NCAA President Charlie Baker’s push to expand the annual March Madness tournament has stirred controversy, with top analysts blaming college football’s chaotic postseason as the driving force.
As debates heat up, fans and experts question whether this change will enhance or harm one of college sports’ most iconic events.
Analyst Claims Football Is To Blame For College Basketball Expansion
NCAA President Charlie Baker made headlines at the Big 12 spring meetings by declaring that one of his top priorities is discussing the expansion of March Madness, potentially as soon as 2026.
NCAA president Charlie Baker said one of his top priorities here at the Big 12 spring meetings was to discuss expanding March Madness, which could come in 2026.
“That would be the goal, to try and do this for next year. … We’ve been talking about 72 and 76.”
— David Rumsey (@_DavidRumsey) May 29, 2025
“That would be the goal, to try and do this for next year… We’ve been talking about 72 and 76 [teams],” Baker said, signaling a push to increase the tournament field. The move has sparked immediate debate, with critics questioning the motives and timing of such a change.
Amid this backdrop, some analysts have pointed to the chaos and constant tinkering in college football’s postseason as a driving force behind Baker’s urgency.
Unsatisfied with the coagulated state of college football and its ever-changing postseason formats, in pops the president of the NCAA once again to needlessly try and downgrade a near-perfect basketball tournament on an accelerated timeline that few are truly clamoring for. https://t.co/Oy1gbBDjSK
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) May 29, 2025
“Unsatisfied with the coagulated state of college football and its ever-changing postseason formats, in pops the president of the NCAA once again to needlessly try and downgrade a near-perfect basketball tournament on an accelerated timeline that few are truly clamoring for,” one analyst posted on X.
This sentiment reflects a growing frustration that the issues plaguing college football, such as playoff expansion and shifting formats, are now influencing decisions in college basketball, potentially to its detriment.
The expansion conversation is not happening in a vacuum. Conference leaders, especially from the SEC and Big Ten, have been vocal about increasing their representation in the tournament, mirroring the arms race mentality that has come to define college football’s postseason.
With television contracts and revenue-sharing settlements looming large, the pressure to “keep up” with football’s ever-expanding playoff system appears to be a significant, if unspoken, motivator behind the sudden momentum for change.
The push for expansion has ignited a fierce backlash from college basketball purists and analysts alike. Many argue that March Madness’s magic lies in its current format—a 68-team field that balances opportunity with exclusivity and delivers the chaos and Cinderella stories fans cherish.
As college basketball insider Jon Rothstein bluntly put it in a viral tweet, “To Whom It May Concern, DO NOT expand or change the NCAA Tournament, under ANY circumstances”. His plea resonated with fans who see expansion as a move driven by money and power conferences rather than a genuine need to improve the event.
Money is really at the center of this whole debate. Expanding the tournament would mean more games, more travel, and a lot more expenses, which could end up shrinking the money each school gets.
Media partners like CBS and TNT Sports are also being careful, saying that any changes should actually benefit the fans—not just boost profits. Since there’s no promise of making more money, a lot of people are hesitant to support an expansion that might mess with what makes the tournament special and how the finances work.
Ultimately, the decision will rest with the NCAA men’s basketball committee, which faces pressure from both sides. While some conference leaders and television executives see expansion as a potential windfall, a vocal segment of fans and analysts worry that the tournament’s unique charm could be lost in the pursuit of football-style growth.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
