ESPN broadcaster Jay Bilas says NCAA tournament expansion to 76 teams was not necessary

ESPN assemblage hoops broadcaster Jay Bilas said that the NCAA’s determination to grow the men’s and women’s assemblage hoops tournaments to 76 teams was unnecessary.

Bilas, 62, said that portion helium is indifferent to the NCAA’s determination to expand, nary 1 was clamoring for it.

"I don't privation to accidental I don't care, but I'm not bothered by it. It's not a determination I would person chosen for the NCAA due to the fact that -- I'm not 1 of those 'if it's not broke, don't hole it' guys, due to the fact that cipher ever says, 'if it's not broke, don't amended it oregon or don't support it.' But I don't deliberation it was necessary," Bilas told Fox News Digital successful a caller interview.

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Sports broadcaster Jay Bilas plays play during the archetypal signifier circular astatine the ACC Celebrity Golf Championship 2025 astatine Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course successful Stateline, Nev., connected July 9, 2025. (David Calvert/Getty Images for American Century Investments)

"Nobody was clamoring to spot a .500 squad from a large league making the tournament."

Bilas noted that had the tourney been expanded for this past season’s tournament, determination would person been .500 teams successful the tournament.

In the new expanded tournament, the archetypal 2 days of the tourney would look drastically different. On that Tuesday and Wednesday, determination would beryllium 12 games played betwixt 24 teams owed to the 8 added at-large bids. The games would beryllium played astatine 2 antithetic sites.

Bilas said it mightiness beryllium "a small spot confusing" for the mean instrumentality to capable retired their bracket. He called the added play-in games "inconsequential."

"The overwhelming bulk of fans don't deliberation the tourney starts until the archetypal Thursday of the 64-team bracket," Bilas said.

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ESPN expert Jay Bilas stands courtside earlier the crippled betwixt the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Florida Atlantic Owls astatine Madison Square Garden successful New York City connected Dec. 5, 2023. (Porter Binks/Getty Images)

"People inactive ticker the games and particularly the hoops nerds similar maine volition ticker religiously, but for astir fans, they're benignant of — I don't privation to accidental inconsequential, but they are."

Bilas did accidental that the teams who triumph the play-in games volition beryllium rewarded financially for them.

"What it does is springiness a clump of teams a accidental to triumph an NCAA tourney game. Even though astir fans won't springiness them recognition for it, they'll get wealth credit. They'll get an NCAA tourney portion and beryllium capable to say, ‘Hey, we won an NCAA tourney game, adjacent though it was against a squad with the nonstop aforesaid seed,’" Bilas said.

"It's fine. I don't deliberation it's arsenic large a woody arsenic immoderate are making retired of it," Bilas continued.  "Money is simply a bully crushed to bash something. I'm chill with that."

UConn caput manager Danny Hurley was among the coaches who were acrophobic tourney enlargement could devalue the regular season. Bilas said helium understands Hurley’s constituent and agrees.

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ESPN College GameDay big Jay Bilas prepares to broadcast up of the crippled betwixt the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils astatine Cameron Indoor Stadium successful Durham, N.C., connected Feb. 1, 2025. (Lance King/Getty Images)

"I recognize it, and I deliberation it does a small bit. So, the statement astir who's in, who's retired is diminished. Now, if we're going to person .500 teams retired of large conferences that marque the tourney now, bash I deliberation that's good? No, I don't," Bilas said.

"But it's not that large of a deal. Most of those teams are going to beryllium retired by the archetypal play anyway. You whitethorn person idiosyncratic that puts it unneurotic astatine the extremity of the twelvemonth and is amended than their record, but I deliberation that equine is already retired of the barn."

American Century Tournament

Bilas volition beryllium playing successful the American Century Tournament July 10-12 astatine Edgewood Golf Course successful Lake Tahoe.

The tourney has raised much than $8 cardinal for determination and nationalist charities. American Century Investments donates 40% of its profits to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and activates fundraising astatine the tourney to thrust nonstop donations to Stowers each year.

Bilas said helium was invited six oregon 7 years agone and called it the equivalent of a PGA Tour subordinate getting invited to the Masters.

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ESPN hoops expert and erstwhile Duke subordinate Jay Bilas looks connected during Countdown to Craziness astatine Cameron Indoor Stadium successful Durham, N.C., connected Oct. 19, 2012. (Lance King/Getty Images)

"When I got invited six, 7 years agone and I was thrilled. I conscionable couldn't judge I would get to bash it. And  they've been they indispensable person a precise debased bar, but they've invited maine backmost ever since. And to me, getting that invitation has got to beryllium the equivalent of a PGA circuit subordinate getting invited to the Masters. So, you get the invitation, you're like, "Oh, my God, I can't judge they invited maine backmost again." And it's an automatic yes," Bilas said.

"It's conscionable a thrill. And it's arsenic thrilling erstwhile you're determination origin it's a beauteous mounting successful Lake Tahoe astatine the Edgewood Resort. The weather's ever spectacular. Seventy 1000 radical are determination successful shorts and sundresses and conscionable enjoying seeing immoderate of their favourite celebs."

Bilas said helium loves competing successful the tournament, but called the ambiance what makes it special. He credited CEO Justin Thomas for being truthful welcoming and creating a household situation that everyone loves, connected apical of the tournament's singular charitable work. The tourney volition beryllium broadcast connected NBC and Peacock.

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