The NCAA is making several changes to the NCAA women's basketball tournament after the organization faced criticism for the disparity in equipment and marketing compared to the men's tourney last year.
“This year there will be numerous and notable enhancements to the championship,” Lynn Holzman, the NCAA vice president of women’s basketball said, per The Associated Press. “What those have translated to is an enhanced women’s basketball student-athlete experience and fan experience.”
The NCAA already expanded the tourney to 68 teams and it's also now referring to it as March Madness. In the past, only the men's tournament was referred to as March Madness in branding. The NCAA's senior vice president of basketball, Dan Gavitt, didn't give an exact amount but said the women's tourney is seeing significantly more investment.
“We’ve taken every budget line for men’s and women’s basketball championships and compared and contrasted them,” Gavitt said, per AP. “Where there have been discrepancies, we’ve had significant discussions about the equity standpoint. In many cases, they’ve been adjusted to the tune of millions of dollars.”
Additionally, officials in both tournaments will be paid equally and fan events at the Women’s Final Four will be expanded to be more similar to the men, including an open practice the day before the championship game. And the NCAA will look to move the women's selection show back to a Monday instead of Sunday next year. This year, it will be on Sunday where it will have to compete with the men's version.
