Bob Levey/fake images
march madness the season is here. With 68 teams playing in 67 live games across the country, from Houston, Texas to New York City, there’s plenty of action to watch over the next month, including today’s Round of 16 game: Houston Cougars vs. Auburn Tigers.
If you’re looking to tune in in time for info, here’s what you need to know: Today’s game kicks off at 7:10 p.m. on TBS, and it’s the best way to watch if you don’t have old-school cable. the bundle is with Sling TV.
The best way to watch today’s game:
Sling TV Orange & Blue, $30 (reduced from $60) for your first month
The best way to watch most March Madness games:
Paramount+, $5 and up per month
How to watch the game Tigers vs. cougars today
No. 1 Houston vs. No. 9 Auburn begins tonight at 7:10 p.m. ET. You can watch the showdown of the big cats on TBS. Our recommendation to watch tonight’s game? TV sling.
Sling Orange & Blue starts at just $30 for your first month and will give you access to games on TBS, TNT, truTV, and ESPN. It also gives you 50 hours of DVR (cloud) storage so you can record any games you miss or watch good games, and you can watch them on up to three devices (so you can hypothetically share this subscription with everyone else in your support group). The best part of Sling? there is no contract or long-term commitments. Cancel whenever you want, even if that’s right after your team loses!
Notably, you won’t get games on CBS, so you’ll need access to your local CBS channel via a digital TV antenna or a Paramount+ subscription to be fully covered for the 2023 tournament. Sling TV also offers NBA TV a through its Sports plugin. For an additional $11 each month, you can get NBA TV, the NHL Network, the MLB Network, the Tennis Channel and more.
Sling TV Orange & Blue, $30 (reduced from $60) for your first month
How to watch First Round March Madness games:
Stay up to date with the March Madness calendar. CBS Essentials knows where you can watch the upcoming Round of 32 games.
Saturday, March 18 (Round 32. All Eastern times)
- No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 13 Furman | 12:10 | CBS
- No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 5 Duke | 2:40 p.m. | CBS
- No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 8 Arkansas | 5:15 p.m. | CBS
- No. 7 Missouri vs. No. 15 Princeton | 18:10 | T.N.T.
- No. 1 Houston vs. No. 9 Auburn | 7:10 p.m. | TBS
- No. 2 Texas vs. No. 10 Penn State | 7:45 p.m. | CBS
- No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 7 Northwest | 20:40 | T.N.T.
- No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 8 Maryland | 9:40 p.m. | TBS
Sunday, March 19 (Round 32. All-time Eastern)
You can watch the full men’s group on CBS sports. Here’s how to watch all the upcoming games on CBS, TNT, ESPN and more.
Where to watch the March Madness games?
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
While CBS is serving as the official cable TV home for this year’s Men’s March Madness tournament, live NCAA basketball games will also air on TBS, TNT and truTV. The 2023 Women’s Tournament will air on ESPN.
Paramount+
Tom Pennington/fake images
All March Madness games airing on CBS will be available to stream simultaneously with the Paramount+ premium tier subscription. Paramount+ has two plans: the ad-supported Essential plan available for $5/month and the ad-free Premium plan available for $10/month. You can also try any of the Paramount+ levels free for 7 days.
Paramount+, $5 and up per month
tv sling
Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
A cost-effective way to stream basketball is with a Sling TV subscription. Right now, there’s a special offer going on: Sling TV is offering $20 off your first month. (Sling TV typically costs $40 or more per month for plans that include live sports.) There’s no long-term contract, so you can sign up to only stream March Madness basketball games and cancel later if you want.
Sling Orange & Blue starts at just $30 for your first month and will give you access to games on TBS, TNT, truTV, and ESPN. It also gives you 50 hours of DVR (cloud) storage so you can record any games you miss or watch good games, and you can watch them on up to three devices (so you can hypothetically share this subscription with everyone else in your support group). The best part of Sling? there is no contract or long-term commitments. Cancel whenever you want, even if that’s right after your team loses!
Sling TV also offers NBA TV through its Sports add-on. For an additional $11 each month, you can get NBA TV, the NHL Network, the MLB Network, the Tennis Channel and more.
Sling TV Orange & Blue, $30 (reduced from $60) for your first month
Hulu + Live TV
Photos by Jack Dempsey/NCAA via Getty Images
A Hulu Live TV subscription offers access to all the major channels broadcasting the March Madness 2023 games, including your local channel CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. Plus, Hulu + Live TV can now be bundled with Disney+ and ad-supported ESPN+, giving you access to every March Madness game of 2023. You’ll also get access to over 65 live and on-demand channels featuring live sports, news and entertainment.
Hulu + Live TV, $70 and up per month
DirecTV Streaming: TBS, TNT, TruTV, CBS Sports Network, ESPN
Spear King/Getty Images
DirecTV Stream certainly isn’t cheap, but its $110 “Ultimate” tier gets you all the networks an NCAA fan could want, including TBS, TNT, TruTV, CBS Sports Network (which also offers NCAA tournament coverage plus CBS) and ESPN. Plus NBC, Fox and more.
Prices for DirecTV Stream services start at $75 per month. But to get all the channels you’ll need for March Madness, you need the “Ultimate” tier, which costs a whopping $110 per month.
DirecTV Stream, $75 and up per month
Watch local CBS with an amplified HDTV antenna
Amazon
Most March Madness games will air on local CBS affiliates, so a digital antenna is a great option for watching the game if you don’t have a streaming or cable subscription. An Amazon bestseller, this HDTV antenna has a 200-mile range and comes with a 17-foot long coaxial cable. Rated 4 stars by Amazon reviewers.
Amplified HDTV Antenna, $22 after coupon (reduced from $27)
Who is playing in NCAA March Madness 2023?
There will be 68 Division I college basketball teams playing in this year’s NCAA March Madness tournament.
To see the full lineup of teams, head over to our sister site, CBS Sports.
Madness March 2023 Timeline:
March Madness 2023 Schedule (Men):
March 12: Selection Sunday
March 14-15: First four
March 16-17: First Round
March 18-19: Second round
March 23 and 24: Sweet 16
March 25 and 26: Elite Eight
April 1: Final Four
April 3: NCAA Championship Game
March Madness 2023 Schedule (Women):
March 15-16: First four
March 17 and 18: first round
March 19-20: Second Round
March 24-25: Sweet 16
March 26-27: Elite Eight
March 31: Final Four
April 2: NCAA Women’s Championship Game
The best TV deals ahead of March Madness 2023
If you’re looking to create the ultimate NCAA tournament experience at home, it might be time to upgrade your home theater system. Read on to see the best deals on great tvs for watching sports and more.
LG G2 series OLED evo Gallery Edition smart TV: $1,997
LG via Amazon
According to the brand, this LG TV designed to compete with Samsung’s “The Frame” features a “wall-hugging” gallery design. This smart TV is designed to blend seamlessly with any other wall art you may have.
The OLED TV features 4K upscaling, a Filmmaker mode to enhance your viewing experience with Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos, plus built-in access to Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV plus, Disney Plus and LG channels.
One Amazon customer called the TV “the best 4K panel I’ve ever had.” “The panel actually looks like wall art hanging in my viewing room,” they commented.
LG G2 Series 65″ evo Gallery Edition OLED Smart TV, $1,997 (regularly $3,000)
65″ Sony Bravia XR OLED 4K TV: $1,698
Amazon
The 65-inch Sony Bravia XR OLED 4K TV features a cognitive processor designed to deliver rich contrast with pure blacks, high peak brightness and natural colours. Thanks to its Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology, the screen is a speaker. This smart TV comes with access to Google TV and works with most voice assistants.
Sony Bravia XR 65″ 4K OLED TV, $1,698 (reduced from $2,300)
Amazon Fire TV Omni 75″ Series 4K Smart TV: $800
Amazon
This 75-inch Amazon Fire TV offers a 4K UHD screen and enhanced color and clarity thanks to Dolby Vision. The TV also supports voice control with Amazon Alexa. Its high-quality picture quality and large size make this TV a solid choice for football fans; Plus, it’s hard to find such a large screen at such a low price. This offer is exclusive to Prime members, but non-Prime buyers can still get the TV on sale for $800.
75″ Amazon Fire TV Omni Series 4K Smart TV, $800 (reduced from $1,100)
65″ TCL Roku Smart TV: $368
TCL through Walmart
This top-rated TCL Roku TV is an ultra-affordable option that uses the easy-to-use Roku interface.
“I recently purchased this TV last week and am truly impressed with its incredible picture, great sound, and easy setup,” wrote one Walmart customer. “If you want an affordable TV, TCL is the way to go. I have nothing negative to say about the TV and would buy TVs from this brand again in the near future.”
65″ TCL Roku 4K Smart TV, $368
Amazon Fire 4-Series TV 55″ 4K TV with Alexa built-in: $340
Amazon
A medium-sized TV, 55 to 65 inches diagonally, is the ideal size for many living rooms. The best viewing distance for a 55-inch 4K TV, like this model, is between 4.5 and seven feet. That leaves enough room for people to get up and walk around for more in-game snacks.
Amazon Fire 4-Series TV 55″ 4K TV with Alexa Built-in, $340 (reduced from $520)
Roku Elements 55″ Outdoor 4K TV: $1,168
walmart
This IP55 weather-resistant TV with HDR10 is designed for outdoor use in all seasons; works in temperatures from -4ºF to 104ºF. It features an anti-glare tempered screen that’s bright enough for use in partial sun.
55″ Elements 4K Outdoor TV, $1,168
