Want to watch college hoops without the expensive cost of traditional TV? You’re in luck. Even though live NCAA Division I Basketball games are televised on national networks like ESPN, FS1, NBC Sports Network, and TNT — they’re no longer confined to cable and satellite providers. Thankfully, those days are over. You can stream the above channels, along with all of your favorite Entertainment, Lifestyle, and News networks — and all you need is Wi-Fi.
If you’re a fan of the NCAA, streaming basketball might be right for you. One of the few ways to stream college basketball is with an over-the-top (OTT) cable-alternative service. But the trick is choosing a streaming service that carries all of the channels that broadcast live college basketball games. Don’t worry, we detail what services are best for college basketball streaming below.
College Basketball plans and sports channels compared
NCAA basketball games are televised across a variety of channels. Some of these include major networks like ESPN, while others appear on regional sports networks (RSNs) that are specific to your market area. Others are broadcast on streaming-only channels like beIN Sports.
College Basketball sports channels
| DIRECTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu + Live TV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
| ESPN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| ESPN 2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| FS1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| FS2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | +$10 | ✔ |
| ESPNU | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| TBS | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| TNT | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| truTV | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
College Basketball streaming-only channels
| DIRECTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu + Live TV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
| ABC | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| CBS | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| FOX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| NBC | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| CW | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Other College Basketball Networks
DIRECTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu + Live TV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
| ACC Network | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Big Ten Network | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| beIN Sports | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Longhorn Network | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| ESPN 3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| PAC-12 Network | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| SEC Network | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Stadium | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Can I stream every College Basketball game on popular services?
The national broadcasting networks that televise NCAA games include ESPN’s family of networks and FS1 which can be found on DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV. TNT, TBS, and truTV will also air college basketball games that you can stream on the aforementioned services but Fubo.
Not every RSN is the same — they depend on your local market area. NCAA games appear on ABC, CBS, and FOX local affiliate channels. So, depending on your service area, you should have complete coverage with DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV. Sling TV, according to its help page, only provides local ABC, FOX and NBC channels in select areas.
College basketball games stream live on beIN Sports, ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN 3, and Stadium. fuboTV includes beIN Sports, Eleven Sports, and ESPN 3 — plus, if you want Stadium, you can pay an extra $11/mo. Sling TV includes ESPN 3 and Stadium with its Sling Orange plan, but you’ll need to add the Sports Extra bundle for beIN Sports. However, neither AT&T TV NOW, Hulu, nor Philo checks any of these boxes.
How do you know what cable-alternative service is right for you and your needs? Before you make a decision, it’s best to see what the professionals are saying. Our Hulu + Live TV review examines the channels and features that come with its service. Although, if you prefer customization, take a look at all the add-ons and channels Sling TV offers with our full review. Or, notice what kind of packages and channels are available with fuboTV in our top-down analysis. YouTube TV provides an impressive number of channels, including locals and RSNs — take the deep plunge into everything it offers with our YouTube TV review.
What about March Madness streaming?
Yes, you’ll most certainly be able to stream March Madness with an OTT cable-alternative service. March Madness games are televised on CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV. The most complete coverage is available via AT&T TV NOW, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV. Sling Orange with the Sports Extra add-on is a near-complete way to watch college basketball. However, you’re better off with a digital antenna to get a wider range of local channels and RSNs. Unfortunately, since fuboTV no longer has TBS and TNT, you’ll need to find another way to stream games when they appear on those channels.
College basketball without cable FAQs
Is there an app to stream college basketball and March Madness?
Yes, the NCAA March Madness Live app gives you direct access to every game as well as replays. The app is available to download via the App Store and Google Play. If you don’t have a TV provider, there’s a three-hour window to watch live broadcasting. But after that timeframe, you’ll need to sign in with your TV provider’s information.
What other ways can I watch college basketball without cable?
You can watch college basketball games that broadcast on local channels with an over-the-air (OTA) Live TV. Digital antennas like HDHomeRun deliver broadcasting specific to your region, such as sports coverage in 4K quality.
What are local blackouts?
Local blackouts mean that the occasional game will not appear on national broadcasting networks and instead be televised on a local channel affiliate. So, if your cable-alternative package doesn’t provide local channels, you may want to consider a digital antenna (as mentioned above).
Watch live college basketball games from your web browser
You can watch live NCAA Basketball games by navigating to ncaa.com. From the top menubar, click on the ellipses (…) and then select Ways to Watch. All you need to do is sign in with your TV provider’s information.
Stream March Madness Live on Roku
Yes, you can watch the March Madness Tournament on Roku’s streaming devices. In fact, there’s the NCAA March Madness Live channel located in the Roku Store. And just like the NCAA March Madness Live app, you’ll get a three-hour preview window to get a taste before you need to log in with your TV provider’s information.