Dayton, Ohio, is a bustling city of 137,644—the home of the Wright Brothers, the Breeders, and, on the banks of the Great Miami River, the 13,409 seat UD Arena. It is in this arena where March begins.

Since 2001, with minimal interruption, Dayton has been the home of the opening round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. That opening round has taken on multiple formats—first a single play-in game, then a pair of doubleheaders, and now a gargantuan “first 12” —yet the birthplace of aviation has persevered as host.

With the NCAA men’s tournament’s expansion to 76 teams in 2027, however, Dayton will soon have company.…