Don't look now, but the start of the 2025-26 college basketball season is right around the corner. Before the first game tips off, talks of expanding the NCAA Tournament are already making the rounds. The tournament field consists of 68 teams, with the current format being held since 2011.
But now, NCAA officials are close to expanding the tournament yet again. According to Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellinger, NCAA executives are inching closer to an expanded NCAA Tournament that includes 76 teams. The proposal includes a 12-game opening round that would be played at two neutral sites. The proposed format would take effect in the 2026-27 season.
Not the first time expansion talks has surfaced
Talks of expanding the NCAA Tournament are nothing new for college basketball fans. Believe it or not, the first NCAA Tournament back in 1939 consisted of just an 8-team field. It grew to 16 teams in 1951 and 32 teams in 1975. In 1985, the move was made to a 64-team field, and the addition of the "First Four" games brought the tournament field to 68 teams in 2011.
But since 2011, talks of expanding the tournament even further have seemingly occurred every year. The current proposal appears to have been in the works for several years, but an official announcement from the NCAA has not yet been made. That could be on the horizon, as Dellinger reports that both administrators and executives are "inching closer" to the agreement.
What a 76-team NCAA Tournament field means
An NCAA Tournament field consisting of a whopping 76 teams would bring more games, and thus, more action for fans to enjoy. A good portion of college basketball fans will enjoy more action, and the additional television revenue will make the executives happy. But a massive 76-team field also has its downsides.
Having 76 teams in the field could dilute the quality of the tournament. We have already seen teams with extremely questionable resumes get tournament bids in recent seasons, and that would become even more likely in a 76-team field. The regular season would become even more inconsequential, which could continue to benefit teams from power conferences and hurt mid majors.
The LSU women's basketball program has enjoyed great tournament success under Kim Mulkey, winning the National Championship in 2023. The LSU men's basketball program has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2022.