FRISCO, Texas — As the NCAA prepares for an expanded March Madness next year, Big 12 basketball coaches and executives aren’t concerned about any pushback from fans about the much-debated decision.
“To give a few more teams an opportunity is a good thing,” Arizona’s men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd said Wednesday at the Big 12’s spring meetings when asked about the topic by Front Office Sports.
The Wildcats won the Big 12 this past season and advanced to the Final Four as a No. 1 seed in what turned out to be the final 68-team NCAA basketball tournament. In 2027, the bracket is growing to 76 teams, with 24 playing in an expanded opening round that will replace the First Four.
“I think the more games on TV, the better,” Lloyd said. “I know I’ll be watching. I think we all will be. I don’t think anybody’s going to say, ‘Oh, I’m not watching those games,’ because there’s going to be buzzer-beaters, there’s going to be high drama, and I think it’s going to gain more momentum, more interest.”
Big 12 chief basketball officer Brian Thornton pointed to increased financial commitment from many schools to their basketball programs thanks to the launch of revenue sharing last year.
