How to watch NCAA March Madness -- without cable, streaming options, and schedules
March Madness is here, and it’s time to start thinking about how to watch all of the NCAA tournament games. With so many games taking place over the next two weeks, it’s essential to have a plan in place to catch all of the action. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to watch the games, regardless of whether you have cable or have cut the cord.
How do I watch the NCAA Tournament with cable?
For those with cable, you can watch every game of the tournament on CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV. All you need to do is check your local listings to find out which channel the game is on. Additionally, you can stream the games online through the CBS Sports website or app, which is available on most devices, including smartphones, tablets, and streaming devices like Roku and Apple TV.
How do I watch the NCAA Tournament without cable?
Most streaming services now offer access to live TV, which means you can watch the games on the same channels as cable subscribers. The most popular streaming services that offer live TV include Hulu + Live TV, Paramount+, and FuboTV. All of these services offer free trials, so you can sign up and watch the games for free if you’re a new subscriber.
Men’s NCAA 2023 Tournament schedule:
- First Round: March 16-17 at 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV
- Second Round: March 18-19 at 12:10 p.m. ET on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV
- Sweet 16: March 23-24 at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBS and TBS
- Elite Eight: March 25 at 6:09 p.m. ET and March 26 at 2:20 p.m. ET on CBS and TBS
- Final Four: April 1 at 6:09 p.m. ET on CBS
- NCAA Championship Game: April 3 at 9:20 p.m. ET on CBS
Watch March Madness on Hulu plus Live TV
If you want access to all March Madness games regardless of where they air, then a subscription to Hulu Plus Live TV is a good choice. It offers TBS, TNT, truTV, and all the ESPN channels, as well as your local CBS and ABC affiliates. It costs $70 a month but that includes access to both Disney+ and ESPN+, which makes it more of a deal. Unfortunately, Hulu plus Live TV no longer offers free trials.
Watch March Madness on FuboTV
While fuboTV is usually recommended for streaming sports, it’s not the best choice for watching March Madness, as it doesn’t offer TBS, TNT, or truTV. Its Pro plan, which starts at $75 a month, does offer CBS and ESPN but that’s about it. If you want to watch ESPNews and ESPNU, that will cost $10 extra, bringing it up to $85 a month.
Watch March Madness on Paramount+
If you’re primarily interested in the NCAA men’s tournament and you don’t care about watching all the games, then a Paramount+ subscription might be worth considering. Only the CBS games will be available on this service. That said, it’s a lot more affordable than the other options. An ad-supported tier starts at $5 per month while an ad-free Premium tier is priced at $10 per month. It also has a seven-day free trial period for new subscribers.
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