Updated: Will ESPN Air College Basketball In 4K In 2026?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Buy Me a Coffee!

TV Answer Man, I watched last night’s college football championship in 4K on ESPN. Thank you for the tip on that. And speaking of tip offs!! – what about college basketball in 4K on ESPN?! Will they do that this year, too? – Gerald, Boulder, Colorado.

Gerald, I’ve heard from several readers this morning that regarding the improved 4K picture on ESPN for last night’s college football championship between Miami and Indiana. I’m glad you enjoyed it; I strive to keep everyone informed of the upcoming 4K sporting events.

So, will ESPN offer college basketball in upscale 4K this season, you ask?

Answer: Yes! The first upscaled 4K game of the season on ESPN will be this Saturday (January 24, 2026) when sixth ranked Houston visits 12th ranked Texas Tech. The

The sports network will simulcast the game, which will start at 6:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, in HD on the regular ESPN channel. Update: Game has been moved to 2 pm ET due to weather conditions.

Which TV Providers Will Offer the Game In 4K?
YouTube TV, Dish, Sling TV, DIRECTV, Comcast’s Xfinity TV, Optimum, Charter’s Spectrum TV (on compatible streaming devices) and Verizon are expected to offer the game on their ESPN 4K channels. ESPN does not offer 4K programming on its Unlimited app.

What Is Upscaled 4K?
The ESPN 4K broadcast will be ‘upscaled’ from 1080p HD.  The upscaled 4K means that the game will be produced in 1080p HD on site and upgraded to 4K for the home transmission. ESPN switched to upscaled 4K a few years ago after previously doing some games in native 4K, which is a 4K production on site transmitted to the home in 4K as well.

Will ESPN Ever Do Native 4K Again?
It’s unlikely that ESPN will revert back to native 4K in the foreseeable future; the industry trend now is upscaling 4K because it saves money.

Why Doesn’t ESPN Show Commercials During the 4K Games?
The network’s 4K feed does not include the commercials that you see on the HD feed; in fact, there are no commercials during the game. The reason is business-related. The lineup of commercials you see during ESPN games are a mix of spots from the network and TV providers such as cable and satellite. For legal and marketing reasons, this makes it more difficult for ESPN to include all the commercials in the 4K feed so they keep it completely ad-free instead. Many fans prefer it that way anyway so there’s that benefit as well. But the business reason is the primary driver here.

Who’s Expected to Win the Houston-Texas Tech Game?
ESPN’s Matchup Predictor gives Houston (17-1) a 62.7 percent chance of defeating Texas Tech (14-4) while the latest odds make Houston a 6-point favorite.

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