Gross - New Report Says The NCAA Tournament Expansion Would Likely Be 72 Or 76 Teams, Might Be The Only Way To 'Save The Tournament We Know And Love'

[Source] - “We’re not talking about 96,’’ said a college administrator who was briefed on the conversations, but who has not been authorized to speak publicly. “There is little to no appetite for 96 teams, or really even 80.’

College basketball administrators fear that, if the tourney is left untouched, it will inspire power conference schools to at least consider their own postseason. Fox already is creating a counter to the NIT.

“The NCAA has to be proactive,” the source said. “Expansion — modest expansion — may be the only way to keep the tournament we all know and love alive.”

Goddamnit this is going to happen and I'm going to be livid. I'm not someone who gets visibly mad often, but you may see me cry like Keegs over a New York City owl. Except this matters way more to America. You know what we don't need? More bubble teams in the NCAA Tournament. I don't understand how this keeps the tournament we all know and love alive. You know what the Tournament is that we know and love? 4 regions of 16 teams. That's the bracket we know. That's what we want. 

Here's the secret that isn't being talked about enough. EVERY TEAM ALREADY HAS A CHANCE TO MAKE THE NCAA TOURNAMENT. That's what these next two weeks and conference tournaments are all about. Had a shitty regular season? Get hot like Georgetown or Oregon State and get your own bid. All you have to do is win 3-4 games and you're in. Hell it doesn't even matter how big of a school you are. Eastern Kentucky has the same chance as Kentucky, UNC Asheville has the same chance as UNC. Just win your league and you get one of the 32 auto-bids. 

And are we really scared about Fox creating a counter to the NIT? No one cares about the NIT! It's not even being held at MSG anymore. If we're that scared of a counter to the NIT, there's bigger things to worry about. No one wants to watch a second NIT or a power conference only postseason. The beauty of the NCAA Tournament are the Cinderella runs early and hoping we get the best and biggest names late. It rarely happens but that's the ideal Tournament. 

The only positive here is at least they seem to be smart enough to not expand to 80 or 90 teams. That would be dumb as hell. You want the regular season to truly not matter? Expand that much. We already battle people screaming about how college basketball doesn't matter until this week, that's the last thing we need to do. We really want like this year's Maryland or Indiana team in the NCAA Tournament? Gross. 

All I know is when it does expand (fuck that) adjust how the first four or whatever number games are. Conference winners automatically go on their bracket. I know they like the right to win a share of money, but they deserve to be in the real tournament. Make the last 8 teams or whatever in play to get on the bracket. Don't reward these trash teams with a 13 seed right away or whatever stupid numbers we have.