Why expanding the NCAA Tournament could spoil March Madness

Expanding the tournament could ruin what makes it one of the greatest postseasons in all of sports.

Mid-major conference tournament champions could potentially be further marginalized to make room for mediocre major conference programs. Instead of champions from smaller conferences automatically being in the 64-team field, they might be relegated to the First Eight/Ten on a Tuesday or Wednesday, when fewer eyes are on the tournament.

When the field expanded to 68, the NCAA put four mid-major champions in the First Four in two 16-seed versus 16-seed games.

Baker’s comments on Thursday certainly don’t bode well for basketball conferences outside the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten and SEC.

“If you have a tournament that’s got 68 teams in it, you’re going to have a bunch of teams that are among what most people would consider … the best 68 or 70 teams in the country that aren’t going to make the tournament, period, because you got a whole bunch of people who win their conference tournaments who aren’t in that group.”

If the tournament expands, it shouldn’t come at the expense of teams who earned their bid by winning a conference tournament. 

We’d be a bit more receptive to a move to 72 or 76 teams if those teams vying for at-large berths were the ones playing in the First Eight/Ten. It would still be completely unnecessary.

After all, Baker’s logic is silly. Do we really need to alter the tournament so college basketball’s 68th and 69th best teams can make the field? Seriously?

It’s absurd. 

Teams on the cut line are there for a reason. All have flaws and justifications for being excluded. Last year, for example, the last four teams out of the field were West Virginia (19-13, 10-10 in Big 12), Indiana (19-13, 10-10 in Big Ten), Ohio State (17-15, 9-11 in Big Ten) and Boise State (26-11, 14-6 in Mountain West). No one lost sleep over them being left out of the field.

Watching mid-majors topple programs with more resources is part of the NCAA Tournament’s charm. We’ll likely see less of those if the field expands. Instead, we’re more likely to get games with teams who were afterthoughts in their conferences. How fun.

March Madness is fine as is. Baker’s push for expansion will only dilute a product that doesn’t need fixing.