Overview

• The men’s and women’s committees met in Savannah and Philadelphia on July 10 and discussed expansion without reaching a recommendation.
• Dan Gavitt said the field could stay at 68 teams or grow to 72 or 76 teams for the 2026 or 2027 tournaments.
• Any proposal from the committees now awaits approval from the NCAA Division I board, which meets in August.
• Negotiations with CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery over media rights, worth over $1 billion annually, are shaping the timing and logistics of any expansion.
• Critics warn that adding teams may dilute tournament quality, reduce regular-season stakes and limit spots for smaller-conference champions.