Jay Bilas, the ESPN college basketball analyst, weighed in on the NCAA’s decision to expand the men’s and women’s tournaments to 76 teams and shared his thoughts on what that means for fans, the regular season and the new play-in structure. He referenced concerns raised by UConn head coach Danny Hurley and talked about the practical side of the change, while also describing his own upcoming trip to the American Century Tournament at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe and the event’s charitable impact.
Jay Bilas said he’s not wildly upset by the NCAA expanding the field, but he’s skeptical it was truly needed. “I don’t want to say I don’t care, but I’m not bothered by it. It’s not a decision I would have chosen for the NCAA because — I’m not one of those ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ guys, because nobody ever says, ‘if it’s not broke, don’t improve it or or don’t maintain it.’ But I don’t think it was necessary,” he told Fox News Digital. He pointed out that the change wasn’t something the public was clamoring for.
Bilas bluntly noted the likely outcome of a larger field: more middling teams squeezing into March. “Nobody was clamoring to see a .500 team from a major conference making the tournament.” He said if this format had been in place for the recent season, teams at .500 would have been included, which to him undermines some of the tournament’s competitive sheen.
The expansion introduces extra early-round games on Tuesday and Wednesday, with 12 games among 24 teams thanks to eight added at-large spots. Bilas thinks those earlier contests could muddy the waters for the average bracket-filler. He described the opening games as “inconsequential” for most viewers, adding that the majority of fans consider the tournament to really begin with the first Thursday of the 64-team bracket.
Even Bilas’s most devoted followers, he admitted, will still tune into the extra action, but casual viewers might not care. “People still watch the games and especially the basketball nerds like me will watch religiously, but for most fans, they’re kind of — I don’t want to say inconsequential, but they are.” He conceded that die-hards will consume every minute, but the general public tends to focus on the later, high-stakes rounds.
There is a practical upside the broadcaster acknowledges: money and units. Bilas explained the winners of those play-in matchups will receive NCAA tournament units and financial credit for their schools. “What it does is give a bunch of teams a chance to win an NCAA tournament game. Even though most fans won’t give them credit for it, they’ll get money credit. They’ll get an NCAA tournament unit and be able to say, ‘Hey, we won an NCAA tournament game, even though it was against a team with the exact same seed,’” he said.
On the subject of the regular season’s value, Bilas sympathized with Danny Hurley’s worry that adding more berths could devalue late-season stakes. “I understand it, and I think it does a little bit. So, the argument about who’s in, who’s out is diminished. Now, if we’re going to have .500 teams out of major conferences that make the tournament now, do I think that’s good? No, I don’t,” he said. Still, he tempered the critique by noting those teams often don’t last deep into the tournament.
When he’s not unpacking tournament formats, Bilas will be at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe playing the American Century Tournament July 10-12. The celebrity event has raised more than $8 million for regional and national charities, with American Century Investments donating 40% of profits to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and activating further fundraising at the tournament. Bilas called getting an invite “the equivalent of a PGA tour player getting invited to the Masters” and praised CEO Justin Thomas for creating a welcoming, family-style atmosphere.
The Lake Tahoe setting is part of the appeal for Bilas, who loves the competitive part but says the vibe is the real draw. “It’s just a thrill. And it’s equally thrilling once you’re there cause it’s a beautiful setting in Lake Tahoe at the Edgewood Resort. The weather’s always spectacular. Seventy thousand people are there in shorts and sundresses and just enjoying seeing some of their favorite celebs.” The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock, and Bilas is clearly looking forward to the experience as both a competitor and a guest of the event.
