The NCAA Basketball Tournament is a time to celebrate the season’s best college basketball teams. From March to April, national championships are on the line as the men’s and women’s tournaments take over TV screens nationwide.
You can watch men’s March Madness games on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. Meanwhile, ABC and ESPN networks will televise the women’s tournament.
Keep reading for more details on how to watch the NCAA Tournament—including ways to watch select games for free.
What channels show the NCAA Basketball Tournament?
The men’s 2024 NCAA Tournament will appear on CBS Sports and TNT Sports channels, while women’s March Madness action will air across ESPN platforms.
Pro tip: Every CBS game will stream on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, while B/R Sports on Max will carry the TBS, TNT, and truTV matches. Some ABC and ESPN coverage may appear on ESPN+ during the women’s tournament.
NCAA Basketball Tournament schedules
Get ready for a March Madness marathon of over 130 NCAA Tournament games. Sure, it’s a lot to monitor. But we created helpful round-by-round channel guides below. And if you want the full scoop, hit the buttons after each table for the complete men’s and women’s TV schedules.
You can also visit the NCAA’s official Men’s Basketball Bracket and Women’s Basketball Bracket for up-to-date stats and scores.
Men’s NCAA Tournament schedule
| Event | Start date | Channels |
|---|---|---|
| Selection Sunday | Sunday, March 17 | CBS |
| First Four | Tuesday, March 19 | truTV |
| First Round | Thursday, March 21 | CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV |
| Second Round | Saturday, March 23 | CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV |
| Sweet 16 | Thursday, March 28 | CBS, TBS, truTV |
| Elite Eight | Saturday, March 30 | CBS, TBS |
| Final Four | Saturday, April 6 | TBS |
| NCAA Championship Game | Monday, April 8 | TBS |
Data effective as of post date.
Women’s NCAA Tournament schedule
| Event | Start date | Channels |
|---|---|---|
| Selection Sunday | Sunday, March 17 | ESPN |
| First Four | Wednesday, March 20 | ESPN2, ESPNU |
| First Round | Friday, March 22 | ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU |
| Second Round | Sunday, March 24 | ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 |
| Sweet 16 | Friday, March 29 | ESPN, ESPN2 |
| Elite Eight | Sunday, March 31 | ESPN |
| Final Four | Friday, April 5 | ESPN |
| NCAA Championship Game | Sunday, April 7 | ABC |
Data effective as of post date.
Best TV plans for watching the NCAA Basketball Tournament
You can watch the NCAA Basketball Tournament through most TV providers, but Hulu + Live TV offers our favorite March Madness TV plan. Starting at $76.99 a month, you’ll get every channel of the men’s and women’s tournaments. The live TV streaming service also includes ESPN+ at no extra cost and an unlimited cloud DVR.
On its own, ESPN+ ($10.99 a month) is a cheap way to watch parts of the women’s tournament—offering select ABC and ESPN game simulcasts—and the men’s National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Paramount+ is also an inexpensive option for watching the men’s NCAA Tournament. Its Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan includes live CBS games and additional CBS Sports coverage.
If you’re looking for the cheapest way to tune in, a one-time TV antenna purchase can give you those same ABC and CBS games. But we’ll explain more about that in our free March Madness viewing options section further down.
Pro tip: Sling TV is the cheapest live TV service with TBS, TNT, and truTV coverage—available for $40.00 a month in its Sling Blue plan. However, you can stream live sports from those channels via Max’s B/R Sports Add-On for as low as $9.99 a month.
Which TV providers carry March Madness games?
Many popular TV services carry March Madness channels. But because the men’s competition airs between CBS Sports and TNT Sports networks, some providers show only a fraction of the tournament.
The following table highlights the TV providers that have men’s tournament channels. Apart from Philo, every provider listed below also offers the ESPN networks that show the women’s tournament—though you may need a higher-tiered plan to get ESPNews and ESPNU.
| Provider | Price | CBS | TBS | TNT | truTV | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox | $61.00–$152.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Read Cox review |
| DIRECTV | $57.99–$142.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View plans Read DIRECTV review |
| DIRECTV STREAM | $69.99–$149.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View plans Read DIRECTV STREAM review |
| DISH | $97.99–$147.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View plans Read DISH review |
| Fubo | $32.99–$89.99/mo. | ✔ | — | — | — |
View plans Read Fubo review |
| Hulu + Live TV | $81.99–$95.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View plans Read Hulu + Live TV review |
| Optimum | $35.00–$125.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View plans Read Optimum review |
| Philo | $28.00/mo. | — | — | — | — |
View plans Read Philo review |
| Sling TV | $40.00–$55.00/mo. | — | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View plans Read Sling TV review |
| Spectrum | $40.00–$105.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Check Availability Read Spectrum review |
| Verizon Fios | $85.00–$129.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View plans Read Verizon Fios review |
| Vidgo | $69.99–$99.99/mo. | — | — | — | — |
View plans Read Vidgo review |
| Xfinity | $20.00–$80.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Read Xfinity review |
| YouTube TV | $72.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View plans Read YouTube TV review |
Data effective as of post date.
How to watch the NCAA Basketball Tournament for free
*CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links. Amazon.com Price; $39.99 (as of 3/15/24 4:00 p.m. CT). Read full disclaimer.
During March Madness, you can watch a handful of games for free using an over-the-air (OTA) antenna.
Every women’s game on ABC and men’s game on CBS is available over the air. Though, not everyone lives within range of each channel. You can verify OTA channel availability by entering your zip code into the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Reception Map Tool.
If you need an antenna, most cost anywhere between $20 to $60. We prefer the Mohu Leaf 50 because its 60-mile range and multidirectional design are ideal for suburban areas. But you can visit our Best OTA Antennas page to check out other antenna options.
Best ways to watch March Madness
The 2024 NCAA Basketball Tournament will air on CBS Sports, TNT Sports, and ESPN channels. Specifically, men’s games are on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, while women’s games are on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, and ESPNU.
Hulu + Live TV is the best TV provider for watching March Madness because it has every tournament channel and includes ESPN+ for extra college basketball coverage. Sling TV offers a cheaper alternative to watching NCAA basketball, but you’ll need an OTA antenna to watch games that air on ABC and CBS.
Speaking of antennas, you can avoid a monthly TV subscription and watch select matchups games over the air. All you need is an antenna strong enough to pick up your local ABC and CBS stations.
Watch the NCAA Basketball Tournament FAQ
Can I watch March Madness for free?
Yes, you can watch select March Madness games for free using a digital antenna. Some games in the men’s tournament will air on CBS, while ABC will broadcast parts of the women’s tournament.
Where can I watch the NCAA Final?
CBS and TBS alternate annually as the exclusive broadcasters of the men’s Final Four and NCAA Championship Game. TBS gets the even years while CBS has the odd ones—meaning TBS will air this season’s final rounds in April 2024. The Women’s National Championship Game will air on ABC in 2024.
Is there an app to watch March Madness?
Yes, the NCAA March Madness Live app has every tournament game plus replays. But after a free three-hour preview, you’ll need to log in with your cable, satellite, or live TV streaming provider info. The app is available on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast with Google TV, and Roku devices.
Can you watch March Madness on HBO Max?
Yes, Max (formerly HBO Max) streams all March Madness games that air on TBS, TNT, and truTV through its B/R Sports Add-On.
Are there fantasy leagues for March Madness?
Yes, many fantasy sports outlets offer bracket challenges during the men’s and women’s NCAA Basketball Tournaments. ESPN Fantasy Sports, DraftKings, and Yahoo Fantasy Sports are the more popular fantasy platforms, but you can also sign up for different challenges and pick’em games on the NCAA’s website.
Why you should trust us
Our sports experts spent over eight hours researching and testing the best ways to watch the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Like the single-elimination tournament, we put TV providers head to head to determine the ideal viewing options. We based our provider recommendations on channel availability, pricing, and ease of use.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
Disclaimer
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Amazon.com price as of 3/15/24 4:00 p.m. CT. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.
