NCAA Releases Details for Player Availability Reports for March Madness Tournaments

• The NCAA is requiring player availability reports for both the men and women’s NCAA March Madness basketball tournaments
• Reports are intended to reduce betting-related pressure, solicitations, and harassment of athletes
• Teams required to first report player availability the night before a matchup

The NCAA is hoping player availability reports during the men and women’s NCAA March Madness basketball tournaments will help reduce betting-related pressure for athletes.

The NCAA announced the details and requirements for the new player availability reporting program for teams in either upcoming tournament. The NCAA is requiring every team to submit an initial player availability report the night before a matchup, as well as updating the report prior to scheduled tip time on game day to ensure accuracy.

This year’s reporting will serve as a pilot program for the NCAA moving forward.

Reducing Sports Betting Pressures

The new program, which was announced this past October, is designed to make player availability a more clearly defined process for teams and the public.

“Implemented for the first time in NCAA championships, player availability reports are intended in part to reduce betting-related pressure, solicitations and harassment student-athletes and other team personnel receive from bettors connected to playing status. The NCAA runs the largest integrity monitoring service program in the world and provides college athletes with online threat detection services as part of its comprehensive strategy to respond to the rise of sports betting,” the NCAA announced in a release.

Teams will be required to submit an initial player availability report by 9 p.m. the night before every tournament matchup. Teams will be required to update the report by two hour priors to the scheduled start time on game day.

Teams will have three options for players in the report. Players listed as available have a 75% or more chance to play, questionable up to a 75% chance to play, or simply “out.” Student-athletes not listed on a report will be assumed to be available for a matchup.

“HD Intelligence will serve as the player availability reporting service provider for the 2026 Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships. Several conferences already use HDI for their members and are familiar with the interface. The NCAA is committed to making this as simple and streamlined a process as possible. A video training was provided in February, and a frequently-asked-questions document will be offered,” the NCAA reported.

Penalties Laid Out For Violations of Program

The NCAA detailed penalties for teams that do not adhere to the player availability reporting programs. For the March Madness season, the following penalty structure has been implemented:

• First offense: Up to $10,000 penalty
• Second offense: Up to $25,000 penalty
• Third and any other offense: Up to $30,000 penalty and a head coach penalty of up to $10,000

Penalties will be assessed after the tournaments end.