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With 67 games per tournament, March Madness is a spectacle for the screen.
But streaming live sports can be complex. Cable-like live TV streaming services, such as Hulu + Live or YouTube TV, are convenient, but expensive. You can save money by subscribing only to the services you need. But how do you know which to choose?
We’ll help you get your college hoops without jumping through too many.
The 2026 men’s NCAA Tournament officially starts March 17 and runs through April 6. The women’s tournament runs March 18 to April 5. Brackets for both will be set on Selection Sunday, March 15.
Best way to watch the men’s NCAA Tournament without cable:
- Get HBO Max Standard ($18.49 a month) for TBS, TNT and TruTV.
- Add Paramount+ Premium ($13.99 a month) for CBS.
- Total cost: About $33 a month.
Best way to watch the women’s NCAA Tournament without cable:
- Get ESPN Unlimited to catch every game for $29.99 per month. It includes ESPN on ABC, ESPN+ and all the other ESPN networks.
You can cancel what you don’t need when it’s all over.
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Where can I watch March Madness games?
Networks: You can find the 67 games of this year’s men’s tournament divided among these four networks: CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV.
ESPN: All 67 women's tournament games will be shown on ESPN networks. You can also watch on the ESPN app.
Get your bracket set: Selection Sunday for the men’s tournament is at 6 p.m. Eastern time March 15 on CBS. Selection Sunday for the women’s tournament will be at 8 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN.
The first four “play-in” men’s games are on TruTV, March 17 and 18. The first four women’s games are March 18 and 19.
The men’s Final Four and National Championship games are on TBS, April 4 and April 6, respectively. Check all four networks to catch the games in between.
The women’s Final Four and National Championship games are April 3 and April 5 on ESPN.
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A live TV streaming service is the high-cost solution: You can subscribe to a live TV streaming service for access to CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV and many other networks in one cable-like app, but it’ll cost you. YouTube TV is $82.99 per month and Hulu + Live is $89.99 per month.
Go with HBO Max Standard and Paramount+ Premium to save for the men’s tournament: Getting your streaming services a la cart is the cheaper play, and you may not know certain HBO Max plans include live sporting events from TBS, TNT and TruTV. Add Paramount+ and your men’s NCAA tournament TV lineup is complete. What you’ll need:
- HBO Max Standard. This plan includes all the entertainment HBO is known for, plus live sports from TBS, TNT and TruTV for $18.49 per month.
- Paramount+ Premium. As the premium tier, this plan lets you stream the CBS station live, which includes sports. It’s $13.99 per month.
» MORE: See what else HBO Max and Paramount+ have to offer.
Go with ESPN Unlimited to catch every game in the women’s tournament: It’s a quick fix for $29.99 per month. It includes ESPN on ABC, ESPN+ and all the other ESPN networks.
Can I watch March Madness online for free?
No, but you may be able to pick up CBS and ABC over the air with no monthly fee. You can usually find an indoor antenna for $20 or less, so it's cheap enough to give it a try, but may not work if you’re too far to pick up the signal.
Alternatively, you can download the March Madness Live app and watch the men’s tournament for free … for just one hour per day. Make sure your team is on when the clock starts. You’ll need to log on with your TV provider to keep watching after the free preview.
There’s a March Madness app for the women’s tournament you can use for your bracket and to check scores, but not to watch. The ESPN app is a place for that, at the cost mentioned above.
You could always go to a local sports bar for free TV in a festive environment. A meal and a couple drinks may cost you more than a month of live TV streaming, though.
(Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images News via Getty Images)
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- 1. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Market Snapshot: Consumer use of State payday loan extended payment plans. Accessed Mar 4, 2026.
