How to Watch The Big Ten Championship Game to See Who Wins & Goes to March Madness

Katie Decker-Jacoby
·8 min read

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The biggest college basketball extravaganza, March Madness, is fast approaching, but first, the Big Ten tournament. Given that Purdue won it last year, will the reigning champs repeat or will one of the other thirteen competing teams steal the show? Regardless of which school you’re rooting for to win it all, you’re likely wondering how to watch the Big Ten championship game live for free. Lucky for you, we’ve got all of the streaming info.

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Since 1998, the Big Ten men’s basketball tournament has taken place every year at the end of the men’s college basketball regular season. This year, 14 teams are battling for the Big Ten Tournament Champion title, along with the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournamnet (A.K.A. March Madness). While the Big Ten is one of the last NCAA Division I conferences to launch its own tournament ahead of March Madness, it has some of the top schools in college sports.

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Purdue won the Big Ten tournament in 2023 and is looking for its third-ever Big Ten tournament title. If Purdue takes the crown in 2024, it would become the Big Ten’s first repeat champion since Michigan won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. However, Michigan State has won the most titles, holding six total under its belt.

It’s not uncommon for a Big Ten team to make it into the Final Four of March Madness. Michigan State has done it three times, while Illinois, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Michigan have done it once each. Purdue has won the Big Ten tournament for a grand total of 10 times. With a clinched spot in the Big Ten quarterfinals and Zach Edey on the roster (he is chasing his second straight Most Outstanding Player award), could Purdue do it for a second consecutive year?

If you’re a men’s college basketball fan, you won’t want to miss the Big Ten Championship. Keep reading to find out how to watch the Big Ten championship game live for free to see who moves on to March Madness.

Big Ten Basketball Minnesota and Michigan State
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images.

When does the Big Ten championship game air?

The Big Ten Championship Game airs on Sunday, March 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

Big Ten Tournament Bracket 2024
Big Ten.

Big Ten Tournament Bracket

Here is the Big Ten tournament bracket for 2024. The tournament started on Wednesday, March 13 and ends with a championship game on Sunday, March 17. Fourteen teams will face off against each other to determine the winner. Heading into the tournamnet, the first, second, third, and fourth seeds—Purdue, Illinois, Nebraska, and Northwestern in that order—already clinched spots in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 15.

  1. Purdue (17-3)

  2. Illinois (14-6)

  3. Nebraska (12-8)

  4. Northwestern (12-8)

  5. Wisconsin (11-9)

  6. Indiana (10-10)

  7. Iowa (10-10)

  8. Michigan State (10-10)

  9. Minnesota (9-11)

  10. Ohio State (9-11)

  11. Penn State (9-11)

  12. Maryland (7-13)

  13. Rutgers (7-13)

  14. Michigan (3-17)

How to watch the Big Ten championship game live for free

The Big Ten championship game airs on CBS, which is available to stream on services like DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Paramount Plus, and Hulu+ With Live TV. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial, and starts at $79.99 per month after the trial ends. Fubo offers a seven-day free trial, and starts at $79.99 per month after the trial ends. Paramount Plus offers a seven-day free trial and starts at $5.99 per month. While Hulu+ With Live TV doesn’t have a free trial, it is cheaper per month than the other options, starting at $68.99 per month, and offers plans that include free subscriptions to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.

Best Overall Pick to Watch The Big Ten Championship Game: DirecTV Stream’s Free Trial

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Direct TV is our best overall pick to watch the Big Ten championship game for free for its free trial, price, and channel selection. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial. DirecTV offers four plans: Entertainment, which costs $79.99 per month; Choice, which costs $108.99 per month with the first two months at $83.99 per month; Ultimate, which costs $84.99 per month with the first two months at $94.99 per month; and Premiere, which costs $159.99 per month.

As for other differences between the plans, Entertainment includes more than 75 channels, the ability to stream on unlimited devices in your home, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and a special offer on premium channels. Choice, which is the most popular plan, includes more than 105 channels, regional sports networks, and everything included in Entertainment. Ultimate includes more than 140 channels and everything included in Entertainment and Choice. Premiere includes more than 150 channels including premium channels like HBO and Starz and everything included in Entertainment, Choice, and Premiere. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the Big Ten championship game with DirecTV Stream’s free trial.

  1. Visit streamtv.directv.com‘s packages page

  2. Click “Try It Free” for the plan of your choice

  3. Enter your information and payment method

  4. Search for CBS and start watching the Big Ten championship game

Best Free Trial Pick to Watch The Big Ten Championship Game: Fubo’s Free Trial

Watch the Big Ten championship game With Fubo

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Fubo is our best free trial pick to watch the Big Ten championship game live for free. Fubo offers a seven-day free trial (two days longer than DirecTV Stream) and offers offers two plans: Pro, which costs $79.99 per month; and Elite, which costs $89.99 per month.

As for the difference between the plans, Pro includes 180 channels, 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR, and the ability to watch on up to 10 screens at once. Elite includes everything in Pro, as well as a total of 256 channels and 4K resolution. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the Big Ten championship game with Fubo’s free trial.

  1. Visit Fubo.TV

  2. Click “Start Free Trial”

  3. Enter your information and payment method

  4. Search for CBS and start watching the Big Ten championship game

Best Budget Pick to Watch The Big Ten Championship Game: Paramount Plus

Watch the Big Ten championship game on Paramount Plus

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Paramount Plus is our best budget pick to watch the Big Ten championship game live for free based on its price. Paramount Plus offers a seven-day free trial and two plans: Paramount Plus Essential, which costs $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year, and Paramount Plus With Showtime, which costs $11.99 per month or $119.99 per year. To watch the Big Ten championship game live, fans will need Paramount Plus With Showtime.

As for the differences between the plans, Paramount Plus Essential includes limited ads; tens of thousands of TV shows and movies including CBS and Paramount Plus originals; NFL games on CBS; UEFA Champions League matches; and 24/7 live access to CBS News. Paramount Plus With Showtime includes everything in essential, as well as no ads; Showtime original shows and movies; 24/7 live access to your local CBS network; college football; and the ability to download and watch shows on your mobile device. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the Big Ten championship game with Paramount Plus’ free trial.

  1. Visit ParamountPlus.com

  2. Click “Get It Now”

  3. Select your plan

  4. Enter your information and payment method

  5. Start watching the Big Ten championship game

Best Upgrade Pick to Watch The Big Ten Championship Game: Hulu+ Live TV

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Hulu+ With Live TV is our best upgrade pick to watch the Big Ten championship game based on its channel selection and its free subscriptions to Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus. Hulu+ With Live TV offers four plans: a $68.99 per month plan with access to only live TV; a $69.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; a $74.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; and a $82.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with no ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the Big Ten championship game with Hulu+ Live TV.

  1. Visit Hulu.com/liveTV

  2. Click “Sign Up Now”

  3. Enter your information and payment method

  4. Search for CBS and start watching the Big Ten championship game

Big Ten Basketball Maryland
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images.

Big Ten Tournament Schedule

Wednesday, March 13: First Round

  • Game 1: No. 12 Maryland vs. No. 13 Rutgers

  • Game 2: No. 11 Penn State vs. No. 14 Michigan

Thursday, March 14: Second Round

  • Game 3: No. 8 Michigan State vs. No. 9 Minnesota

  • Game 4: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. Game 1 winner

  • Game 5: No. 7 Iowa vs. No. 10 Ohio State

  • Game 6: No. 6 Indiana vs. Game 2 winner

Friday, March 15: Quarterfinals

  • Game 7: No. 1 Purdue vs. Game 3 winner

  • Game 8: No. 4 Northwestern vs. Game 4 winner

  • Game 9: No. 2 Illinois vs. Game 5 winner

  • Game 10: No. 3 Nebraska vs. Game 6 winner

Saturday, March 16: Semifinals

  • Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner

  • Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner

Sunday, March 17: Championship

  • Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner — 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS

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