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Deadspin | Reports: NCAA finalizing plan to expand March Madness to 76 teams  The March Madness logo is pictured during a second-round game in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday March 21, 2026.   The men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament fields will expand from 68 to 76 teams in 2027.  The plans for expansion are expected to be approved by NCAA committees and formalized as soon as May, multiple reports said Tuesday.  CBS Sports reported that the NCAA plans for 52 teams to slot into the main bracket and the other 24 teams will face off in 12 games on the Tuesday and Wednesday after Selection Sunday, filling out the Round of 64 with the winners. It will no longer be called the “First Four,” with the terminology expected to be “opening round” for the play-ins and “first round” for the Round of 64.  Per ESPN, the NCAA is completing contract negotiations with its media partners. That step must come before votes from the men’s and women’s basketball committees, the men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees, the Division I Cabinet and the Division I Board of Governors.   It would mark the first expansion of the tournament since the field moved from 65 to 68 teams with the addition of the First Four games in 2011. The field had been 64 or 65 teams since 1985.  The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference were the leading voices behind tournament expansion, Yahoo Sports reported earlier this month. NCAA president Charlie Baker has also voiced his support.  “I said all along that I think there are some very good reasons to expand the tournament,” Baker told ESPN in February. “So, I would like to see it expand.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Reports #NCAA #finalizing #plan #expand #March #Madness #teams

Deadspin | Reports: NCAA finalizing plan to expand March Madness to 76 teams
Deadspin | Reports: NCAA finalizing plan to expand March Madness to 76 teams  The March Madness logo is pictured during a second-round game in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday March 21, 2026.   The men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament fields will expand from 68 to 76 teams in 2027.  The plans for expansion are expected to be approved by NCAA committees and formalized as soon as May, multiple reports said Tuesday.  CBS Sports reported that the NCAA plans for 52 teams to slot into the main bracket and the other 24 teams will face off in 12 games on the Tuesday and Wednesday after Selection Sunday, filling out the Round of 64 with the winners. It will no longer be called the “First Four,” with the terminology expected to be “opening round” for the play-ins and “first round” for the Round of 64.  Per ESPN, the NCAA is completing contract negotiations with its media partners. That step must come before votes from the men’s and women’s basketball committees, the men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees, the Division I Cabinet and the Division I Board of Governors.   It would mark the first expansion of the tournament since the field moved from 65 to 68 teams with the addition of the First Four games in 2011. The field had been 64 or 65 teams since 1985.  The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference were the leading voices behind tournament expansion, Yahoo Sports reported earlier this month. NCAA president Charlie Baker has also voiced his support.  “I said all along that I think there are some very good reasons to expand the tournament,” Baker told ESPN in February. “So, I would like to see it expand.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Reports #NCAA #finalizing #plan #expand #March #Madness #teamsThe March Madness logo is pictured during a second-round game in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday March 21, 2026.

The men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament fields will expand from 68 to 76 teams in 2027.

The plans for expansion are expected to be approved by NCAA committees and formalized as soon as May, multiple reports said Tuesday.

CBS Sports reported that the NCAA plans for 52 teams to slot into the main bracket and the other 24 teams will face off in 12 games on the Tuesday and Wednesday after Selection Sunday, filling out the Round of 64 with the winners. It will no longer be called the “First Four,” with the terminology expected to be “opening round” for the play-ins and “first round” for the Round of 64.


Per ESPN, the NCAA is completing contract negotiations with its media partners. That step must come before votes from the men’s and women’s basketball committees, the men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees, the Division I Cabinet and the Division I Board of Governors.

It would mark the first expansion of the tournament since the field moved from 65 to 68 teams with the addition of the First Four games in 2011. The field had been 64 or 65 teams since 1985.

The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference were the leading voices behind tournament expansion, Yahoo Sports reported earlier this month. NCAA president Charlie Baker has also voiced his support.

“I said all along that I think there are some very good reasons to expand the tournament,” Baker told ESPN in February. “So, I would like to see it expand.”


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Reports #NCAA #finalizing #plan #expand #March #Madness #teams

The March Madness logo is pictured during a second-round game in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday March 21, 2026.

The men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament fields will expand from 68 to 76 teams in 2027.

The plans for expansion are expected to be approved by NCAA committees and formalized as soon as May, multiple reports said Tuesday.

CBS Sports reported that the NCAA plans for 52 teams to slot into the main bracket and the other 24 teams will face off in 12 games on the Tuesday and Wednesday after Selection Sunday, filling out the Round of 64 with the winners. It will no longer be called the “First Four,” with the terminology expected to be “opening round” for the play-ins and “first round” for the Round of 64.

Per ESPN, the NCAA is completing contract negotiations with its media partners. That step must come before votes from the men’s and women’s basketball committees, the men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees, the Division I Cabinet and the Division I Board of Governors.

It would mark the first expansion of the tournament since the field moved from 65 to 68 teams with the addition of the First Four games in 2011. The field had been 64 or 65 teams since 1985.

The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference were the leading voices behind tournament expansion, Yahoo Sports reported earlier this month. NCAA president Charlie Baker has also voiced his support.

“I said all along that I think there are some very good reasons to expand the tournament,” Baker told ESPN in February. “So, I would like to see it expand.”

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Reports #NCAA #finalizing #plan #expand #March #Madness #teams

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It’s primetime for conspiracy theorist video creators<div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">In the days since this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner was cut short <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/04/26/us/white-house-correspondents-hilton-shots.html">when shots were fired at the event</a>, there has been a boom of conspiracy theory videos created by people who <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/919244/whcd-shooting-trump-social-media-conspiracy-theories">insist that the entire situation was a false flag operation</a>. These kinds of theories are nothing new, but the way they’re spreading now is a reflection of how reaction video culture is reshaping our social media landscape. And even though the initial chaos around the shooting has started to die down, content creators are still posting about what “really” happened.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">There is still much we do not know about Cole Allen, the 31-year-old suspected shooter who <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/26/us/correspondents-dinner-shooting-trump">allegedly traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, DC,</a> ahead of the WCHD and was staying in the same Hilton where the event was held. But that has not stopped content creators from flooding platforms like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/q5pIbIQtyVw">YouTube</a>, TikTok, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXmLxQADrwE/?igsh=YmxjazB3bHRxZnpk">Instagram</a>, and X with videos purporting to have more insightful takes on the situation than what’s being reported by the mainstream media.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">None of these videos reveal anything that hasn’t already been reported out via traditional media outlets. But each of them speaks to the way that this brand of content has become a normal part of people’s media consumption habits and something that creators see as a viable way to capture attention. In the US, <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/695762/trust-media-new-low.aspx">trust in traditional media outlets is at a historic low</a> and more people are <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93lzyxkklpo">turning to social media</a> to stay informed about world events. And that shift has given conspiracy-minded content creators a choice opportunity to influence the way people understand reality.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">All of this is similar to what happened in 2024 when <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/15/24199116/trump-shooting-assassination-attempt-rally-presidential-race">Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt</a> while campaigning for the presidency. Then, creators <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/15/24199146/donald-trump-rally-shooting-assassination-picture-merch-tshirts-etsy-amazon">rushed to capitalize on the event</a> while also writing it off as a false flag designed to garner sympathy for the Republican nominee. That news cycle and subsequent discourse dragged on for weeks, both because it was a significant moment in an election year and because it was difficult to understand how Trump could have been shot in his ear without sustaining any visible damage afterward.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">Many of the newer videos about the WHCD shooting suggest that we should look at these events as a response to the Trump administration’s propensity for spreading misinformation. And while there is no evidence to suggest that the WHCD shooting was, in fact, orchestrated with Trump’s approval, one could argue the administration is at least partially responsible for the way that this idea has gained traction across the internet.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">As easy as it is to laugh at <a href="https://www.theverge.com/column/861476/trump-memes-venezuela-ice-shooting">the constant barrage of shitposts</a> coming out of the president’s social media accounts and other official governmental channels, they have undoubtedly had an impact on the way that the public thinks about the current administration. By sharing ugly, immature memes and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/29/the-slopaganda-era-10-ai-images-posted-by-the-white-house-and-what-they-teach-us">AI-generated images</a> of Trump as a Christlike figure, the White House has told people that nothing is to be taken seriously and everything can be turned into a crude joke. And at a time when all of the internet’s biggest social media platforms have begun <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/9/24195277/instagram-long-form-video-adam-mosseri">encouraging their users to upload videos</a> of themselves while chasing engagement, it makes sense that many would see this past weekend’s shooting as a chance to boost their profiles.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">Trump has made nonsensical “jokes” a significant part of his political brand, and people are responding with very similar energy.</p></div><script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>#primetime #conspiracy #theorist #video #creatorsCreators,Instagram,Meta,Streaming,Tech,TikTok,YouTube

Deadspin | Justin Rose debuting clubs from F1’s McLaren at Cadillac Championship  Justin Rose reacts after completing the 18th hole during the final round of the 2026 Masters Tournament. Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images   Justin Rose raised some eyebrows with the announcement that he will debut new McLaren Golf clubs at this week’s Cadillac Championship in Miami.  It’s part of the Formula One racing team’s launch into the golf space and coincides with this week’s Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.  On the surface it looks like a big gamble by the 45-year-old Rose, who became the second-oldest player to reach No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking following his win at Torrey Pines earlier this year. Now No. 5 following a two-week break after a tie for third at the Masters, Rose is making the switch ahead of a stretch that includes two signature events and the PGA Championship.  Rose said he has been working with the McLaren Golf engineering team from the outset for “a lot longer than a year,” and has conducted extensive testing with the clubs.   “Clubs are feeling great. Obviously a lot of my own preferences have gone into the irons that I’m playing,” the Englishman said on Tuesday. “I’m excited to finally get them in the bag and sort of just enjoy them now for the rest of the season.”  Rose added that he has been playing without a club manufacturer deal and that he has been trying out different equipment without playing what he would deem the “perfect” set of clubs for him. He also made a club switch in 2019, so he also learned from that process.   “I’m actually looking at what can be better. I’m looking to mitigate risk,” Rose said. “I’m looking at some of the performance data that I’m getting on the range and places like that and out performing what I have. So that’s the exciting part for me.   “Obviously there’s going to be a refinement process. You can test all you want, you got to get the clubs in play, and there’s going to be little mini situations out there, different lies, all sorts of things, just getting comfortable. But in the long-term, no, I don’t see there being an issue at all.”  Rose sees McLaren focusing on a “high end” section of the golf landscape rather than trying to become a mass producer of clubs. He has also become good friends with F1 team principal Zak Brown and reigning world champion Lando Norris, with the McLaren Testing Center about 20 minutes from his home.  “They’re both very keen golfers,” Rose said. “I think there’s a little bit of a get together tomorrow night. So which is kind of before their week gets serious, before our week gets serious. But, yeah, those guys are probably as excited about the launch as I am.”  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Justin #Rose #debuting #clubs #F1s #McLaren #Cadillac #ChampionshipJustin Rose reacts after completing the 18th hole during the final round of the 2026 Masters Tournament. Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images

Justin Rose raised some eyebrows with the announcement that he will debut new McLaren Golf clubs at this week’s Cadillac Championship in Miami.

It’s part of the Formula One racing team’s launch into the golf space and coincides with this week’s Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.

On the surface it looks like a big gamble by the 45-year-old Rose, who became the second-oldest player to reach No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking following his win at Torrey Pines earlier this year. Now No. 5 following a two-week break after a tie for third at the Masters, Rose is making the switch ahead of a stretch that includes two signature events and the PGA Championship.

Rose said he has been working with the McLaren Golf engineering team from the outset for “a lot longer than a year,” and has conducted extensive testing with the clubs.

“Clubs are feeling great. Obviously a lot of my own preferences have gone into the irons that I’m playing,” the Englishman said on Tuesday. “I’m excited to finally get them in the bag and sort of just enjoy them now for the rest of the season.”


Rose added that he has been playing without a club manufacturer deal and that he has been trying out different equipment without playing what he would deem the “perfect” set of clubs for him. He also made a club switch in 2019, so he also learned from that process.

“I’m actually looking at what can be better. I’m looking to mitigate risk,” Rose said. “I’m looking at some of the performance data that I’m getting on the range and places like that and out performing what I have. So that’s the exciting part for me.

“Obviously there’s going to be a refinement process. You can test all you want, you got to get the clubs in play, and there’s going to be little mini situations out there, different lies, all sorts of things, just getting comfortable. But in the long-term, no, I don’t see there being an issue at all.”

Rose sees McLaren focusing on a “high end” section of the golf landscape rather than trying to become a mass producer of clubs. He has also become good friends with F1 team principal Zak Brown and reigning world champion Lando Norris, with the McLaren Testing Center about 20 minutes from his home.

“They’re both very keen golfers,” Rose said. “I think there’s a little bit of a get together tomorrow night. So which is kind of before their week gets serious, before our week gets serious. But, yeah, those guys are probably as excited about the launch as I am.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Justin #Rose #debuting #clubs #F1s #McLaren #Cadillac #Championship">Deadspin | Justin Rose debuting clubs from F1’s McLaren at Cadillac Championship  Justin Rose reacts after completing the 18th hole during the final round of the 2026 Masters Tournament. Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images   Justin Rose raised some eyebrows with the announcement that he will debut new McLaren Golf clubs at this week’s Cadillac Championship in Miami.  It’s part of the Formula One racing team’s launch into the golf space and coincides with this week’s Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.  On the surface it looks like a big gamble by the 45-year-old Rose, who became the second-oldest player to reach No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking following his win at Torrey Pines earlier this year. Now No. 5 following a two-week break after a tie for third at the Masters, Rose is making the switch ahead of a stretch that includes two signature events and the PGA Championship.  Rose said he has been working with the McLaren Golf engineering team from the outset for “a lot longer than a year,” and has conducted extensive testing with the clubs.   “Clubs are feeling great. Obviously a lot of my own preferences have gone into the irons that I’m playing,” the Englishman said on Tuesday. “I’m excited to finally get them in the bag and sort of just enjoy them now for the rest of the season.”  Rose added that he has been playing without a club manufacturer deal and that he has been trying out different equipment without playing what he would deem the “perfect” set of clubs for him. He also made a club switch in 2019, so he also learned from that process.   “I’m actually looking at what can be better. I’m looking to mitigate risk,” Rose said. “I’m looking at some of the performance data that I’m getting on the range and places like that and out performing what I have. So that’s the exciting part for me.   “Obviously there’s going to be a refinement process. You can test all you want, you got to get the clubs in play, and there’s going to be little mini situations out there, different lies, all sorts of things, just getting comfortable. But in the long-term, no, I don’t see there being an issue at all.”  Rose sees McLaren focusing on a “high end” section of the golf landscape rather than trying to become a mass producer of clubs. He has also become good friends with F1 team principal Zak Brown and reigning world champion Lando Norris, with the McLaren Testing Center about 20 minutes from his home.  “They’re both very keen golfers,” Rose said. “I think there’s a little bit of a get together tomorrow night. So which is kind of before their week gets serious, before our week gets serious. But, yeah, those guys are probably as excited about the launch as I am.”  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Justin #Rose #debuting #clubs #F1s #McLaren #Cadillac #Championship

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) unanimously approved two FIFA-proposed Law amendments to address discriminatory and inappropriate behaviour at a special meeting held in Vancouver, Canada, on Tuesday.

“These amendments will be implemented at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, and all other competition organisers will be able to decide whether to implement the changes before they enter into force on 1 July 2026,” Gianni Infantino said on social media.

Firstly, at the discretion of the competition organiser, any player covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card.

The rule comes after Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him while covering his mouth during a Champions League match in February.

Last week, UEFA handed Prestianni a six-game ban for the verbal abuse, which it said were homophobic in nature.

If Prestianni is selected for Argentina’s World Cup squad, he could have to sit out the defending champion’s first two matches this summer, although the ban can be appealed.

The second change pertains to preventing players from leaving the field mid-game.

“At the discretion of the competition organiser, the referee may sanction with a red card any player who leaves the field of play in protest at a referee’s decision. This new rule will also apply to any team official who incites players to leave the field of play,” the IFAB said in a statement.

“A team that causes a match to be abandoned will, in principle, forfeit the match.”

This change comes after the controversial African Cup of Nations final, wherein most of Senegal’s players and staff had walked off the field in protest for a penalty decision given against them.

The play resumed after a short break, and Senegal won the match in extra time. However, FIFA later awarded the trophy to Morocco, punishing Senegal for the walkout.

Published on Apr 29, 2026

#FIFA #World #Cup #rule #introduced #Prestianni #AFCON #final #controversies">FIFA World Cup 2026 — Two rule changes introduced after Prestianni and AFCON final controversies  The International Football Association Board (IFAB) unanimously approved two FIFA-proposed Law amendments to address discriminatory and inappropriate behaviour at a special meeting held in Vancouver, Canada, on Tuesday.“These amendments will be implemented at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, and all other competition organisers will be able to decide whether to implement the changes before they enter into force on 1 July 2026,” Gianni Infantino said on social media.Firstly, at the discretion of the competition organiser, any player covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card.The rule comes after Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him while covering his mouth during a Champions League match in February.Last week, UEFA handed Prestianni a six-game ban for the verbal abuse, which it said were homophobic in nature.If Prestianni is selected for Argentina’s World Cup squad, he could have to sit out the defending champion’s first two matches this summer, although the ban can be appealed.The second change pertains to preventing players from leaving the field mid-game.“At the discretion of the competition organiser, the referee may sanction with a red card any player who leaves the field of play in protest at a referee’s decision. This new rule will also apply to any team official who incites players to leave the field of play,” the IFAB said in a statement.“A team that causes a match to be abandoned will, in principle, forfeit the match.”This change comes after the controversial African Cup of Nations final, wherein most of Senegal’s players and staff had walked off the field in protest for a penalty decision given against them.The play resumed after a short break, and Senegal won the match in extra time. However, FIFA later awarded the trophy to Morocco, punishing Senegal for the walkout.Published on Apr 29, 2026  #FIFA #World #Cup #rule #introduced #Prestianni #AFCON #final #controversies

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