Basketball committees for both men’s and women’s Division I programs gave unanimous backing Thursday to grow the NCAA tournaments from their current 68-team format to 76 teams, according to reports from several media outlets.
The decision came during what sources described as an urgent joint session between the two committees.
Before the changes can take effect, the proposal must still receive approval from basketball oversight committees for both tournaments, the Division I cabinet, and ultimately the NCAA Board of Governors.
According to ESPN’s Wednesday reporting, discussions about tournament growth have been ongoing for more than twelve months, and with media partnership agreements for the men’s competition nearing finalization in late April, the remaining approval steps are anticipated to proceed without major obstacles.
Reports from last month indicate the NCAA’s plan would place 52 teams directly into the main tournament bracket, while the remaining 24 teams would compete in a dozen matchups scheduled for the Tuesday and Wednesday following Selection Sunday. The victorious teams from these contests would then complete the Round of 64 field.
The current “First Four” designation will be retired under the new format, with officials planning to use “opening round” for the preliminary games and “first round” for what is now known as the Round of 64.
The dozen opening round contests are planned for Dayton, Ohio, which currently hosts the First Four, along with an additional location that has not yet been announced.
The women’s tournament currently holds its First Four games as individual contests at college campus venues.
This would represent the tournament’s first growth since 2011, when the field expanded from 65 to 68 teams through the introduction of the First Four format. Prior to that change, the tournament had maintained either 64 or 65 teams since 1985.
Yahoo Sports reported in April that the Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference had been the primary advocates pushing for tournament expansion. NCAA president Charlie Baker has also publicly endorsed the idea.
“I said all along that I think there are some very good reasons to expand the tournament,” Baker told ESPN in February. “So, I would like to see it expand.”
