The NCAA is still deliberating expanding on both the and sides to 76 teams for next season 鈥� a much-expected development that’s been in the works for years.
The NCAA released a brief statement Tuesday in the wake of an ESPN report that cited unnamed sources saying a decision to add eight teams to the bracket is a mere formality that’s expected in May.
鈥淓xpanding the basketball tournaments would require approval from multiple NCAA committees, including the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball committees, and no final recommendations or decisions have been made at this time,鈥� the statement said.
Earlier this month at the Final Four, NCAA President Charlie Baker said the committees would, in fact, return to discussing the expansion once this year’s tournament was over.
The tournaments have been at 68 teams since 2011, when four play-in games were added to the beginning of the first week of play. The new format would add eight more at-large teams and take eight more teams out of the main bracket for play-in games.
鈥淧eople can criticize the NCAA all they want, but they put on a championship and an event like no other,鈥� Michigan coach Dusty May said Wednesday. 鈥淚f more young players and coaching staffs could have an opportunity to experience March Madness, then I鈥檓 for it. The traditionalists in me says, 鈥楴o, let鈥檚 keep it at 64,鈥� and it鈥檚 slightly tilted toward keeping it as it is, but I could be easily persuaded.鈥�
The expansion isn’t expected to generate a lot more income because it will only add games early in the first week. The current TV deal runs through 2032 and could be tweaked slightly.
Regardless of finances, the expansion would give power conferences more chances to place teams in the bracket 鈥� a growing concern as those conferences seek more power and control over college sports in the era of name, image and likeness compensation and the transfer portal.
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AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in Ann Arbor, Michigan, contributed to this report.
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