DAYTON — More teams are expected to take the court next year during the first rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
The tournament is set to grow from 68 teams to 76. This is the first time this has happened since 2011.
From a sports perspective, plenty of fans are not happy with this decision, but like many things, money is always the driving force in a lot of these decisions.
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An expanded tournament will mean an expanded First Four at UD Arena, and economically speaking, that’s a good thing for the Dayton region.
Just last month, for the 14th time since its inception in 2011, the First Four kicked off the NCAA Tournament in Dayton, but now, as reported by CBS Sports and several other outlets, the NCAA Tournament is set to expand starting in March 2027 with a rebranding.
It will have a 76-team bracket, an increase from the current 68-team format, and the “First Four” will be no more. It will be called “The Opening Round,” and instead of the current four games in Dayton over two days, there will be six games at UD Arena over two days, plus six more games over those same two days at a second site that’s currently “TBA.”
“I think any time we have a chance to welcome more teams, that means they’re going to bring their fan bases. That means more families, more visitors to Dayton,” said John Oney, Destination Dayton President and CEO. “I think that’s always a good thing.”
News Center 7’s John Bedell spoke with Oney about the expansion. Oney said in 2025, the First Four brought in $6.6 million in direct spending.
“Which is a major economic boost to the region,” Oney said. “And so, yeah, we haven’t looked at those numbers yet. And we’re curious to see how that pans out.”
UD will still host opening round games.
<i>We are aware of the potential expansion. Expanding the basketball tournaments would require approval from multiple NCAA committees, and no final recommendations or decisions have been made at this time.</i>
<i>The NCAA Tournament has tipped off in Dayton since 2001, and we fully expect that tradition to continue. We are proud to host through 2028 and are actively engaged in the current bid cycle through 2031.</i>
<i>Given the dramatic change in college basketball, we support the potential expansion of the tournament and stand ready to adapt, just as we have for the past 25 years.</i>
<i>Our best-in-class local organizing committee, the Big Hoopla, combined with a passionate fan base and proven operational expertise, positions us to successfully host and elevate any college basketball event, regardless of format or logistical changes. We will continue to serve the game of basketball and its fans at the highest level.</i>
— Neil Sullivan - University of Dayton Vice President and Director of Athletics
No more of the confusion we had when the NCAA tried to change that when the First Four first popped up in 2011.
We expect a final decision on this expansion in the middle of next month.
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