How to Watch March Madness Without Cable: 6 Top Choices

It’s that time of year again. The NCAA men’s basketball tournament is about to return.

This tournament is unlike many events in sports. Over several weeks, you get to watch 67 action-packed games.

Thankfully, you don’t need a pricey contract to catch all the action. You can watch March Madness without cable, and our guide shares the best ways to see every game.

What Channel is March Madness 2024 On?

You might think the tournament is on ESPN since the network is a heavy-hitter in the sports world, but that is not the case.

The following four channels jointly carry the tournament:

• CBS
• TBS
• TNT
• TruTV

While many no-contract providers let you get ESPN without cable, the channels above do not. For example, fuboTV is a top provider for sports fans, but they don’t currently carry Turner networks.

Fortunately, there are several subscription streaming services that offer the Turner channels, allowing you to watch the tournament.

Read our guide on the top FuboTV alternatives to learn more about suitable options that do carry Turner.

Best Streaming Services to Watch March Madness Without Cable

A hefty cable bill is not necessary to get popular sports channels. As a preview, here are the services that cord-cutters can use to stream March Madness without cable and avoid missing any games.

Each service works with a vast array of compatible devices. All the device needs is a screen so that you can watch games.

Here are the top services to watch March Madness 2024 without cable.

1. Sling TV

Sling TV is the most affordable live TV streaming service to get the men’s NCAA tournament. The provider has two base packages – Orange and Blue.

Both cost $40 a month and offer 30 and 45 live TV channels, respectively. The main difference is that Orange carries ESPN, and Blue carries Fox Sports 1 (FS1).

If you want to watch the tournament, select the Blue package. This subscription includes all of the Turner networks you need.

The one drawback to Sling is that it doesn’t include CBS in its list of channels. It carries ABC, FOX, and NBC in select markets but not CBS.

You can rectify this shortcoming with an over-the-air antenna, like the Mohu Leaf or a subscription to Paramount+. If you choose the Mohu, use the code FRUGALRULES10 to receive ten percent off your purchase.

Aside from the minor inconvenience of not having CBS, Sling is a terrific option to watch the tournament.

You get three simultaneous screens, a base 50-hour cloud DVR, and there’s typically a money-saving promotion for new users. The current offer is prepaying for four months of service and save $40 off the normal price.

If you like an à la carte approach to channel packages, Sling is a great option. Simply use its service optimizer tool to enter the channels you want, and it’ll direct you to which add-on packages you need.

Read our Sling TV review to learn more.

2. DIRECTV STREAM

If streaming live sports is important to you, DIRECTV STREAM is a good choice. Not only does it carry CBS and all of the Turner networks, but it also has many regional sports networks (RSNs).

DIRECTV STREAM has four channel packages ranging from $79.99 to $164.99 per month.

The base package, Entertainment, has 75+ available channels. This package is sufficient to watch March Madness as it has the four necessary networks.

Only select higher-tier plans if you need premium channels.

DIRECTV STREAM boasts 20 simultaneous streams and a newly added unlimited cloud DVR. The service recently added a five-day free trial to test it out.

Read our DIRECTV STREAM review to learn more.

3. Hulu Live

Hulu Live is another excellent choice to get March Madness without a cable provider. The no-contract service carries CBS in addition to the three Turner networks.

This platform matches DIRECTV STREAM in terms of price, charging $76.99 per month. Their recent rate hike folded in Disney+ and ESPN+ into a Hulu Live plan, along with its 80+ list of channels.

All of the content on ESPN+ makes Hulu Live an even better choice to watch sports without cable. Hulu Live also includes an unlimited DVR, which allows users to record as much as they want and skip commercials.

However, you only receive two simultaneous streams, and the service doesn’t offer a free trial.

Read our Hulu with Live TV review to learn more.

4. YouTube TV

YouTube TV is one of the best live TV streaming services to watch March Madness without cable. The streaming giant offers all of the channels you need to watch the tournament.

Overall, a YouTube TV subscription offers access to nearly 100 popular networks.

The cable alternative costs $72.99 a month, and you can have up to six accounts per household. It also offers 4K streaming for an additional $9.99 per month.

The app supports Dolby digital sound, with 5.1 surround sound available. Furthermore, YouTube TV allows users to simultaneously watch four games through its multiview feature.

*Related: Are you a basketball fan but want to ditch your expensive contract? Read our guide on ways to watch NBA games without cable to learn how to net big savings.

YouTube TV has an unlimited DVR. Unlike Hulu Live, the DVR lets you fast-forward through commercials on all recordings. You can also rewind and fast-forward through recordings that are still airing.

The service even offers three simultaneous streams and a seven-day free trial.

Read our YouTube TV review to learn more.

5. Paramount+

Paramount+ is a perfect complement to Sling TV if you want to watch March Madness. The platform is a video streaming service that carries on-demand and original content from Paramount networks.

While it does not provide access to Turner networks, it does give you four local CBS stations when you choose its premium plan.

Here are the available plans for Paramount+:

If you pair the premium plan with Sling TV, you only need to pay $50 to watch the entirety of the men’s NCAA basketball tournament. That’s $15 cheaper than the next most affordable choice.

This is one of the more easy-to-use platforms. Like the other streaming services, all you need is a high-speed internet connection to watch content.

Paramount+ offers three simultaneous streams and a seven-day free trial.

Read our Paramount streaming service review to learn more.

6. Max

Max is a new option to stream March Madness 2024. The on-demand app introduced the Bleacher Sports add-on late in 2023. Through the add-on you can watch games airing on TBS, TNT, and TruTV, including the Final Four and National Championship.

The platform has loads of original content from HBO and the Warner Brothers Family. I have tested the sports add-on extensively and it works great to watch live sports action.

Thankfully, there is currently no cost for the add-on. All subscribers receive it free of charge. At some point after March Madness, there will be a monthly cost of $9.99 if you choose to opt into the feature.

If you don’t need a live TV streaming service and only want the men’s tournament, you can pair Max with Paramount+ to watch the entirety of the tournament.

Max has three plan levels, and the sports add-on is available on with all tiers.

Read our Max review to learn more.

When is March Madness 2024?

The NCAA men’s tournament starts on Sunday, March 17, with Selection Sunday at 6:00 p.m. EST. The First Four is in Dayton, Ohio, and the Final Four and National Championship are in Houston, Texas.

Here is the entire schedule:

• Selection Sunday: March 17
• First Four: March 19-20, starting at 4:00 p.m. EST
• 1^st/2^nd Rounds: Thursday, March 21, and Friday, March 22, starting at 12:00 p.m. EST
• Sweet 16: Thursday, March 28, and Friday, March 29, starting at 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. EST respectively
• Elite Eight: Saturday, March 30, and Sunday, March 31, starting at 12:00 p.m. EST
• Final Four: Saturday, April 6, starting at 5:00 p.m. EST
• National Championship: Monday, April 8, starting at 9:00 p.m. EST

As you can see, it’s nearly three weeks of college basketball at its best.

2024 March Madness TV Channel Schedule

The channel schedule for the men’s tournament is simple to follow.

Here is the channel breakdown for the 2024 games:

• Selection Sunday: CBS
• First Four: truTV, TBS
• First and Second rounds: CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV
• Regional Semifinals and Finals: CBS and TBS
• Final Four and National Championship: TB

In 2022 the Final Four aired on TBS. In 2023 CBS broadcast them, This year TBS will air the Final Four and National Championship.

How Can I Watch the NCAA Tournament for Free?

It is not possible to watch March Madness online for free. The NCAA offers a live stream from its website, but you need a cable login to access games.

You will need to choose one of the suitable cable alternatives to watch the three weeks of action. Your best bet is to choose a service that offers a free trial to see if you like it before committing to a provider.

Does CBS Stream March Madness?

You can stream the tournament on CBS. It’s possible to do this through the CBS website or the CBS app.

However, you will need a login from a cable or satellite TV provider to watch games. If you have a login, you can watch games on your computer or a streaming media player if you have a smart TV.

Can I Watch March Madness on Prime Video?

It is not possible to stream the NCAA men’s tournament on Amazon Prime Video. The platform does not carry the Turner networks or your local CBS station.

While you can access Paramount+ through Prime, you can only get games on that platform if you subscribe to the premium plan.

Bottom Line

You don’t need an expensive contract to watch March Madness. The streaming services mentioned let you watch everything from the selection show to the national championship.

All you need is a streaming device and the ability to stream. Switching to a no-contract service can help you pocket $100 in monthly savings and not sacrifice live sports. That’s nothing but net, baby.

What’s one channel that’s keeping you from cutting the cord?