The logistics of possible NCAA basketball tournament expansion

Despite writing a lot of hands from college basketball purists, Extending NCAA tournament Some people have not suggested. In fact, you are truly favored Slight expansion For a long time, especially and essentially if it prevents high large companies from going in its own way.

There has not been a severe expansion for 40 years (when the tournament jumped from 32 to 64), and Division I Basketball has increased significantly in that time. With everyone hunting for even more revenue, both internal and external pressure are pushing the highest large companies towards something that no one wants: Havs and HaW-Nots separate tournaments.

Instead, the expansion of NCAA 72 or 76 teams is likely to be approved, possibly as soon as this week. The NCAA hates its 64-team bracket and carefully to adjust the think-thot-out calendar, which means two dozen teams can get it out in the first round as the next season. So let’s look at the practical implications of a large area – mainly for new brackets – as well as unexpected results.

Because there are always unexpected results. Think back for the introduction of the first four of the men’s tournament in 2011 (the women’s tournament will include it in 2022). We then wrote that the first 16 vs. 1 disturbed “was actually guaranteed by the new format, as” as “the first 15-seeds were included in the extended number 16 line, will” rigid “competition for 1-Cids. “The 15s had already proved that they could defeat 2-seeds,” we wrote, and since 14 years, Industry And Fairlegh dikinson Has proved us right.

We may not be quite a clarity with this latest expansion, as there are still more questions than the answer in the context of the bracket composition (and whom) the necessary bai will fall and, perhaps the most seriously, turn into the time and geography of the tournament. Let’s deal with each of them questions.

Who can get additional bids?

Perhaps the biggest question is the simplest: and who will dance? Suppose there is no change in the number of automated qualifiers (AQS) or the basic principles of team selection and Beijing.

If we look at the 68-team field of last year and our selection on Sunday, then the expansion of 72 is immediately added. West Virginia, Indiana, Boiz state And Ohio StateOur next four, if need to reach 76 teams, they were Daton flyers, Wake Forest Danav Deekens, UC Irwin Antigens And SMU Mustangs,

This is a one -time sample, but still confident to see three of the eight bonus dialects from outside the traditional power conferences. It says here that this is a very desirable result. Quality has been squeezing the middle-manner of the quality for years, so new opportunities at that level of the game are welcome.

Going back to the epidemic and adding the highest rank (by net) to see the surefire teams and adds even more perspectives. This 40-team sample of potential additions in an extended tournament breaks down as follows:

From my seat, it is still very low. But this is a beginning.

How will the bracket be made?

This is the most difficult question to answer. Currently, 60 out of 60 teams receive what amount for “bye” in the main bracket of 64. With the area of ​​76-Team, only 52 will get such a by-election.

Some will argue to play their way in the last area of ​​64 for 24 AQS below. More will only argue for large meals, in this case 24 of 45 non-AQs to do so. The most potential result based on the history of the tournament is another agreement. And the best way without the complete disturbance of the bracket is to designate three full seed lines as the opening-round pairing.

For logic, let’s use seed lines 10, 11 and 12 – which, not more often, have seen themselves in the first four. These are usually a mixture of strong AQs and last-big teams. Doubling the number of dialects on each of those lines, we get for 76 teams. On Tuesday-Wednsday Tripleheaders and we will really have an attractive TV product (say better, say, say, says, Alabama State Vs. St. Francis (PA),

As an example, using the 2025 tournament, adding the next eight bubble teams (indicated by a bearing) to the bracket will be some such production for a initial phase:

The last tally here are four AQs, four pre-wave-lords and eight new AT-Large (teams 69-76). There is also a close division between the power conferences and not.

Really, which seeds can new teams get?

The first four AQ groups and the AT-Large pool were quite intentional in nominating the lower four teams. As a result, Dhanon Doubleheaders thus painted a pair of 11 vs 11 versus 11 seeds with 16 vs. 16 matchups. The first four also “divide the child,” if you do, in the reference to bringing less large companies and higher big companies in the initial stages.

With expansion, especially if 76, he moves out of the well -organized agreement window. Instead of eight teams playing four opening-round games, the 76-Team bracket requires 24 teams-a big growth-12 opening-round game. In other words, to maintain the existing tournament calendar, approximately one -third of the area will be required to be squeezed in an additional competition after selection.

The cleanest means of that end is to play Tuesday and Wednesday Tripleheaders. This will not be an easy change for Tuesday’s teams, but only half of the 24 opening-round participants will be in that position. (The number of teams and games required for the 72-Team Field falls up to 16 and eight respectively, with eight games on two sites on Tuesday and Wednesday.)

When can these teams play?

The only thing that NCAA wants more than a correct 64-team bracket is a tournament after the initial round that does not require a change in its calendar. The men’s championship has an ideal pool on the CBS/Turner, coordinating the final four a week before the masters and supports the selection on Sunday in that window.

Contraceptively, an extended opening round can be withdrawn one or two days – as it was for 2021 Kovid Tourney – and expand the 32 round on Monday or Tuesday of next week. But this will interrupt the traditional Thursday and Friday of the first round, of course the most popular element of the current format.

The only change I have made in the long run is the elimination of all conference championship games on Sunday, resulting in a selection shown which is broadcast in the first day. This will give 24 opening-round participants time to travel and present additional travel.

Where can the new teams play?

The first four hosting privileges of Dhanon are through the 2028 tournament. One option is to move the remaining additional game to the first/second-round site. More likely, to create a valid tournament atmosphere as well as requires bracket flexibility, the solution is to identify the opening-round site of a partner and repeat the Daton model outside the eastern time field.

Geography should be primary idea here. Until we come up with a configuration, which immediately keeps a dozen opening-round winners away from the need of the head for the airport, that trip should be minimized.

I will select the non-daton site based on sub-regional locations in each year tournament. This coming season, not someone asked, my vote will be for Canasus City.

Given the overall product, I do not love the cumbersome opening round required by 76 (or 72) teams. I still believe that the best tournament will facilitate the original 64-team area with some minimal eligibility requirement for middle big companies. However, at this point, the factors beyond basketball are pointing to expansion which are unavoidable.

Are these right solutions? No.

But a fragmented game without NCAA tournament as we know it would be very bad.