Even if you’re a cord-cutter, there are still plenty of ways to watch March Madness online — as well as a few ways to watch NCAA games for free.
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
The Madness is back.
This year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament is almost here, kicking off arguably the best sporting event of the year. Over the next three weeks, we’re almost guaranteed to see thrilling upsets and razor-close games until one college team is named champions.
But, if you’ve cut the cord since last year’s NCAA tournament, it can be tricky to figure out how to watch March Madness. To help get you set up before the tournament, we’ve compiled a full guide on where to stream March Madness games online without cable in 2023.
How to Watch March Madness Online Without Cable
March Madness will be broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV, with each channel carrying different games throughout the tourney. That means the best way to stream March Madness online is to get a live TV streaming service like DirecTV Stream or Sling, which get you access to live TV simulcasts from dozens of channels.
Here are all your options for how to watch March Madness online in 2023:
1. Stream March Madness on DirecTV Stream
With CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV, DirecTV Stream is the best way to watch March Madness online without cable. Even better? All DirecTV Stream plans start with a five-day free trial, and come with cloud DVR to record games.
The service’s cheapest package, the Entertainment Plan, includes TBS, TNT, and TruTV, and costs $74.99 a month. You can upgrade to the Choice package ($99.99 a month) to add CBS and other regional and local channels. The choice package also includes free subscriptions to HBO Max, Showtime, Starz, and MGM+ to sweeten the deal.
Editor’s picks
2. Stream March Madness on Sling
For more affordable live TV streaming, check out Sling. The live TV streamer’s Sling Blue package — which costs just $45 a month — comes with TBS, TNT, and TruTV to watch March Madness. Better yet, Sling is running a deal right now that gets you 50% off your first month, bringing your first bill down to just $22.50. (For games shown on CBS, we suggest supplementing your Sling subscription with Paramount+, which will have simulcasts of all the games shown on CBS).
3. Stream March Madness on fuboTV
Another great live TV streaming service that will let you watch March Madness online is fuboTV. You’ll get live simulcasts of CBS, TBS, and TNT in fuboTV’s most affordable plan, the Pro package. Besides these channels, the Pro package gets you 148 live TV channels and 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage. This plan costs $74.99 a month and starts with a seven-day free trial to start.
4. Stream March Madness on Paramount+
Paramount+ will have simulcasts of every March Madness game shown on CBS, including the Final Four games and the championship game. It’s not as comprehensive as the streamers above, but it’s a fraction of the price: Paramount+ costs $9.99 a month or $99 a year, and your subscription starts with a seven-day free trial.
Trending
How to Watch March Madness for Free Online
Want to watch March Madness online for free? You’re in luck. Thanks to the free trials from DirecTV Stream, fuboTV, and Paramount+, you can watch most of this year’s March Madness games without paying.
We suggest using DirecTV Stream’s five-day free trial and fuboTV’s seven-day free trial for the first few rounds of the tournament. Then use Paramount+’s seven-day free trial to watch the Final Four and Championship games for free.
Related Stories
When Does March Madness Start? 2023 Schedule
March Madness officially kicks off on Tuesday, March 14, but many fans will be tuning in on Sunday, March 12 for Selection Sunday when the bracket is decided.
Below is the full schedule for each round of the tournament:
Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 12 at 6 p.m. ET on CBS
First Four: March 14-15
First round: March 16-17
Second round: March 18-19
Sweet 16: March 23-24
Elite Eight: March 25-26
Final Four: April 1 on CBS / Paramount+
NCAA championship game: April 3 at 9:20 p.m. ET on CBS / Paramount+
How to Get Tickets to March Madness
One of the great things about March Madness is that games happen all over the country. If you’re hoping to see a game in person, head to Ticketmaster or Vivid Seats to see game locations and buy tickets near you.
