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Basketball is a popular sport with a dedicated following and a rich history of tournaments. The number of tournaments varies, with some sources citing 64 or 68 teams, while others mention a range of 8 to 97 teams. The most well-known basketball tournament is the NCAA Division I tournament, also known as March Madness, which consists of 68 teams and has been a staple of American sports culture since 1939. This tournament has a massive following, with millions of fans filling out brackets each year to predict the outcomes of the games. Aside from this annual event, there are other notable basketball tournaments, such as The Basketball Tournament (TBT), which is an open-invitation summer event that has featured both current and former NBA players. With a variety of tournaments and a passionate fan base, basketball continues to be a dynamic and exciting sport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of teams in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament | 68 |
| Year of expansion to 68 teams | 2011 |
| Previous number of teams | 64 |
| Year of expansion to 65 teams | 2001 |
| Year of expansion to 64 teams | 1985 |
| Range of number of teams before 1985 | 8-53 |
| Number of teams in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) | 64 |
| Year of TBT's expansion to 64 teams | 2016 |
| Lowest number of teams in TBT | 24 (in 2020) |
| Highest number of teams in TBT | 97 (in 2015) |
| Number of regions in TBT | 8 |
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What You'll Learn
NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, also known as March Madness or The Big Dance, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States. The tournament determines the men's college basketball national champion of the Division I level in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The tournament is usually played in March and consists of 68 teams. The tournament was first conducted in 1939 when it consisted of eight teams, with each selected from a geographical district. The tournament size has varied over the years, ranging from as little as 8 to as many as 68 teams.
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament has become one of the greatest annual sporting events in the United States. It is known for its upsets of favoured teams and has become ingrained in American popular culture. Bracket contests, which involve predicting the outcomes of the games, are popular among fans, with an estimated 60 to 100 million brackets filled out each year. The tournament also generates significant revenue, with Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery paying $891 million annually for the broadcast rights through 2032.
The NCAA distributes revenue to participating teams based on their performance in the tournament, which provides funding for college athletics. The tournament has also featured bespoke tourney-exclusive courts at each venue since 2016, with the same floor composition used across each round. In 2017, the #1 overall seed began picking the sites for their first, second, and potential regional games. Additionally, the selection committee began releasing the top 16 seeds three weeks before Selection Sunday.
There has been some discussion about expanding the tournament beyond 68 teams, with a possible expansion to 76 schools considered. However, there is also opposition to this idea, as some believe that 68 teams is already too many and that expansion could dilute the excitement and interest of fans.
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Expansion of the NCAA tournament
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, also known as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament held in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion. The tournament, which was first held in 1939, initially featured eight teams, with each team selected from a geographical district.
Over the years, the tournament has undergone several expansions. In 1951, the tournament expanded to include two regions, each with a third-place game. In 1952, it further expanded to four regions, each with its own third-place game. The tournament size continued to vary, reaching a high of 53 teams before settling at 64 teams in 1985.
However, in 2001, the NCAA expanded the tournament again, this time to 65 teams. This change was made as an alternative to eliminating an at-large bid, with the #64 and #65 seeds playing in an opening round game before the tournament officially began.
In 2011, the tournament expanded once more, this time to 68 teams. This expansion introduced the First Four play-in games, where lower-ranked teams compete for a spot in the main tournament bracket. The 68-team format has remained unchanged since 2011, becoming a beloved tradition among college basketball fans.
Despite the tradition and excitement surrounding March Madness, there have been ongoing discussions about further expanding the tournament. In 2010, there was speculation about increasing the tournament size to as many as 128 teams. More recently, there have been proposals to expand the field to 72 or 76 teams. NCAA figureheads and conference administrators have argued that adding more teams to the postseason mix has benefits. However, others have expressed concerns about the impact on fan interest, the potential for confusion, and the financial implications for qualifying teams.
The decision to expand the tournament further is not without controversy. While expansion could provide opportunities for more teams to compete, it also threatens to dilute the excitement and tradition associated with the current format. As of July 2025, the NCAA president, Charlie Baker, has stated that any expansion is unlikely for the upcoming season due to logistical challenges. The indecision from tournament stakeholders has provided a small victory for fans who oppose field expansion, but the possibility of expansion in the future remains on the table.
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TBT tournament structure
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an annual open-invitation, single-elimination tournament played during the summer in the United States. The tournament was founded in 2014 by real estate developer and TV producer Jonathan Mugar, and as of 2025, it is broadcast on Fox and its sister network, Fox Sports 1 (FS1).
The number of teams participating in TBT has varied over the years, ranging from as many as 97 teams in 2015 to as few as 24 teams in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2016, the tournament has typically featured a 64-team field, divided into regional brackets. In 2019, the 64 teams were split into eight regions, with each regional winner advancing to the championship venue. The following year, the tournament field was reduced to 24 teams, all playing at a single venue. In 2021, the tournament reverted to 64 teams but with only four regions, with the top two teams from each region progressing to the championship venue. The 2022 TBT returned to the previous eight-region format, with the eight regional winners advancing to "Championship Week", featuring quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final at the championship venue.
The TBT tournament structure has also included prizes for regional winners beyond the overall winner-take-all purse. In 2019, each regional champion received 25% of their region's ticket proceeds, and the defending champion received a play-in to the round of 16. The tournament utilizes a modified version of the NCAA men's basketball rules, with some exceptions. Games are played in 9-minute quarters instead of 20-minute halves, and players foul out after their 6th personal foul rather than the 5th. Bonus free-throw rules follow those of NCAA women's and FIBA, and any foul during the Elam Ending results in one free throw and possession of the ball for the non-fouling team.
TBT has attracted current and former NBA and WNBA players, such as Hakim Warrick, Jason Williams, Nikki Teasley, and Greg Oden. Many teams feature professional players reunited under former college or university names, representing various states and universities. Alumni teams from Buffalo, Marquette, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Syracuse have emerged as TBT champions. The tournament has also received support from active NBA players like Kyle Lowry and Obi Toppin, as well as boosters from other NBA players.
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History of the NCAA tournament
The first NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was played in 1939, with eight teams competing. The Oregon Ducks beat Ohio State 46-33 to win the championship. The tournament was the brainchild of Ohio State coach Harold Olsen, and the National Association of Basketball Coaches operated the first tournament for the NCAA.
The tournament field grew to 16 teams in 1951, doubling to 32 in 1975. During this time, the tournament was characterised by competition with the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), which was founded a year before the NCAA tournament and held in New York City at Madison Square Garden. The NIT often received more coverage than the NCAA tournament in the early years, and good teams were often excluded from the NCAA tournament because each conference could only have one bid.
In 1985, the tournament expanded to 64 teams. In 2001, the tournament expanded again to 65 teams, adding what was informally known as the "play-in game". This was in response to the creation of the Mountain West Conference, which joined Division I and received an automatic bid. The tournament expanded once more in 2011 to its current size of 68 teams, with the addition of three more games to the opening round for the inaugural First Four.
The NCAA tournament, branded as March Madness or The Big Dance, has become one of the greatest annual sporting events in the US. It has also become part of American popular culture through bracket contests that award prizes for correctly predicting game outcomes. In 2023, Sports Illustrated reported that an estimated 60 to 100 million brackets are filled out each year.
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The Basketball Tournament prize money
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an annual event featuring teams arranged by the general manager, sometimes based on which college basketball program the players competed for. The tournament has had as many as 97 teams, in 2015, and as few as 24 teams, in 2020. Since 2016, the tournament has mostly used a 64-team field.
The championship prize money was originally $500,000 in 2014, but this amount has since increased. Since 2020, the top prize has been $1 million, which goes to the winning team's personnel. There are also prizes for the top 1,000 bracket entries submitted by fans that score the most points through their picks, on a de-escalating scale starting at $4,000 for the winner.
The 2019 tournament included prizes other than the overall winner-take-all purse; each regional winner received 25% of its region's ticket proceeds. The 2022 event returned to the former eight-region format, with the eight regional winners advancing to what TBT organizers call "Championship Week", with quarterfinals at two sites followed by semifinals and the final at the championship venue.
The 2025 tournament will be played in exciting regions around the country from July 18 to August 3. All regional hosts have the right to home-court advantage all the way through TBT's Championship Game. The first team to sell 4,000 tickets will earn home-court advantage.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several basketball tournaments, including the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, The Basketball Tournament (TBT), and the NIT (National Invitation Tournament).
The NCAA Tournament currently features 68 teams. However, this number has varied over the years, ranging from as few as 8 to as many as 76 schools being considered for inclusion.
The NCAA Tournament, often referred to as March Madness, is held annually during the month of March.
TBT is an open-invitation, single-elimination tournament played each summer in the United States, featuring a cash prize for the winners. The number of teams has varied, with 97 teams participating in 2015 and 24 teams in 2020.
The NIT, or National Invitation Tournament, is a basketball tournament held in New York City at Madison Square Garden. It is organised by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association and has been held annually since 1938.
