March Madness tournaments will expand to 76 teams each starting next season

The NCAA announced on Thursday that it will expand its March Madness men's and women's basketball tournaments from 68 to 76 teams each, beginning next season. The expansion adds eight teams and eight extra games per tournament, creating a 12-game 'March Madness Opening Round' involving 24 teams before the traditional 64-team bracket begins. The expansion was made financially viable by opening sponsorship opportunities to alcohol brands, a category previously restricted from NCAA partnerships.