NCAA President Charlie Baker “Bullish” on Expanding March Madness to 72 or 76 Teams
LAS VEGAS — The buzz around college basketball is heating up, and it’s not just about the games on the court. NCAA president Charlie Baker has revealed that he’s “bullish” on the idea of expanding the NCAA basketball tournaments to include 72 or even 76 teams in the near future. That’s right—March Madness could be getting even madder!
Speaking at a conference hosted by Sports Business Journal, Baker shared that he’s been having productive discussions with television partners and members of the NCAA’s basketball committees about the potential expansion. While nothing is set in stone yet, Baker made it clear that if the NCAA wants to make this happen for the 2026 tournament, a decision would need to be finalized by the end of this year’s March Madness.
“I’m bullish on the conversations we’ve had about going to 72 or 76, and I think the committees are willing to consider that, but I don’t think it’s going to be anything beyond that,” Baker said. He also noted that the tournament is unlikely to grow beyond 76 teams due to the tight scheduling window between the end of conference championships and the start of coverage for the Masters golf tournament.
Why Expand? The Push for More At-Large Bids
The idea of expanding the tournament isn’t new. Last June, the NCAA’s basketball committees presented proposals to increase the number of teams, following public pressure from major conferences and influential leaders like SEC commissioner Greg Sankey. Sankey has been vocal about the need for more at-large bids, particularly for schools in highly competitive conferences.
“We are giving away highly competitive opportunities for automatic qualifiers [from smaller leagues], and I think that pressure is going to rise as we have more competitive basketball leagues at the top end because of expansion,” Sankey told ESPN last March.
For fans of smaller schools, this could be a game-changer. Expanding the field would mean more opportunities for underdog teams to make a splash on the national stage. And let’s be honest—who doesn’t love a good Cinderella story during March Madness?
What’s Next for the NCAA?
While the potential expansion of the tournament is grabbing headlines, Baker has plenty of other big-ticket items on his to-do list. One of his top priorities for the coming year is implementing changes related to the pending antitrust settlement that will allow schools to start paying players directly. This could be a seismic shift in the world of college sports, giving major conferences more freedom to create rules that align with their financial realities.
Baker said he expects to start working on the details of this new system in January. It’s a move that could reshape the landscape of college athletics, and fans will be watching closely to see how it all unfolds.
March Madness vs. College Football Playoff: A Tale of Two Selection Processes
During his talk, Baker was also asked about the NCAA’s experience in organizing March Madness and whether it could offer any insights for the College Football Playoff (CFP), which is not operated by the NCAA. His response? Don’t expect perfection.
“There are always going to be people who thought it worked exactly the way it should and people who think otherwise,” Baker said. He pointed out a key difference between the two selection processes: the CFP releases weekly rankings during the second half of the regular season, while the NCAA selection committee only shares limited ranking information before making its final decisions about tournament seeding.
“I can’t figure out in my own head if it generates excitement and is interesting to people or if it just makes people crazy as the season goes on to have this thing constantly move,” Baker admitted. It’s a fair question—does the constant shuffle of rankings add to the drama, or does it just fuel frustration among fans?
What Could an Expanded Tournament Look Like?
If the NCAA does decide to expand the tournament, here’s what we know so far:
- The field would grow to either 72 or 76 teams, adding more at-large bids and potentially creating new opportunities for smaller schools.
- The expansion would need to be finalized by the end of this year’s March Madness to be implemented for the 2026 tournament.
- The tournament is unlikely to grow beyond 76 teams due to scheduling constraints.
For fans, this could mean even more excitement, more upsets, and more chances to see their favorite teams make a deep run in the tournament. But it also raises questions about how the additional games would fit into an already packed schedule and whether the quality of play would be affected.
The Bottom Line
As the NCAA continues to explore the possibility of expanding March Madness, one thing is clear: the tournament’s magic lies in its unpredictability and the sheer joy it brings to fans across the country. Whether it’s 68 teams, 72, or 76, the madness will always deliver. But for now, all eyes are on Charlie Baker and the NCAA as they weigh their options and decide the future of one of sports’ most beloved events.
Originally Written by: Dan Murphy
