March Madness Round 1: Schedule and how to watch

Where to watch March Madness Round 1

Six different networks will carry March Madness action in 2024 — four for the men’s tournament and two for the women’s bracket. You can find the men’s games on TBS, TNT, truTV and CBS, while ESPN’s networks and ABC will carry the women’s games. Here’s where you can find these channels on each of the major live TV streaming services.

Watch on Sling TV (Our preferred service)

If you want to watch March Madness Round 1 without breaking the bank, Sling TV is your best option. You can pick a tournament to watch for $40 a month or go for both for $55 a month. Sling Blue has most of the men’s action on TBS, TNT and truTV for only $40 per month, while Sling Orange will carry the women’s tournament on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and (in some markets) ABC.

Although Sling Orange also includes TBS and TNT, you’ll want to upgrade to Sling Orange & Blue to get most of the action for both tournaments. Unfortunately, Sling doesn’t offer CBS or regional sports networks (RSNs), but there are a ton of live events available, especially if you add Sling’s Sports Extra add-on. This brings more than 10 other sports channels to your package for $11–$15 per month, depending on your plan. There’s no Sling free trial, but you can usually get a discount on your first month.

Watch on DIRECTV STREAM

If you want to make sure you won’t miss a single March Madness tip-off, you’ve got a few options, starting with DIRECTV STREAM. You can even watch most games with only the basic Entertainment plan, which starts at $79.99 a month. That plan comes with TBS, TNT, truTV, ESPN, ABC and CBS, plus ESPN2 and Fox Sports 1 (FS1) for more live action.

However, our go-to for DIRECTV STREAM is the Choice plan, which starts at $108.99 a month. This package includes several extra national sports networks plus RSNs for your local market. Get even more college action on channels like ACCN, Big Ten Network, ESPNU and SEC Network. You can also upgrade to DIRECTV STREAM’s top-tier plans for $119.99 to $164.99 a month, but it’s tough to beat the value of the Choice plan.

Watch on Fubo

Fubo is the reigning champion of live sports streaming, but it’s not without its flaws. You’ll be disappointed if you want to watch men’s March Madness here, as Fubo doesn’t carry TBS, truTV or TNT — only CBS. However, you can find the women’s Round 1 action on ESPN’s networks and ABC.

If you’re looking for more than just college hoops, Fubo is an excellent option. Its entry-level Pro plan features more than 30 sports channels, including RSNs and an extensive lineup of top national networks like ESPN2, FS1, FS2, NFL Network, the Golf Channel, beIN Sports, Big Ten Network and more. This package costs $79.99 a month plus a regional sports fee of up to $14.99 a month, making it the easiest way to max out sports coverage for under $100. You can add even more live sports with upgrades or add-ons, and all plans come with 1,000 hours of cloud DVR storage. Fubo offers a free trial of up to a week.

Watch on Hulu + Live TV

Hulu + Live TV is the second of three platforms that will feature every March Madness Round 1 game for both the men’s and women’s tournaments. It’s also a great deal if you want all your live TV and on-demand entertainment in one place. A Hulu + Live TV subscription starts at $76.99 a month, and you’ll get more than 90 channels, along with full access to ESPN Plus and Disney Plus.

The biggest downside of Hulu + Live TV is its lack of RSNs. However, with more than a dozen major sports networks, it offers extensive coverage of some of the biggest national and international events. You can keep up with some of the hottest action across networks like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FS1, NFL Network, SEC Network, TBS, TNT and truTV, plus plenty of extra live and on-demand sports content on ESPN Plus. If you have to miss any tip-offs during the big tournament, don’t worry — Hulu + Live TV includes unlimited cloud DVR storage. Unfortunately, the platform doesn't offer a free trial.

Watch on YouTube TV

Last among your options for watching every March Madness game is YouTube TV. Not only can you keep up with both NCAA tournaments here, but you’ll also have one of the best overall channel lineups available. YouTube TV’s base plan costs $72.99 a month and features over 110 of the top sports, news, and entertainment channels.

That includes plenty of live sports, too. YouTube TV doesn’t offer RSNs, but you’ll get channels like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FS1, NFL Network, TBS, TNT, TruTV, SEC Network, NBA TV and more. It also features one of the best lineups of sports add-ons, whether you want to expand your channel lineup or subscribe to all-access packages like NBA League Pass or NFL Sunday Ticket. YouTube TV offers a free trial of up to two weeks, and all plans include unlimited cloud DVR storage.

Watch on Max

Although the full live TV streaming services offer the best way to watch every March Madness game, there are now more options than ever to keep up with some of the best moments of the tournament. The first of these is Max’s B/R Sports Add-On, which is currently free with a Max subscription but will soon cost $9.99 a month. 

This optional extra will get you access to some of the top live action from the men’s tournament on TBS, TNT and truTV. B/R Sports also features games from the NHL, MLB, NBA and U.S. Soccer for a nice selection of some of the most popular sports. 

Watch on Paramount Plus

For an even more streamlined option for March Madness Round 1, you might consider Paramount Plus. With the Paramount Plus with SHOWTIME plan (the service’s premium option), you can stream your local CBS station from anywhere, giving you a way to watch a limited selection of games from the men’s tournament. You can try it for free for a week.

Paramount Plus offers more live sports than just the NCAA tournament, too. You can watch top soccer matches from the UEFA Champions League, the CONCACAF Gold Gup, the National Women’s Soccer League and more. The platform even streams The Masters and Big Ten football on top of a wide selection of on-demand entertainment. The premium plan even includes SHOWTIME originals and ad-free on-demand viewing for $11.99 a month.

How to watch on ESPN Plus

If you want to keep up with March Madness Round 1 on the women’s side — along with tons of other live pro and college sports — ESPN Plus is an excellent option. ESPN’s over-the-top platform includes coverage of many games from the women’s tournament, along with exclusive extra coverage and replays. 

ESPN Plus starts at $10.99 a month and offers an enticing selection of live-action, analysis, and award-winning sports documentaries. You can watch out-of-market NHL and MLB games, international soccer, UFC fighting, pro golf and tons of college sports. Note, however, that you’ll need a separate live TV platform (or you can bundle ESPN Plus with Hulu + Live TV) to watch other ESPN channels like ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNEWS.

March Madness Round 1 schedule 2024

Wednesday, March 20 — First Four

(16) Sacred Heart vs. (16) Presbyterian | 7 p.m. | ESPNU
(12) Vanderbilt vs. (12) Columbia | 9 p.m. | ESPNU

Thursday, March 21 — First Four

(11) Auburn vs. (11) Arizona | 7 p.m. | ESPN2
(16) Holy Cross vs. (16) UT Martin | 9 p.m. | ESPN2

Friday, March 22 — First round

(8) North Carolina vs. (9) Michigan State | 11:30 a.m. | ESPN2
(2) Ohio State vs. (15) Maine | Noon | ESPN
(6) Louisville vs. (11) Middle Tennessee | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(1) South Carolina vs. Sacred Heart/Presbyterian | 2 p.m. | ESPN
(7) Duke vs. (10) Richmond | 2:30 p.m. | ESPNews
(1) Texas vs. (16) Drexel | 3 p.m. | ESPNU
(4) Virginia Tech vs. (13) Marshall | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(3) LSU vs. (14) Rice | 4 p.m. | ESPN
(4) Kansas State vs. (13) Portland | 4:30 p.m. | ESPNews
(8) Alabama vs. (9) Florida State | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(5) Baylor vs. (12) Vanderbilt/Columbia | 6 p.m. | ESPNU
(5) Colorado vs. (12) Drake | 7 p.m. | ESPNews
(7) Iowa State vs. (10) Maryland | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(3) Oregon State vs. (14) Eastern Washington | 8 p.m. | ESPNU
(2) Stanford vs. (15) Norfolk State | 10 p.m. | ESPN2
(6) Nebraska vs. (11) Texas A&M | 10:30 p.m. | ESPNU

Saturday, March 23 — First round

(6) Tennessee vs. (11) Green Bay | Noon | ESPN
(3) UConn vs. (14) Jackson State | 1 p.m. | ABC
(4) Indiana vs. (13) Fairfield | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(8) Kansas vs. (9) Michigan | 2 p.m. | ESPNews
(2) Notre Dame vs. (15) Kent State | 2:15 p.m. | ESPN
(3) NC State vs. (14) Chattanooga | 2:30 p.m. | ESPNU
(1) Iowa vs. (16) Holy Cross/UT Martin | 3 p.m. | ABC
(6) Syracuse vs. (11) Auburn/Arizona | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(5) Oklahoma vs. (12) FGCU | 4 p.m. | ESPNews
(1) Southern California vs. (16) A&M-Corpus Christi | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN
(7) Ole Miss vs. (10) Marquette | 4:45 p.m. | ESPNU
(8) West Virginia vs. (9) Princeton | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(7) Creighton vs. (10) UNLV | 7 p.m. | ESPNews
(4) Gonzaga vs. (13) UC Irvine | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(2) UCLA vs. (15) California Baptist | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(5) Utah vs. (12) South Dakota State | 10 p.m. | ESPNU

*all times in E.T

You can view the live bracket here.

FAQ

How can I watch March Madness on TV?

March Madness will air on several major networks in 2024. TBS, TNT, truTV and CBS will carry men’s games, while ABC and ESPN’s networks will carry the women’s games. You can watch ABC on CBS on broadcast television, but you’ll need a subscription to a live TV streaming service or cable plan to watch most of the matchups.

Is March Madness on Paramount Plus?

Paramount Plus includes your local CBS station if you opt for the Paramount Plus with SHOWTIME plan. You can try it free for a week, after which it costs $11.99 a month.

Can I watch March Madness for free?

You can watch any March Madness games on ABC and CBS for free with a broadcast antenna. Many of the live TV streaming services also offer free trials, so you can catch part of the tournament for free before committing to a paid subscription.