The 2026 March Madness has reached the Sweet 16 round. There have been some major upsets so far, and some title contenders have been knocked out. The Sweet 16 round will start on Thursday with the Purdue Boilermakers against the Texas Longhorns.
In the second round of March Madness, we saw the Kansas Jayhawks lose 65-67 to the St John’s Red Storm. The Florida Gators were knocked out yesterday by the Iowa Hawkeyes following their 72-73 loss.
It’s not unprecedented for big teams to lose in the first or second rounds. However, ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg believes that some of the teams are making an early exit from the tournament because of their weak rosters.
During his recent appearance on The Rick Eisen Show, Greenberg said that now teams need a lot of money to build their rosters, which will help them compete at the highest level.
“If you’re trying to compete at the very highest level, you need $12 million. Maybe more,” he said. “To build your roster, the way you want to build your roster, to build your depth, to compete with the other teams.”
Greenberg said that the top teams spend around $12 to $15 million in building their rosters. As a result, they have a complete team ready for every season, and they accumulate significantly more wins than losses.
The teams that are either stuck in the middle or are at the bottom, they spend around $7 million on their rosters. Greenberg believes that since they can’t build a proper roster, those teams end up with matching numbers on wins and losses in the season.
Seth Greenberg on Why Mid-Major is Disappearing
The game has changed a lot at the collegiate level. A good coaching staff is no longer enough to attract good players. Teams with bigger recruiting budgets, facilities, and NIL push have become the center of attention.
Greenberg said that mid-major is disappearing now because those teams can’t afford to compete with the big teams. He gave props to High Point for staying competitive and in the conversation.
“The one Mid-Major that made a little run from the Big South Conference, High Point, they spent $5 to $6 million on their roster, and they became one of the best Mid-Majors. It’s the cost of doing business,” he said.
Greenberg said that most teams have simply added a group of players instead of putting together a roster of players who fit the identity of the program and are capable in the roles envisioned for them.
Read More:
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Can Purdue Win March Madness 2026? Breaking Down the Boilermakers’ Title Chances
Embarrassment for ESPN as Jon Scheyer Interview Suffers Glitch Before NCAA Tournament
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