Wasn't 1 in 9.2 quintillion hard enough? Bigger NCAA tournaments mean bigger brackets, too
The Final Four logo is seen on the court prior to the NCAA college basketball tournament national championship game between UConn and Michigan at the Final Four, April 6, 2026, in Indianapolis. Credit: AP/AJ Mast
The NCAA will expand its DIvision I basketball tournaments from 68 to 76 teams next season. The change isn't expected to radically disrupt the familiar bracket for most casual fans. Here is a breakdown of some key numbers to know:
0 — The number of mid-major schools that advanced past the first weekend of either tournament the last two seasons.
1 in 9.2 quintillion — The estimated odds against picking a perfect bracket even before adding eight games to the mix.
4 — Games matching No. 12 seeds and No. 16 seeds in the opening round.
8 — The number of teams being added to each tournament (men and women). It's also the number of new games being added to each tourney.
15 — The number of years since the NCAA last expanded the tournaments (from 64 to 68 in 2011).
120 — Total number of games for the two tournaments over seven days between the bracket announcement and the conclusion of the secound round.
North Carolina State guard Jr. Paul McNeil (2) rises for a shot during the first half in a First Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament against Texas, March 17, 2026, in Dayton, Ohio. Credit: AP/Kareem Elgazzar
131 — As in $131 million, the amoung of new revenue the NCAA expects to share with tournament participants under the expansion.
300 — As in $300 million, the extra funding the NCAA expects to get from new advertising opportunities tied to expansion, including the addition of liqour ads that had largely been off limits.
2032 — The year the current $8.8 billion broadcast deal between the NCAA and partners like CBS, TNT and others expires, raising the potential for more change.
350,000 — As in $350,000, the value of a NCAA-distributed "unit' for a men's team that reached the tournament.
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