A Guide to Watching NCAA March Madness Online
Forget February, it’s finally March which means one incredible thing: productivity-killing March Madness is here. By now you’ve completed your one precious bracket — and a few others because, why not? — and anxiously await the Big Dance’s March 19th onslaught. As soon as Northeastern tips off with Notre Dame, it’s on. We just hope you’ve made necessary arrangements and already completed the week’s work. There’s no more debating over Kentucky’s chances at perfection, or that one 14-seed you’re certain advances to the Round of 32 — it’s time to actually see which teams were built for March, and who earns a trip back to campus.
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Though the tournament’s popularity knows no boundaries, we’re well aware of the broadcast limitations facing some fans. Either your pesky job gets in the way of consuming March Madness, you’ve avoided shelling out extra dough for a TV, or have other hurdles preventing you from catching the action. To help solve this problem, we’ve put together this simple guide on where to catch all 67 exciting contests on tap for the Big Dance. So bust out your face paint and put on those unwashed jerseys, here’s your (digital) ticket to NCAA March Madness.
Streaming options
March Madness Live
(Web)
Ready for the madness, but don’t have a TV at home? Fret not, basketball fans need just make a simple visit to NCAA’s March Madness Live website for access to streaming games, up-to-the-second stats, and a quick look at the current bracket. CBS and Turner Broadcasting once again team up with the NCAA to offer comprehensive online coverage of all 67 March Madness games, assuring even the most casual of fan have the ability to stay up on all the action. Cable channels TNT, TBS, and TruTV (all Turner Broadcasting channels) join in on the streaming fun again this year, helping bring every Big Dance matchup to viewers across the globe.
There is a catch, however. March Madness Live only allows viewers to freely stream the CBS broadcast games without requiring a compatible cable or satellite subscription. Access to the TNT, TBS, or TruTV streams do require working login credentials from providers like DirecTV, DISH Network, or many others in order to view those channel’s games. The NCAA does offer viewers without a cable or satellite subscription limited preview access, though it’s unlikely it lasts long enough to take in an entire game.
March Madness Live Application
(iOS | Google Play | Windows Phone | Amazon)
Similar to the above web resource, the NCAA offers March Madness Live as an application capable of streaming each and every March Madness contest. Once again, any game playing on CBS remains streamable for free, though those taking place on TNT, TBS, or TruTV require a compatible cable or satellite subscription. Users of smartphones or tablets touting an iOS, Android, Windows, or Amazon operating system have the ability to download the March Madness Live application, and the best part is, it’s completely free.
Sling TV
While Sling TV isn’t a specific online streaming option, DISH Network’s latest project proves an incredible way to stream March Madness action for cordcutters everywhere. The introductory $20 per month package includes channels like TNT, TBS, and ESPN granting even basic users access to a litany of college basketball action and coverage. To completely round out the March Madness experience, Sling TV users have the ability to add TruTV to the lineup for just an additional $5 per month. These options, coupled with the free online CBS coverage, guarantees basketball fans non-stop coverage of the Big Dance.
Microsoft’s Xbox One recently gained access to a Sling TV application, with DISH Network offering One users a free month trial of the streaming service. Though the free trial includes just the basic package, it’s more than worth checking out given the sheer amount of content users have access to for 30 days. Do keep in mind the free trial requires physical cancellation before the 30-day trial ends, otherwise you’ll notice a one-month charge for the Sling TV service on your next bank statement.
Other resources
An incredible resource for information about almost anything, Reddit has more than enough March Madness-themed information to satisfy any fan of college basketball and the massive tournament. With tournament coverage on tap for the next several weeks, expect a bevy of content related to the Big Dance like team interviews, expert analysis, historical facts, and outrageous memes. Reddit’s loyal user base generates the site’s wealth of content, which is both a blessing, and a curse. You’ll find a slew of NCAA-themed pictures, videos, and even alternative streaming sites on game days.
While Reddit is an excellent resource for anything and everything March Madness, it’s incredibly easy to waste many an hour poking around the rest of the site. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Though not a video option, ESPN does offer its signature play-by-play Gamecast presentation for all 67 March Madness matchups. Just navigate to the NCAA scoreboard page via the ESPN website, click the game you’d like to follow, and the related Gamecast window opens. This feature shows real-time events including every made basket, dunk, layup, foul, and buzzer beating ridiculousness. Gamecast also lists each team’s stats, highlight videos, and what’s trending on the social media site Twitter.
Questionable streaming sites
Keep in mind most of the illegal streaming options available come loaded with unwanted spam and a barrage of pop-up windows. Leaning on such links tends to be frustrating, particularly when it comes to finding quality video and audio feeds with little buffering.
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However, you must also keep in mind many of these sites illegally broadcast the content, and your computer remains at a high risk of malware when using them. Nevertheless, you’ll notice the deep selection of links available to you once you find an adequate streaming site on the Web. Notorious sites — though technically legal given they only provide links to various broadcast streams instead of broadcasting the copyrighted content — fall upon the gray areas of the law.
Note: As a rule of thumb, never click on any link which asks you to download any HD Players, update your streaming software, or to install any “required” media players. These are often just spam links that could infect your computer with viruses.
Second Round TV Schedule – March 19-20 (all times PST)
The tournament’s First Four round of play-in games is actually considered the First Round of the tournament (confusing we know), so the Round of 64 carries the Second Round moniker. Nonetheless, here’s what’s on tap for the Big Dance’s Second Round of games.
Schedule images courtesy of NCAA.com
