Now here is a wild idea

Source: The ACC will propose that ever single team in Division 1 will make the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 9, 2020

You know, there is a lot to like about this proposition. The main thing is that an extended, single elimination tournament would be intense. There would be a lot of basketball, and most basketball fans would enjoy it, but networks would probably enjoy it more. 

The TV windfall would be the top reason I would expect that the ACC of all conferences would suggest this. Most of that conference makes the tournament in a given year anyways, so this seems like an olive branch to the mid-majors and lower conferences in a year that is going to be supremely weird, especially at the start.

Most teams are already looking at the prospect of abandoning their non-conference schedule, so perhaps this was an idea to allow some smaller programs to recoup losses without putting the burden of support directly on major conference schools, who are hurting just as bad (see: The University of Minnesota cutting a handful of sports).

The shock value of having a 320+ team tournament, and the cynical motivation of welcoming everyone into the fold distract from an important feature of college basketball. Unlike in college football, from the outset, every team has a chance to get into the Big Dance, and ultimately win the championship, no matter how unrealistic that might be. 

Win your conference tournament, you make the Big Dance. Not only that, the small teams get a moment in the sun when they win those conference tournaments, which they would be likely to lose if they are wiped out in the 2nd round by a team like Wake Forest in an enormous tournament.

It sounds good, but an all teams tournament should only be used as a break glass measure. It takes away too much from every team in college basketball, and would otherwise only provide a brief, cheap thrill and would serve primarily as fan service. Still, with as strange as this year has been, and the accommodations that have been needed across the board, how can anything be ruled out?