Speculation grew Saturday about potential NCAA Tournament expansion, and that chatter sparked a strong and near-universal response from fans and pundits alike.
Talk of expansion gained legs Saturday after top CBS analyst Seth Davis penned an opinion piece advocating for the tournament to expand from its current field of 68. Shortly after that, Pete Thamel reported on ESPN’s “College GameDay” that there have been increasing discussions about the tournament expanding to 76 teams, possibly as soon as 2026.
Expansion speculation was met with widespread condemnation on X, with many vehemently against any further expansion. Some even noted that the Alabama fans in attendance for “College GameDay” booed the report, while others noted that there is nothing to suggest that deserving teams are being left out of the current 68-team field.
Ultimately, the NCAA and its television partners stand to gain financially if the tournament expands. The involvement of more teams means more games and more money for all involved, even if the level of competition is somewhat diluted.
As recently as last year, there were teams that made the field of 68 that many viewed as undeserving. Further expansion would likely benefit those middling power conference teams more than anyone else. They probably would not win championships or even have much of an impact on proceedings, nor would they make for a compelling underdog story for fans.
Like it or not, conferences are going to advocate for their teams, and that means many would support a larger tournament. Even if the public is not terribly interested, that outcome might be inevitable.
