With the men’s Final Four and National Championship airing on TBS instead of CBS for the first time in four years, here is a handy viewing guide for cordcutters and anyone else who wants to know how to stream the games without a cable subscription.
2022 marks the fifth time that Turner Sports has carried the national semifinals after having previously done so in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018. The company was set to carry the national semifinals in 2020, but the tournament was not played. This year will mark the third time that Turner has carried the National Championship, having previously done so in ’16 and ’18.
The Final Four and National Championship will air on TBS, TNT and TruTV. Unlike in previous years, all three networks will carry the same feed with Jim Nantz, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson. (In previous years, TBS aired the primary game telecast with Nantz et al., while TNT and TruTV carried team-specific coverage with “homer” broadcasters.)
How can I stream the Final Four without cable?
If you do not have cable, YouTube TV, Sling, Hulu with Live TV and DirecTV Stream each carry the Turner networks. Fubo TV does not. Sling is the cheapest of these options as one can sign up for either Sling Orange or Sling Blue for $30 per month. YouTube TV ($65), Hulu ($70) and DirecTV Stream ($70) are pricier. If you want to watch the Final Four without committing to a full month, YouTube TV typically offers a two-week free trial, Hulu with Live TV offers one week and DirecTV Stream offers five days (just remember to cancel if you do not intend to commit to a full month).
Can I use March Madness Live to stream the Final Four for free?
One can only stream games through March Madness Live with an active cable/satellite/streaming subscription. However, the service does offer a generous, three-hour free preview that conceivably would allow one to watch at least one full game. The WatchTBS, WatchTNT and TruTV apps also provide free previews, though these are considerably less generous — about ten minutes each.
If you watch the games through March Madness Live, WatchTBS, WatchTNT or the TruTV app and you are a subscriber to DirecTV Stream, remember to authenticate using DirecTV Stream and *not* DirecTV. The extremely muddled branding of these two services (DirecTV Stream being the streaming service and DirecTV being the traditional satellite provider) can easily result in confusion.
Can I watch the Final Four on Paramount+?
No — while one could watch every NCAA Tournament game on CBS via the Paramount+ streaming service, the same does not hold for games that are televised by TBS, TNT and TruTV.
What channels will the Final Four air on in future years?
CBS airs the Final Four and National Championship again next year. CBS and Turner alternate rights to the Final Four each year through the end of the current rights deal in 2032. CBS has the games next year, in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031. Turner has the games again in 2024, 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032.
Why does Final Four air on cable every-other-year?
In 2010, the price of the men’s NCAA Tournament was getting to be too rich for CBS, which carried the event exclusively. At one point, the network reportedly sought to have ESPN take the remaining years of its rights deal off of its hands. Without Turner Sports pairing with CBS on a joint bid — and fitting most of the bill — it is highly likely that the tournament would be on cable (ESPN) every single year, as opposed to every-other-year.
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