TV Answer Man, March Madness is back and I am confused as ever where we can watch the games. Is there streaming and are the games on the weird channels again like Tru TV? — Peter, San Diego.
Peter, the 2022 college basketball men’s championship tournament, better known as March Madness, tips off tonight with the opening First Round doubleheader from Dayton Ohio and will end with the final on April 4 from New Orleans.
But I have good news and bad news for you.
The good news is that the March Madness Live app will offer a live stream of each game. You can download the app from your device’s app store or you could just hop over to the March Madness Live web site here.
The bad news is that you will need a user name and password from your pay TV provider to access the games. Sorry, there are no free lunches in college basketball. Also, take note that if your pay TV provider doesn’t carry the channel, you won’t be able to watch its game broadcasts. For example, FuboTV, the live streaming service, does not carry TBS, TNT or truTV.
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More bad news: The traditional TV broadcasts again will be split between four channels: CBS and the Turner-owned TNT, TBS and (weird?) truTV. So keep your remote close.
The good news is that I have a complete TV schedule of the first round listed below. (Future round matchups will be announced later.) All times are Eastern and the numbers in parenthesis are their tournament seedings.
March 15 — First Round
Texas Southern (16) vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (16) — 6:40 p.m. on truTV from Dayton, Ohio
Wyoming (12) vs. Indiana (12) — 9:10 p.m. on truTV from Dayton, Ohio
March 16 — First Round
Wright State (16) vs. Bryant (16) — 6:40 p.m. on truTV from Dayton, Ohio
Rutgers (11) vs. Notre Dame (11) — 9:10 p.m. on truTV from Dayton, Ohio
March 17 — First Round
Colorado State (6) vs. Michigan (11) — 12:15 p.m. on CBS from Indianapolis
Providence (4) vs. South Carolina (13) — 12:40 p.m. on truTV from Buffalo
Boise State (8) vs. Memphis (9) — 1:45 p.m. on TNT from Portland, Oregon
Baylor (1) vs. Norfolk State (16) — 2 p.m. on TBS from Fort Worth
Tennessee (3) vs. Longwood (14) — 2:45 p.m. on CBS from Indianapolis
Iowa (5) vs. Richmond (12) — 3:10 p.m. on truTV from Buffalo
Gonzaga (1) vs. Georga State (12) — 4:15 p.m. on TNT from Portland
North Carolina (8) vs. Marquette (9) — 4:30 p.m. on TBS from Fort Worth
UConn (5) vs. New Mexico State (12) — 6:50 p.m. on TNT from Buffalo
Kentucky (2) vs. Saint Peter’s (15) — 7:10 p.m. on CBS from Indianapolis
Saint Mary’s (5) vs. 12th ranked TBD — 7:20 p.m. on TBS from Portland, Oregon
San Diego State (8) vs. Creighton (9) — 7:27 p.m. on truTV from Fort Worth
Arkansas (4) vs. Vermont (13) — 9:20 p.m. on TNT from Buffalo
Murray State (7) vs. San Francisco (10) — 9:40 p.m. on CBS from Indianapolis
UCLA (4) vs. Akron (13) — 9:50 p.m. on TBS from Portland, Oregon
Kansas (1) vs. 16th ranked TBD — 9:57 p.m. on truTV from Fort Worth
March 18 — First Round
Ohio State (7) vs. Loyola (10) — 12:15 p.m. on CBS from Pittsburgh
Auburn (7) vs. Jacksonville State (15) — 12:40 p.m. on truTV from Greenville, South Carolina
Texas Tech (3) vs. Montana State (14) — 1:45 p.m. on TNT from San Diego
Purdue (3) vs. Yale (14) — 2 p.m. on TBS from Milwaukee
Villanova (2) vs. Delaware (15) — 2:45 p.m. on CBS from Pittsburgh
USC (7) vs. Miami (10) — 3:10 p.m. on CBS on truTV
Alabama (6) vs. 11th ranked TBD — 4:15 p.m. on TNT from San Diego
Texas (6) vs. Virginia Tech (11) — 4:30 p.m. on TBS from Milwaukee
Illinois (4) vs. Chattanooga — 6:50 p.m. on TNT from Pittsburgh
Duke (2) vs. Cal State Fullerton (15) — 7:10 p.m. on CBS from Greenville, South Carolina
LSU (6) vs. Iowa State (11) — 7:20 p.m. on TBS from Milwaukee
Arizona (1) vs. 16th ranked TBD — 7:27 p.m. on truTV from San Diego
Houston (5) vs. UAB (12) — 9:20 p.m. on TNT from Pittsburgh
Michigan State (7) vs. Davidson (10) — 9:40 p.m. on CBS from Greenville, South Carolina
Wisconsin (3) vs. Colgate (14) — 9:50 p.m. on TBS from Milwaukee
Seton Hall vs. TCU — 9:57 p.m. on truTV from San Diego
The second round will be played on March 19 and 20; the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 will take place from March 24 through March 27; the Final Four will be on April 2; and the finale on April 4. Consult your on-screen guide, or March Madness Live app, for more on channels and times.
Peter, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
