NCAA Expands Basketball Tournaments to 76 Teams

0:00The NCAA is pushing ahead with plans to grow both the men's and women's basketball tournaments to 76 teams each, starting this season. Sources say they're in the final stages, with an announcement possibly coming mid-May. It's been talked about for over a year, and now it's down to some routine approvals. Earlier this week, NCAA folks met with media partners to wrap up those big broadcast deals which still need signing before committees vote. Officers like the basketball oversight committees, Division 1 Cabinet, and Board of Governors have to sign off, but insiders call it all. Formalities, they're ready to roll. Power conferences have been driving this, wanting more at large bids to get their teams and easier. It's not about a cash explosion, just a modest profit after covering extra travel and logistics costs. Fans in schools see it as fair access, though the NCAA's staying tight-lipped on final calls. On the court side, the men's first four blows up from eight teams to 24, playing 12 games

1:01across two sites, one staying in Dayton, the other likely West to ease travel that adds eight early games on Tuesday and Wednesday, giving more squads a shot before the main bracket. The classic 64 team showdown still kicks off Thursday, looking mostly the same, but now extra at-larges jump in early. This shake-up means bigger hoops drama right out the gate, keep an eye on those committee votes to lock it in. That's your update from Durham News Today, powered by AI.