Sources: NCAA tourney expansion in final steps
Key takeaways
- NCAA committee calls scheduled for Thursday loom as expected final steps for the formalization of the expansion, sources said.
- ESPN had reported last week that the NCAA had initiated the final steps to expand both tournaments from 68 to 76 beginning with the 2027 tournaments.
- Talks of expansion had taken place for well over a year, and the men's tournament media deal was amid the final steps toward completion after meetings with NCAA officials in late April.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
NCAA committee calls scheduled for Thursday loom as expected final steps for the formalization of the expansion, sources said. The expansion process could be completed as early as Thursday.
ESPN had reported last week that the NCAA had initiated the final steps to expand both tournaments from 68 to 76 beginning with the 2027 tournaments.
Talks of expansion had taken place for well over a year, and the men's tournament media deal was amid the final steps toward completion after meetings with NCAA officials in late April. With the various NCAA committees, there's not expected to be much pushback, as sources have indicated the moves have been debated and discussed for months to help streamline the final steps.