The debate over NCAA Tournament expansion is simple on the surface for many casual college basketball fans, particularly those who believe the sport doesn’t begin until around St. Patrick’s Day.

More games, more madness.

It’s so obvious. Except that it’s not.

Because while another round of expansion appears imminent, it’s not for any of the reasons that make the tournament so special.

Because those fighting hardest and screaming loudest for the field to increase to 72 teams, or more likely 76, have little interest in doing so to create more Cinderella stories.

No, this is all about the greed of the many cruel stepmothers. The push to expand the field, which last jumped from 64 to 68 teams in 2011, isn’t coming from the smaller conferences. It’s not coming from fans, either.

This is an initiative pushed solely by the power conferences, who aren’t content with getting only 12 or 13 teams in the field.

Poor SEC.

Oh, wait, sorry. SEC coaches and commissioners have what appears to be a pact to never discuss even the possibility that they get fewer than 14 teams in the tournament this year, so I apologize for such an insult.

Rich get richer

But, whatever that final number is, it won’t be enough for the SEC, the Big Ten or the Big 12, who all probably will push for minimum thresholds of bids for each of the power conferences so that even in down years they get the number of teams they expect.

That’s where all these statements are coming from stressing the importance of making the field even larger. And the conferences wielding all that power are even feeling so emboldened that they’re willing to call out broadcasting partners to return to the negotiating table and pay more to make it happen.

“I’m in favor of expansion to 76,” Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said. “I think that’s the right number. I think there’ll be some decisions over the next 60 days, 90 days. I think the economics candidly have to work. CBS and TNT have a marquee asset with the tournament. I know they know that. But in order for us to expand, they need to come to the table and provide the right economics. No one wants to get diluted. And we’ve got a great asset here. So we’ll see how it plays out.”

Translation, It’s inevitable once the broadcast partners hand over the cash.

And, yes, this is an appeal for one of the biggest promotional machines in the history of sports to try to avoid to go even more corporate.

But why?

This would be OK if the plan was to find a way to create additional opportunities for athletes who might not have a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. Give me teams that finished first in their smaller conference but got upset in the league tournament. Give me the scrappy squad that won 28 games with a dominant run through conference play, but couldn’t build an at-large resume because none of the big boys wanted to play them.

Give us even more opportunity to experience those Fairleigh Dickinsons and UMBCs.

But make no mistake, that’s not what this movement is about. This is about finding a way to squeeze in 15-17 Rutgers from the Big Ten or 16-16 TCU from Yormark’s league.

This isn’t about being a purist or an old man shaking his fist at the sun about every small change in sports. Progress is fine and should be encouraged when it’s right for everyone, including the fans.

But a game between LSU (14-18) and Kansas State (16-27) on Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio, isn’t what fans are demanding.

The NCAA Tournament is a near-perfect experience from conference championship week through the Final Four. Any change needs to enhance that product, not dilute it.

But this obviously is a ploy for the rich to get richer and more powerful to seize more control of college sports.

It’s not going to end here, either. College football is about five years from a massive reorganization in which the mega-conferences will at least threaten to break away from the rest of the NCAA.

It’s a tough time for the NCAA, which is probably willing to concede quite a bit to remain the arbiters of amateur sports.

That’s why this is going to happen, even if it shouldn’t.

And we will continue to watch.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.

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