The Division I Transformation Committee is considering a major change across college sports that could impact the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments.
According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, the committee introduced the idea of allowing as much as 25 percent of the sport’s teams to qualify for the postseason bracket. That could theoretically lead to up to 90 teams gaining March Madness eligibility.
Norlander added that there isn’t significant interest in major basketball expansion, and this idea could also affect other sports such as baseball, lacrosse, and soccer.
College hoops fans nevertheless aren’t enamored with the possibility of adding more teams to the NCAA tournament.
One source told Norlander that the expansion idea “is open for discussion” but it’s “a little too soon” to get done.
An anonymous league commissioner supported the current 68-team layout, which includes four play-in games.
“The NCAA basketball tournament is absolutely critical to college athletics,” the commissioner said.” It’s one of the most unique sporting events in the world. Its value to the enterprise of college athletics is critical. The structure we have right now, it works, it’s a winner, people love it and I would hope we would not overly tinker.”
Expansion doesn’t sound imminent, so March Madness purists shouldn’t panic just yet. However, the Division I’s ongoing discussion of potential postseason tweaking is worth monitoring.