Story perspectives

NCAA expands men’s, women’s tournaments to 76 teams

4/29/2026

Summary

NCAA Expands Tournaments

The NCAA will expand the men’s and women’s tournaments to 76 teams.
The format adds eight at-large bids and a 24-team opening round in Dayton.
Twelve opening-round winners will join a 52-team main bracket after two days.
NCAA President Charlie Baker backs plan while Dan Gavitt says talks pause until after the 2025-26 season.
The league aims to finalize the expansion by mid-May, keeping the TV deal through 2032 unchanged.

Summary

NCAA Expands Opening

The tournament will expand its opening round, renaming the former “First Four” games as the Opening Round.
Most college basketball fans say the larger field will dilute excitement, expressing disappointment.
ESPN keeps rights to the women’s tournament without extra fees for the expansion, while CBS Sports and TNT will raise payments modestly.
Additional play-in games will shift some broadcasts into daytime hours, moving them out of the traditional primetime window.

History

Historical Context

The NCAA expanded its men’s basketball tournament to 64 teams in 1985, ending byes and boosting national exposure. A 2011 contract with CBS/Turner added a four-team “First Four,” creating the 68-team field still used today. Now Governor Charlie Baker and tournament director Dan Gavitt are weighing a 76-team proposal that would echo those past expansions and reshape broadcast schedules for CBS, ESPN and TNT.

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NCAA Expands Tournaments

The NCAA will expand the men’s and women’s tournaments to 76 teams.
The format adds eight at-large bids and a 24-team opening round in Dayton.
Twelve opening-round winners will join a 52-team main bracket after two days.
NCAA President Charlie Baker backs plan while Dan Gavitt says talks pause until after the 2025-26 season.
The league aims to finalize the expansion by mid-May, keeping the TV deal through 2032 unchanged.

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