On March 17, the NCAA tournament field was set, and it’s finally time to see who will be cutting down the net in Minneapolis. As 68 teams finally put on their dancing shoes, the hoops fan in us doesn’t want to miss out on any action whatsoever. After all, billions of brackets are on the line and you have to keep track to see if your team is on the verge of getting UMBC’d (sorry, Virginia).
Here are the best ways to watch.
In case you are wondering what channels will host broadcasts, the four major networks that will be airing the games are CBS, TBS, TNT and Tru TV. As every college hoops fan knows, the majority of the second-round games normally start around 10 or 11 a.m.
This likely means you’re at work. [[<
The most prominent app is NCAA March Madness Live. It’s one of the most reliable ways to get live action from all four channels airing the games. Whether you’re watching on your phone or streaming on your laptop, March Madness Live will feature all the tournament games. Heads up: There is a three-hour limit for games airing on networks other than CBS.But if you have a cable subscription, you can watch games being aired on TBS, TNT and Tru TV by logging in to your cable account through your laptop, cell phone or tablet.
For all the cable cutters, have no fear. CBS will host 21 of the 67 games, so you can watch them via the old-fashioned digital antenna method. Or you can access them through TV streaming services.
There will be free trial TV streaming services of March Madness if you sign up with DirecTV. Now, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV or YouTube TV. Even PlayStation Vue offers a trial service, but it lasts only five days.
If you are loving the consistency and clarity of the streaming app, some of these services will have limited-time deals that can provide you access to binge watch your favorite shows once the Madness vibes die down. Sling TV is currently offering a limited-time promotion where new viewers get 40 percent off the monthly rate for the first three months of service. DirecTV offers a discount as well.
The ESPN Tournament Challenge is one app you should consider once the games begin. Besides letting you create up to 25 brackets where you can possibly walk away with $10,000 or a trip to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational, ESPN has a feature called Bracketcast—anoption that notifies users of games that are on upset alert and gives hints of the underdogs possibly having a major impact on your bracket.
Fearful of missing out on updates about a specific team you have been following the entire season? No worries, as The Score is providing user-specific notifications of how impressive your squad is looking. The app lets you mute notifications if you are already tuned in.
As apps go, there’s also a freshman sensation that’s on deck to provide raw, in-your-face updates. Introducing FanCred, an app that connects all sports fans from all over the world andfeatures streams of live video from the game to show fan reactions throughout the game. You will be able to get real-time scores for all your teams, customize your profile to show your support of your favorite squad and watch other people’s live streams 24 hours a day. Now if that’s not a buzzer-beating experience of March Madness, then I don’t know what is.
Good luck to the billions of fans competing to become tourney bracket kings, as these helpful tips should be able to make your March Madness experience an epic one.
