The Big Ten supports a possible expansion of the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to 76 teams, Commissioner Tony Petitti said.
Speaking at Big Ten basketball media days Thursday in Rosemont, Petitti said the conference has garnered input from its athletic directors and coaches on the matter. He said larger conferences — such as the 18-team Big Ten — play a role in their support of the matter, while the NCAA clearly has financial reasons for increasing the size of the field from 68 teams.
The Big Ten had eight teams make the men’s tournament last season and 12 in the women’s tournament.
“Clearly part of the motivation from the NCAA is recognition that with these larger conferences, you’re going to force teams to move closer to .500 records in a conference,” Petitti said. “What access do they have? So I think overall, with the system we have now with these large conferences, more access is better.”
Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports and On3 reported last week that the tournament is getting closer to expansion in 2027 with a new format that would include 12 opening-round games instead of the current First Four.
Petitti said a major question is how to absorb the additional teams, including how the field is seeded and which teams are put in the play-in games.
In the current format, the last four automatic qualifiers and last four at-large bids play in the First Four games, while the new opening-round field could have 12 automatic qualifiers and 12 at-large bids.
Petitti said the Big Ten’s preference would be for the field to be organized via “straight seeding,” meaning that perhaps more of the automatic qualifiers from lower-level conferences would be in the opening round. But he acknowledged that a system like the current First Four might be likelier.
“Obviously we’re biased,” he said. “We think our teams will be seeded higher as the field goes in. There’s a system we have now. It will probably continue is my understanding.
“You weigh all of it and say, OK, maybe the seeding isn’t perfect in the way we would design it, but it’s providing more access. I think we tilt to the side that access is more important. As many teams competing for as long as possible for the right reward is the best place to be.”
Northwestern men’s coach Chris Collins said he’s a fan of the NCAA Tournament’s current construction, but he’s also not against adding eight teams.
“I’m an old-school guy. I don’t want to expand so much that you feel like everybody is getting in,” Collins said. “I still think there is a merit of having a successful year to get yourself in. But what they’re talking about, adding eight more teams, I’m OK with that in this landscape.”
The Big Ten is changing its men’s conference tournament this season to include all 18 teams. Last season, the first of the expanded conference, only 15 teams qualified. Petitti said the coaches felt strongly that all teams should be included, and he noted that expanding the conference tournament opportunities could be relevant if there are more NCAA Tournament teams.
Petitti addressed a wide range of topics during a 20-minute session with reporters Thursday. That included acknowledging the Big Ten’s exploration of private equity investment.
Dellenger reported Friday that the Big Ten is in negotiations with an investment fund of the University of California pension system to infuse $2.4 billion into the conference and that a vote could happen in the upcoming days.
Petitti said his duty as commissioner is to “maximize the resources for our member institutions,” especially as the conference’s athletic departments figure out how best to operate in the new revenue-sharing era.
“In a world that’s changed like it has with the settlement and revenue share, the obligation in the conference office is to make sure we’re resourced properly,” he said. “That largely has been media deals, sponsorship, all of those things. Setting up a structure that can maximize that activity is important.”
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, sent a letter to Big Ten presidents and chancellors Friday expressing concerns about a possible deal between the conference and private investors.
“This proposed deal with a private equity investor may be counter to your university’s academic goals, may require the sale of university assets to a private investor and may affect the tax-exempt purpose of those assets,” she wrote.
“I have been informed by regents and trustees of Big Ten member institutions that they have not been fully briefed on the deal under consideration. This draws into question whether the conference has been transparent about the details and long-term consequences of the deal.”
Cantwell went on to say that the goals of the Big Ten and a private equity investor might not align.
“These investors will be focused on maximizing their investment, not on preserving and growing athletic and academic opportunities for student-athletes,” she wrote.
Petitti indicated that the conference still is determining whether entering into such an agreement is the best path.
“Whether or not we need strategic investment to help us, we’ll determine,” Petitti said. “It will be done by all 18 leaders. It’s no different than looking at the other buckets that we have to maximize resources. Just one other avenue that may or may not be available to us.”