Someone at the Final Four with some insight into the matter -- his initials are "D" and "G" -- insisted to me that an NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament expansion to 96 teams "was not a done deal" with most, myself included, figured it was.
Well, Thursday he was proven right when it was announced that the NCAA Men's Championship Committee had recommended (unanimously) that the field being expanded to 68 next year.
It was part of the announcement that CBS and Turner Broadcasting had agreed to a 14-year agreement, worth $10.8 billion, with the NCAA for the multimedia rights to its Men's Basketball Championships.
The NCAA's Board of Directors is expected to rubber stamp the 68-team expansion next Thursday.
NCAA officials said Thursday that machinations of the new format will be discussed and decided upon in the summer.
I vote for have the final eight at-large teams (and the the at-large field will be expanded to 37) play in four "opening round" games on Tuesday before the first-round games are played on Thursday and Friday.
Leave a comment