"The new, 76-team brackets will jam eight extra games for a total of 12 involving 24 teams into the front half of the first week of the men's and the women's tournaments. It will turn what's now known as the First Four into a bigger affair that will now be called the March Madness Opening Round."
"The NCAA said it will distribute more than $131m in new revenue to schools that make the tournament. That money will come via expanded TV advertising opportunities for alcohol, the likes of which were previously restricted. It said the value of the rights agreement will increase $50m each year on average over the course of the six years."
"Keith Gill, the chairman of the Division I men's basketball committee, called the expansion a nice way to create some access but make sure we have the bracket we all love when we start Thursday at noon."
The NCAA announced an expansion of both men's and women's March Madness tournaments from 68 to 76 teams, effective next season. Eight additional games will be added to the opening round, creating 12 total play-in games involving 24 teams in the first week. This opening round will be renamed the March Madness Opening Round, with 12 winners advancing to the traditional 64-team bracket beginning Thursday for men and Friday for women. The expansion marks the first tournament growth in 15 years. The NCAA will distribute over $131 million in new revenue to participating schools, generated through expanded television advertising opportunities for alcohol and increased rights agreement values averaging $50 million annually over six years. Most new slots are expected to benefit power conference teams.
#ncaa-tournament-expansion #march-madness #college-basketball #revenue-distribution #tournament-format-changes
Read at www.theguardian.com
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