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ESPN college basketball broadcaster Jay Bilas said the NCAA’s decision to expand the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments to 76 teams was unnecessary.
Bilas, 62, said that while he doesn’t care about the NCAA’s decision to expand, no one clamored for it.
“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 made for the NCAA because — I’m not one of those, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ guys, because nobody ever says, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it or maintain it.'” But I don’t think it was necessary, Bilas told Pakinomist Digital in a recent interview.
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Sportscaster Jay Bilas tees off during the first practice round of the 2025 ACC Celebrity Golf Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nev., on July 9, 2025. (David Calvert/Getty Images for American Century Investments)
“No one was clamoring to see a .500 team from a major conference make the tournament.”
Bilas noted that if the tournament had been expanded to last season’s tournament, there would have been .500 teams in the tournament.
In the new expanded tournament, the first two days of the tournament would look drastically different. On that Tuesday and Wednesday, 12 games would be played between 24 teams due to the eight added at-large bids. The games would be played at two different locations.
Bilas said filling out their bracket could be “a little bit confusing” for the average fan. He called the added play-in games “inconsequential.”
“The overwhelming majority of fans don’t think the tournament will start until the first Thursday of the 64-team group,” Bilas said.
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ESPN analyst Jay Bilas stands courtside before the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Florida Atlantic Owls at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 5, 2023. (Porter Binks/Getty Images)
“People still watch the games, and especially the basketball geeks like me will watch religiously, but for most fans, they’re — I don’t want to say insignificant, but they are.”
Indeed, Bilas said that the teams that win the play-in games will be financially rewarded for them.
“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 monetary 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,'” Bilas said.
“It’s fine. I don’t think it’s as big of a deal as some people make it out to be,” Bilas continued. “Money is a good reason to do something. I’m cool with that.”
UConn head coach Danny Hurley was among the coaches concerned that tournament expansion could devalue the regular season. Bilas said he understands Hurley’s point and agrees.
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ESPN College GameDay host Jay Bilas prepares to broadcast prior to the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC on February 1, 2025. (Lance King/Getty Images)
“I understand that and I think it does a little bit. So the argument of who’s in, who’s out is lessened. Now if we’re going to have .500 teams out of major conferences making the tournament now, do I think that’s good? No, I don’t,” Bilas said.
“But it’s not that big of a deal. Most of those teams will be out by the first weekend anyway. You might have someone who puts it together at the end of the year and is better than their record, but I think the horse is already out of the barn.”
American Century Tournament
Bilas will play in the American Century Tournament 10-12. July at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.
The tournament has raised more than $8 million for regional and national charities. American Century Investments donates 40% of its profits to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and activates fundraising at the tournament to drive direct donations to Stowers each year.
Bilas said he was invited six or seven years ago and called it the equivalent of a PGA Tour player being invited to the Masters.
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ESPN basketball analyst and former Duke player Jay Bilas looks on during Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC on October 19, 2012. (Lance King/Getty Images)
“When I got invited six, seven years ago, and I was thrilled. I just couldn’t believe I was going to get to do it. And they’ve been, they must have a very low bar, but they’ve been inviting me back ever since. And to me, getting that invitation has to be the equivalent of a PGA Tour player being invited to the Masters. So you get the invitation, ‘Oh, I’re like that, god, bring me back.’ it’s an automatic yes,” Bilas said.
“It’s just a thrill. And it’s just as exciting once you get there because it’s a beautiful setting in Lake Tahoe at Edgewood Resort. The weather is always spectacular. Seventy thousand people are there in shorts and sundresses just enjoying seeing some of their favorite celebrities.”
Bilas said he loves competing in the tournament, but called the atmosphere what makes it special. He credited CEO Justin Thomas for being so welcoming and creating a family environment that everyone loves, on top of the tournament’s remarkable charitable work. The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
