NCAA Tournament Expansion Hanging in the Balance: Could a Game-Changing Decision Drop Soon?

Another expansion of the field would be expected to add onto the Tuesday and Wednesday slates with a similar breakdown of automatic qualifying teams from small conferences and at-large selections participating. While the power conferences would prefer to have their teams avoid the play-in round, TV networks want some of those teams playing on those nights to boost viewership.

For smaller conferences, NCAA basketball-related distributions are often the biggest source of revenue for their schools.Expansion would involve building out the opening rounds with an additional site or sites to go with Dayton and help alleviate the travel burden for teams that advance from those games. The basketball committee was presented with various options to consider.The NCAA’s rights deal with CBS and WBD pays the association more than billion annually and runs through 2032, but the networks are under no obligation to increase the rights fee for a bigger tournament.

The NCAA’s rights deal with CBS and WBD pays the association more than billion annually and runs through 2032, but the networks are under no obligation to increase the rights fee for a bigger tournament.

The NCAA’s rights deal with CBS and WBD pays the association more than billion annually and runs through 2032, but the networks are under no obligation to increase the rights fee for a bigger tournament.

The NCAA’s rights deal with CBS and WBD pays the association more than billion annually and runs through 2032, but the networks are under no obligation to increase the rights fee for a bigger tournament.

AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhile many mid-major conferences hope a bigger tournament field will lead to a few extra bids, the recently expanded power conferences expect to benefit most from the added at-large berths. The SEC set a record last season when 14 of its 16 teams made the men’s bracket.AdvertisementAdvertisement