March 9, 2025
In an unprecedented move that will reshape the landscape of college basketball, the NCAA has announced today that the 2025 Men’s Basketball Tournament, popularly known as March Madness, will expand to a 96-team field, a dramatic increase from the traditional 68-team bracket. The expansion, set to take effect for the 2025 tournament, marks the first significant change in the tournament’s format in over 30 years and is expected to have a profound impact on the competition, fan experience, and future of college basketball.
The announcement, made by NCAA President Charlie Baker, signals the organization’s commitment to adapting the tournament to the changing landscape of college sports. The expanded field will include more at-large bids and automatic qualifiers from both major and mid-major conferences, giving smaller programs a better shot at making the tournament and increasing the level of unpredictability that fans have come to love about March Madness.
“We’re excited to bring even more excitement to March Madness,” said Baker in a press conference following the announcement. “This expansion allows us to include more teams, more fan bases, and more regions in the tournament. It’s an opportunity for schools and communities across the country to be part of the spectacle, and we’re confident it will lead to even more thrilling games and storylines.”
The 96-team bracket will be divided into four regions, each with 24 teams. The top 16 seeds in each region will receive byes, and the remaining teams will compete in a “First Four” round, similar to the current format, to determine the final 64 teams that will proceed to the main draw. This means that the first round of the tournament will now consist of a “First Four” as well as traditional matchups for the remaining spots.
With this expansion, many smaller schools and mid-major programs, who have long felt that the current 68-team format was not sufficient to give them a fair chance, will now have more opportunities to earn a spot in the field. The expanded format ensures that teams from less prominent conferences have an equal chance of making a deep run, which could shake up the typical dominance of the power conferences.
The NCAA also plans to incorporate the expansion in a way that maintains the excitement and competitive balance of the tournament. The additional teams will be given specific placement in the bracket based on a new, more detailed seeding formula, which will take into account conference championships, strength of schedule, and head-to-head matchups, while still giving significant weight to traditional powerhouses that have historically dominated the field.
One major impact of the expansion will be the way the tournament is structured, with more games in each region, creating a longer path to the championship and more chances for upsets. Fans can expect more surprises, especially with the increased opportunities for underdog teams to shine on a national stage. Experts anticipate that the larger field will result in an even more unpredictable and thrilling tournament, where every game matters, and no team is truly safe from an early exit.
“We’re thrilled to have more chances to show what we can do,” said Chris Thompson, head coach of a mid-major program that had previously been on the bubble in prior years. “The excitement of March Madness is that anyone can beat anyone, and with this new format, it gives more teams a chance to make history. I think we’ll see some incredible upsets and exciting basketball from teams that previously wouldn’t have had a shot.”
The 2025 tournament will likely see significant logistical changes as well, including expanded broadcasting agreements and increased fan engagement. With more teams in the tournament, the television networks and streaming platforms that carry the tournament will have additional content to air, which could lead to more coverage and a broader audience.
The decision to expand the field also has financial implications, with the NCAA poised to benefit from increased ticket sales, sponsorships, and media rights deals. For fans, the added games mean more opportunities to witness the drama, chaos, and excitement that make March Madness one of the most beloved sporting events in the U.S.
As the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament approaches, anticipation is already building for what promises to be the most expansive and thrilling edition of March Madness yet. With the field expanded and new opportunities for teams, players, and fans alike, the 2025 tournament is set to be a historic celebration of college basketball.
