According to Dellenger, “This new opening round features 24 teams playing in 12 games over the two days, with six games each at two sites (Dayton, the current home of the First Four, plus another likely more basketball-centric Western location). Those involved in the negotiations caution that plenty of this could change through the course of continuing talks with TV partners Warner Bros. Discovery and CBS. For now, this is the plan.”
The NCAA tournament has started at UD Arena every year since 2001, except 2020 when the tournament was cancelled because of the pandemic, and 2021, when the entire tournament took place in Indiana.
UD bids on the right to host the First Four every few years and, in 2024, it won the right to host the games through at least 2028.
UD Arena has hosted more NCAA tournament games than any other venue in the country. The number will climb to 145 when Dayton hosts the First Four in 2026.
The expansion of the tournament has been a topic for years. Dayton Flyers coach Anthony Grant said in 2022 he was in favor of a bigger tournament. Atlantic 10 Conference Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade said Tuesday at A-10 Media Day that she will continue to be vocal in favor of expansion.
There were reports the tournament could expand as soon as the 2025-26 season, but that idea died in August when the NCAA’s vice president of basketball, Dan Gavitt, released a statement.
“Expanding the tournament fields is no longer being contemplated for the 2026 men’s and women’s basketball championships,” Gavitt said. “However, the committees will continue conversations on whether to recommend expanding to 72 or 76 teams in advance of the 2027 championships.”
The tournament last expanded from 65 to 68 teams in 2011 when the First Four was held for the first time. From 2001-2010, it was a 65-team event with two teams meeting in Dayton in what was called the play-in game or opening-round game.
From 1985 to 2000, there were 64 teams in the bracket.
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