NCAA to Implement Player Reports For All March Madness Contests

• The NCAA announced it will require player reports for all Men’s and Women’s Division I Basketball Championships
• The players reports will be required for all March Madness contests and will be made publicly available
• Reports can reduce betting-related pressure, according to NCAA

The NCAA announced it will require all Division I Men’s and Women’s basketball teams to publicly release player reports for March Madness games in 2026.

At the direction of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Committees, the national office is requiring player availability reports for the 2026 Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships.

The reports will be applicable to all March Madness contests and must be submitted by teams the night before competition and again two hours before game time to ensure accuracy.

Reducing Betting Pressure

HD Intelligence will serve as the NCAA’s player availability reporting service provider. According to the report, the NCAA hopes that player availability reports during the tournaments can reduce betting-related pressure, solicitations, and harassment student-athletes receive connected to their playing status.

“After months of thorough discussion and exploration, I applaud the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Committees for taking such important action,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said. “Implementing player availability reporting is a major step to increasing student-athlete protections by alleviating pressures for the enhancement of their college experience.”

Student athletes will be assumed to be playing unless designated as questionable or out. Failure to comply or accurately report player availability may result in penalties for the school.

The NCAA noted it will assess the pilot program for the Division I March Madness tournament and potentially institute the program for other championships in the future.

NCAA Delays New Betting Policy

The NCAA has had a busy sports betting week, as it continues to look at its policies and potential rule changes.

The Division I Board of Directors Tuesday night voted to delay the effective date of the rules change until Saturday, Nov. 22. Under its legislative process, the NCAA allows a rule change to be rescinded within 30 days of becoming final if two thirds of the division’s members submit a request supporting its rescission.

The new rule was set to go into effect on Saturday, Nov. 1, but the delay is likely due to recent sports betting controversies and a request from the SEC to rescind the decision.

The delay may be a signal that the NCAA – and its divisions – are going to take time to potentially reconsider the vote to allow the changes to its sports betting rules for student athletes and team staff.

The NCAA Division I Administrative Committee recently adopted the proposal to allow student-athletes and athletic department staff members to bet on professional sports. The D-I committee first proposed the rule change this past June.

However, the NCAA prohibition against betting on college sports, or sharing information about college competitions with other bettors, will remain in place.

“Our action reflects alignment across divisions while maintaining the principles that guide college sports,” said Roberta Page, director of athletics at Slippery Rock and chair of the Division II Management Council. “This change recognizes the realities of today’s sports environment without compromising our commitment to protecting the integrity of college competition or the well-being of student-athletes.”