As the excitement of March takes hold across the country, this year promises to be another thrilling one for women’s basketball. Last weekend, UCLA, TCU, Duke, and, of course, South Carolina each claimed their respective conference titles, leaving only the mid-to-low-major tournaments to be played. Unlike the men’s tournament, where every game is played at a neutral site, the women’s tournament hosts the first two rounds at the home courts of one of the top 16 seeds. Despite the growth of women’s basketball year after year, the NCAA has been reluctant to host tournament games at neutral sites, citing concerns over cost and potential loss of revenue. This makes the seeding in the women’s tournament extremely important, as the host teams carry a significant advantage.

Over the last four NCAA Women’s Tournaments unaffected by COVID-19, there have been only 16 upsets of host teams. This staunch advantage raises questions about the fairness of the hosting process. According to the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, the top 16 teams are supposed to host the first two rounds, which seems logical on the surface. However, the NCAA encourages the Selection Committee to minimize travel costs for teams, especially during the opening weekend. The Committee is also composed of school athletic directors from different and conference commissioners, introducing bias towards certain teams and conferences.

Given the profound impact hosting has on outcomes, it’s logical to ask: How can this process be considered fair? At what point will the NCAA acknowledge the growth of the women’s game and offer it the same opportunities afforded to the men? With star-studded teams and excitement at an all-time high, we can only hope that these incredible athletes will get the chance to compete on an even playing field.