• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Arts & Entertainment

March Madness: How to Watch the Tournament on TV and Online

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 13, 2017, 1:43 PM ET
NCAA Men's Final Four - National Championship - Villanova v North Carolina
Photo by Ronald Martinez — Getty Images

The brackets are ready to be filled in as college basketball’s biggest tournament kicks off this week. March Madness officially starts on Tuesday, March 14 when teams begin vying for a national championship, which will be decided at the NCAA men’s title game on April 3.

All told, there will be 67 total thrilling matchups over the next three weeks—and, myriad options for basketball fans who want to follow their favorite college teams on television or streaming online.

CBS (CBS) is broadcasting 24 of the March Madness games, including the national championship and the two Final Four games, which means you don’t necessarily need a cable subscription to watch more than one-third of the tournament. Those games will also be streaming live through CBS All Access, the network’s subscription-only streaming service, which costs $5.99 per month (though, there is an option for a free, 7-day trial).

The other 43 games will be televised across Turner Broadcasting’s TBS, TNT, and TruTV networks. (Those games will also be available on the Turner networks’ individual online apps, but only with a cable subscription.)

All of the games will also be streaming online through the NCAA’s website and the NCAA March Madness Live app. If you have a cable subscription, you’ll have to log in with your credentials in order to stream all of the tournament’s games for free, otherwise fans will be able to watch a three-hour preview for free. You’ll also need a cable login in order to watch games on the app through streaming platforms such as Amazon’s Fire TV, Apple TV, Google’s Chromecast, or Roku.

Of course, the NCAA is well aware that a large number of fans try to find ways to watch March Madness from their desks at work, given that many of the tournament’s games take place during the workday. As it has in previous years, the NCAA website offers a “Boss Button” that, when clicked, immediately calls up a PowerPoint-style page with slides full of fake charts and graphics.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune‘s technology newsletter.

 

The “Boss Button” is sponsored by Sony’s Playstation Vue service, which itself offers a way to watch March Madness without a cable subscription. The live-streaming service costs $39.99 per month and offers local CBS coverage, as well as live access to the other networks that will televise the tournament. Other similar streaming options include Dish Network’s Sling TV service and AT&T’s DirecTV Now.

The March Madness tournament typically draws millions of viewers throughout its multi-week run. Last year’s national championship game, in which Villanova defeated the University of North Carolina, drew a total of 17.8 million viewers across the three Turner networks. That number was down 37% from the previous year.

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

art
LawCrime
Father-daughter duo duped New York City art world with at least 200 fake Banksy, Warhols, Wyeths, prosecutors say
By Jake Offenhartz and The Associated PressApril 30, 2026
1 day ago
gen z
Arts & EntertainmentMedia
57% of Americans between 13 and 17 years old get news from social media at least once a day
By David Bauder, Linley Sanders and The Associated PressApril 30, 2026
1 day ago
Taylor Swift poses.
AICelebrities
Taylor Swift files to trademark her voice and image to save from potential AI misuse
By Maria Sherman and The Associated PressApril 28, 2026
3 days ago
damaro
CommentaryDisney
Disney’s $60 billion bet on the one thing AI can’t replace
By Roland BetancourtApril 28, 2026
3 days ago
trump
PoliticsMedia
Trump wants Kimmel’s head (again) after joke about Melania Trump as ‘expectant widow’
By David Bauder and The Associated PressApril 28, 2026
3 days ago
Top CD rates from major banks April 27, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
BankingCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates from major banks on April 27, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
By Danny BakstApril 27, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
North America
China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
By Jake AngeloApril 30, 2026
23 hours ago
Accenture's Julie Sweet blew up 50 years of company history. She says the hardest part is still ahead
Conferences
Accenture's Julie Sweet blew up 50 years of company history. She says the hardest part is still ahead
By Nick LichtenbergApril 29, 2026
2 days ago
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
Success
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
By Preston ForeApril 27, 2026
4 days ago
The U.S. economy is booming — just not where 50 million Americans live
Commentary
The U.S. economy is booming — just not where 50 million Americans live
By Derek KilmerMay 1, 2026
8 hours ago
America shot its arsenal empty in 2 wars. Now it needs Beijing's permission to reload
Commentary
America shot its arsenal empty in 2 wars. Now it needs Beijing's permission to reload
By Steve H. Hanke and Jeffrey WengApril 30, 2026
23 hours ago
Exclusive: America's largest Black-owned bank launches podcast with mission to unlock hidden shame holding back generational wealth
Banking
Exclusive: America's largest Black-owned bank launches podcast with mission to unlock hidden shame holding back generational wealth
By Nick LichtenbergApril 29, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.