NCAA Rule Changes: Longer Schedule, Expanded Tournament?

The NCAA Basketball Oversight Committee agreed on a change set to affect both men’s and women’s basketball beginning in the 2026-27 season, increasing the number of games played during the regular season from 31 to 32.

Another schedule expansion might take place in the coming weeks, with the rules committee reportedly mulling the idea of an expanded NCAA Tournament… as soon as the upcoming season. The tournament’s current format, enacted ahead of the 2011 postseason, sees 68 teams make the field, four of them in a play-in round vying for a spot ahead of the Round of 64.

Back in 2011, the rules committee considered expanding the tournament to 96 games: as of right now, the proposal would expand the field to 76 teams and add four more play-in contests. While many fans and pundits have expressed concerns that an alteration from the current format would dilute the quality of play, any rule change made would likely occur with profit in mind as the NCAA tries to generate more broadcasting revenue from the rights to their matchups.

Other rule changes tossed about this offseason include an additional fifth year of eligibility for all athletes, which would give players unlikely to make the professional leagues (or in sports without a lucrative mainstream option beyond college) a chance to earn more money for their talents for NIL deals. However, it would also clog up rosters around the NCAA. Already, many players who enter the transfer portal struggle to find a new home. Retaining another class of talented players, likely guaranteed playing time because of their seniority, would exacerbate that issue further.