How To Watch March Madness and Get Your Basketball Fix All Month Long
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The biggest premier sporting event in America is back. Of course, we’re talking about the NCAA Tournament, more popularly known as March Madness. Over the next several weeks, 68 teams across the country will compete for the National Championships in front of millions of viewers (and scouts) in a bid to showcase all of those sweet, sweet basketball skills.
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And boy, is there a lot of action to take in. There are 67 games taking place over three short weeks, so if you want to watch March Madness in all its glory, you might want to download the official schedule and start filling out those brackets now. You may also want to start planning some snacks, home-delivered drinks and some key swag choices, but hey, you do you.
When and Where Does March Madness Take Place?
In terms of watching the games at home, March Madness takes place from March 13 to April 4. Teams will play the first and second rounds across various locations, including Dayton, OH, Portland, OR, Greenville, SC and Buffalo, NY.
Then, the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 occur across San Antonio, San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia before the action culminates with the Final Four showdown in New Orleans. If you have cable, you can catch the games on the following stations:
Selection Sunday (March 13) – CBS
First Four (March 15-16) – TruTV
First Round (March 17-18) – CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV
Second Round (March 19-20) – CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV
Sweet Sixteen (March 24-25) – CBS, TBS
Elite Eight (March 26-27) – TBS
Final Four and Championship (April 2) – TBS
NCAA Championship Game (April 4) – TBS
If you don’t have cable and want to catch some hoops, read on to see how you can still watch March Madness in 2022.
Where To Stream March Madness 2022
1. YouTube TV
BEST OVERALL
If you’re looking for a cable replacement with a few extra bells and whistles, YouTube TV is undoubtedly worth the investment. It’s got all of the essential channels you’ll need to watch March Madness so that you can catch the tournament from start to finish in all its glory.
What you get: A comprehensive lineup of more than 85 channels, including TruTV, CBS, TNT and TBS.
Pros: Not only can you watch the entire tournament with a YouTube TV subscription, but you can also record any games you’d like with the service’s nifty Cloud DVR. There are no storage limits, and each subscription includes six accounts and three streams, so you can still get your basketball on even if someone else in your family is watching something else on another screen.
Cons: Unfortunately, YouTube TV isn’t available in all zip codes, so be sure to plug yours into the site to check whether it’s in your area if you plan on using it.
Price: $54.99 for the first three months and $64.99 per month after that.
Free Trial: 14 days for first-time users.
Supported Streaming Devices: Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Apple TV and select smart TVs.
2. Hulu + Live TV/ESPN+/Disney+
BEST FOR BUNDLING
If you want to watch March Madness while also giving your family or significant other the gift of Disney+, this bundle may be the way to go. It’s not the most incredible option for those who aren’t into the Mouse House content (or it’s included Marvel and Star Wars offerings) since you’re basically paying for that as well. But on the plus side, you’ll get ESPN+, which unlocks access to other sporting events and special programming throughout the year.
What you get: Access to 84 channels, including TruTV, CBS, TBS and TNT, so you should be able to access all of this year’s March Madness games.
Pros: With a subscription, you’ll also get access to Hulu original programming and a comprehensive library of on-demand content. Plus the Disney+ as mentioned above and ESPN+ content.
Cons: There are only 50 included Cloud DVR hours, which may fill up fast if you plan on recording some of the games and catching them later on.
Price: $69.99 per month.
Free Trial: 7 days for new subscribers.
Supported Streaming Devices: Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Apple TV, and select smart TVs.
3. Sling TV’s Blue Package
ACCESS TO THE FINALS
If you want to cut costs and you’re OK with missing some of this year’s March Madness games, Sling TV’s Blue Package (not to be confused with the Orange Package) is another option. At a very reasonable price, you’ll be able to access TBS, TNT and TruTV games, but you won’t be able to watch games that air on CBS, which is unavailable on the service.
What you get: Access to 47 live channels, including TBS, TNT and TruTV.
Pros: Lower monthly cost than many other streaming service cable replacements.
Cons: The package only comes with 50 Cloud DVR hours. There’s also no access to CBS. However, you may want to consider beefing up this package with Paramount Plus to catch the games you’ll miss with this service alone (more info below).
Price: $35 per month.
Free Trial: 7 Days.
Supported Streaming Devices: Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Apple TV, and select smart TVs.
4. Paramount Plus
OPTIONAL ADD-ON
Paramount Plus is your most affordable option if you just want to catch March Madness games that air on CBS. You could also pair the streaming service with a Sling TV Blue package. With a Paramount Plus Premium subscription, you’ll be able to access all regionally available CBS games live, making it another option for those who just want to watch select basketball matchups.
What you get: Access to all regionally available NCAA games airing on CBS, plus an array of other on-demand content and exclusive originals.
Pros: The low monthly fee makes it a viable option for those who want to either bolster a Sling TV Blue package or only access select CBS games.
Cons: You won’t be able to watch any of the games airing on TruTV, TNT or TBS. That means no access to the Final Four as well.
Price: $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year for the Premier tier.
Free Trial: 7 days for new subscribers.
Supported Streaming Devices: Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Apple TV, and select smart TVs.
5. DirecTV Stream
CLOSEST TO CABLE
If you don’t want cable, but you’re looking for that cable experience (at least when it comes to watching March Madness this year), DirecTV Stream may be your top choice. It’s slightly more expensive than other sports-watching venues, but you’ll be able to access all regionally available games on all four of the NCAA platforms.
What you get: An Entertainment starter package gives you access to more than 65 monthly channels, including TruTV, TBS, TNT and your local CBS affiliate.
Pros: You’ll get unlimited Cloud DVR hours, so you can record games that you might otherwise miss. It also offers up to 20 simultaneous streams at once on your home network and three concurrent streams if you’re out.
Cons: The service is one of the most costly of the bunch. And while regional games are available in most areas, double-check that you’re covered by plugging in your zip code before you plan on using it to catch basketball games.
Price: $69.99 per month for a basic Entertainment package.
Free Trial: 5 days.
Supported Streaming Devices: Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Apple TV, and select smart TVs.
Buy: DirecTV Stream From $69.99/month
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