CBS, Warner Sports Chiefs Sound Cautious Note on March Madness Expansion

variety.com:

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Sometimes, more of a good thing may not be great. With just days to go before the start of the NCAA’s annual — and popular and lucrative — March Madness men’s basketball tournament, the top executives of Paramount Global’s CBS Sports and Warner Bros.

Discovery’s TNT Sports sounded skeptical about the potential to extend the field for more teams to participate in future editions. “No one wants to do anything that’s going to negatively impact the tournament, and that’s where the focus is,” said David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, in remarks made to reporters Tuesday.

And yet, he acknowledged there have been conversations between the media companies and the NCAA about whether such moves would be in the best interests of the fans, the sport and the games.

CBS and TNT, TBS and TruTV have shared custody of the NCAA March Madness tournament since 2011. The companies will continue to share rights to the property through 2032 in a deal valued at $8.8 billion that was set in 2016.