How to watch March Madness 2021: TV channel, live stream, match time
For the first time in history, the 2021 NCAA D1 men’s basketball tournament will be held in a single state, making it a March Madness unlike anything ever seen before. The 82nd edition of March Madness is scheduled to begin on 18th March 2021, with matches to be played at a number of sites in the state of Indiana. March Madness 2020 was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and, after months of speculation, the 2021 tournament was announced back in January.
With a number of format changes to accommodate the streamlined timeline, the first and second rounds of the competition will be completed by the 22nd of March, with the championship game scheduled to be held on April 5th. A total of 68 college teams will participate, with March Madness 2021 being the first edition since 1976 in which all three of Duke, Kentucky and Louisville did not qualify.
What TV Channel will telecast March Madness 2021?
March Madness 2021 matches will be telecast on four different channels, with the entire TV schedule available on the NCAA website. The matches will be telecast live on CBS, TNT, TBS, and the truTV networks.
The following venues will be used for the March Madness 2021 tournament:
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, IN)
Hinkle Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, IN)
Indiana Farmers Coliseum (Indianapolis, IN)
Assembly Hall (Bloomington, IN)
Mackey Arena (West Lafayette, IN)
How to live stream March Madness 2021?
Apart from the TV telecast, March Madness 2021 matches can also be live-streamed on the internet. Currently, there are three different online streaming services that will live-stream all of the March Madness matches.
Firstly, the matches can be live-streamed on Hulu, if you purchase the Hulu + Live TV deal, available for $64.99 per month. The platform also offers a 7-day trial.
FuboTV can also give fans access to the CBS network, with a number of other channels that can be watched for pre and post-match coverage. FuboTV will also cost exactly $64.99, with a seven-day free trial.
Finally, Paramount+ will also give you access to CBS, which can be used for quite a few of the March Madness 2021 matches. Paramount+ comes with a 30-day free trial, which means that the entire tournament can be watched on CBS for free.
What time will March Madness 2021 games start?
The general schedule for March Madness 2021 is as follows:
First Four: 4 p.m., Thursday, March 18
First round: 12 p.m., Friday, March 19, and Saturday, March 20
Second round: 12 p.m., Sunday, March 21, and Monday, March 22
Sweet 16: 2 p.m., Saturday, March 27, and 1 p.m. start on Sunday, March 28
Elite Eight: 7 p.m., Monday, March 29, and 6 p.m. start on Tuesday, March 30
Final Four: 5 p.m., Saturday, April 3
NCAA championship game: 9 p.m. Monday, April 5