March Madness isn’t an official holiday, but it might as well be for dedicated college basketball fans. The NCAA Basketball Championship culminating in the Final Four is about to begin and we have all of the viewing and streaming details.
2022 March Madness Schedule
For 2022, the first round match-ups are tentatively scheduled to begin play on Tuesday, March 15th, and continue through the rest of March (See March Madness Dates and Venues – scroll to 2022 dates).
The Final Four and Championship matches will be held on April 2nd and 4th at the Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans, LA. Final details will be provided closer to the actual dates.
Here is a summary of the March Madness schedule:
- Selection Sunday: 6 p.m. ET March 13 on CBS
- First Four: March 15-16
- First round: March 17-18
- Second round: March 19-20
- Sweet 16: March 24-25
- Elite Eight: March 26-27
- Final Four: April 2
- NCAA championship game: April 4
March Madness On TV
CBS will carry the team selection process and the final four, with the rest of the tournament televised by CBS and several cable outlets (TBS, TNT, TRU TV).
Canadian viewers will be able to catch March Madness on TSN. Broadcasts will also be available in other select countries via ESPN International (check the ESPN schedule servicing your country or region).
All broadcasts from the above outlets will be in 1080i or 720p resolution. However, if the past couple of years is any indication, DirecTV should be providing some matches in 4K with HDR (Check DirecTV’s schedule for more details).
There are no specifics as to whether Dish or any cable outlets will be providing 4K UHD coverage of the tournament.
Streaming March Madness
If you don’t receive TV programming via Antenna, cable, or satellite you also have the option of streaming the tournament matches. Here are some of the available streaming options.
TBS, TNT, and TruTV are available via YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, DirecTV Now, and Sling TV.
In addition to Paramount+ (commercial-free subscription required), CBS broadcast is available to stream in select markets via YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, DirecTV Now, Sling TV, and FuboTV.
Tip: LG Adds Live NCAA Championships Channel on LG Smart TVs
In addition to TV, the above streaming apps are available for iOS and Android for viewing on smartphones and related devices.
Women’s Tournament
Although the men get most of the media attention, the Women’s NCAA College Basketball Championship runs somewhat parallel dates to the other tournament run.
Here is a summary of the Women’s Tournament schedule:
- Selections: Sunday, March 13
- First Four: March 16-19
- Second: March 20-21
- Sweet 16/Elite Eight: March 25 – 28
- Final Four: April 1 and 3 (Target Center, Minneapolis, Mn)
The Women’s tournament will be available primarily via ESPN channels. Check EPSN schedules for details.
Need a New TV?
If you need (or would like) to buy a new TV for March Madness, check out our companion articles:
Buying a New TV: Everything You Need To Know
8K TVs: Are Consumers Really Buying Them?
Best 4K UHD TVs of 2022 (so far)
Bonus: Check out Hisense’s March Madness Basketball Promotion – Get $100 of free food with the purchase of select 2021 Hisense TVs.
Also, don’t forget the sound!
