of) adding a handful of teams. You can say, ‘Well, every year there will be four or five teams that are left out of the tournament.’ OK? So let’s add four. I’m not for blowing it. I’m not for 96.”
In the meantime, Virginia TechMike Young echoed the majority of college basketball fans on social media when he said at last fall’s ACC media day that he would opt for the status quo.
“I’m a purist,” Young said. “I don’t like it… Why should we try something that has been so successful, that is so unique in the world of athletics, that has had enormous popularity and has always done so?”
