“Just add D2 schools at this point”: College hoops fans unimpressed after NCAA president Charlie Baker strongly favors expansion of March Madness

The idea of expanding March Madness has been floating around college basketball circles for years, but recent comments from NCAA president Charlie Baker have brought the conversation back to center stage, and many fans are not pleased.

Speaking recently, Baker strongly supported the notion of expanding the iconic March Madness tournament, even hinting at a possible timeline.

According to him, changes could be implemented as early as 2026.

“That would be the goal, to try and do this for next year,” Baker said, before adding, “We’ve been talking about 72 and 76.”

While the proposal might excite administrators and schools hoping to cash in on extra tournament appearances, the reaction from college basketball fans has been overwhelmingly negative.

ON3 shared Baker’s comments in a post on Instagram, and the replies quickly filled up with criticism.

“Let’s fix the most perfect tournament structure in Sports History,” one fan sarcastically remarked.

“No one is asking for this,” another wrote bluntly.

“No thanks,” someone else wrote.

College hoops fans unimpressed after NCAA president Charlie Baker strongly favors expansion of March Madness. Credit: IG/@on3

More fans continued to disagree with the idea in the comments.

“Just add D2 schools at this point,” a frustrated fan added.

“Not a single person wants this,” another comment read.

“Just don’t need this at all from a competition standpoint. It’s all a money play,” one user observed.

College hoops fans unimpressed after NCAA president Charlie Baker strongly favors expansion of March Madness. Credit: IG/@on3

March Madness is widely regarded as one of the most thrilling and well-balanced postseason tournaments in all of sports. The 68-team field already allows room for underdog stories, Cinderella runs, and big-name clashes. The proposed expansion has been seen by many fans as an unnecessary disruption to a format that already works.

Despite the push from leadership, the backlash shows just how protective fans are of March Madness and how wary they are of changes driven more by revenue than competition.

Bill Self says Big 12 coaches support March Madness expansion

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Round-Arkansas at Kansas - Source: Imagn

Kansas head coach Bill Self revealed that Big 12 coaches are in favor of expanding the NCAA Tournament.

Speaking during Big 12 meetings in Orlando, Self shared that the coaching group supports the idea, which has gained momentum in recent months.

While the proposal continues to divide opinion among fans, Self’s comments show there is growing support from within college basketball’s coaching circles.