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Can You Watch 2023 March Madness, NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Netflix?

Can You Watch 2023 March Madness, NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Netflix?

It’s mid-March, and though spring is beginning to creep into the air at last across parts of the United States, most of the sports fans in the country will be spending the next few days indoors. That’s thanks to the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament, though it’s frequently known by a much simpler name: March Madness.

So will one of the world’s biggest sporting events be available on the world’s largest streaming service? Netflix recently hosted its first live event ever in the “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage” special, so will it follow that up with a few NCAA tournament games?

Unfortunately not. The 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament will air exclusively on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV, so to watch it all you’ll need a live TV streaming service. Check below for our recommendations on the best to pick up!

Best Option to Stream 2023 NCAA March Madness: DIRECTV STREAM

  • See each game, plus get more major live cable channels than any other service

Best Budget-Friendly Option to Stream 2023 NCAA March Madness: Sling TV/Paramount+ Premium Combo

  • See each game, plus access to Paramount+ on-demand ad-free and 40 live channels

How to Stream 2023 March Madness

There are three live TV streaming services that will give you access to all 68 games of the 2023 NCAA tournament. DIRECTV STREAM, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV all carry CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV, but which takes the top spot? Keep scrolling to find out, the answer might surprise you!

DTV STREAM Fubo Hulu Philo Sling TV YouTube
Free Trial Free Trial Free 3-Day Trial Free Trial Get 50% OFF Sign Up
$86.99 $94.99 $82.99 $28 $40 $40 $82.99
CBS - - -
TBS - -
TNT - -
truTV - - + $6

Top Pick: DIRECTV STREAM

Our No. 1 overall seed for streaming the entire 2023 NCAA tournament is DIRECTV STREAM. This live TV streamer is offering a special promotion, in which new users can get $10 per month off their subscription price for the first three months of their service, after a five-day free trial of course.

That means plans start at $64.99 per month, and all DIRECTV STREAM plans carry the four networks you’ll need to watch every March Madness game in 2023. DIRECTV STREAM also offers more major cable channels than any other live TV service, including a host of regional sports networks and movie channels.

Best Bargain Pick: Sling TV/Paramount+ Premium Combo

Our best budget-friendly choice for watching every single 2023 March Madness game is with a Sling TV/Paramount+ Premium. Sling’s Orange plan offers all the channels you’ll need to watch the tournament except CBS, and right now the service is offering new users half off their first month: $20 instead of $40 for your first 30 days.

But that won’t get you CBS. To fill in that piece of the puzzle, you’ll want to snag a subscription to Paramount+ Premium. That’s the higher-priced tier of the service at $9.99 per month, in part because it grants users access to a 24/7 livestream of their local CBS affiliate. Right now, new users can get a 30-day free trial with promo code ADVANCE to the service, so for just $20 total, you’ll get to stream every March Madness game this year, and you’ll get to throw in a month of ad-free Paramount+ and 40 live TV channels from Sling.

A Bundle for Entertainment Lovers: Hulu + Live TV

Hulu + Live TV might be just the ticket for you if you are looking for a bit more razzle-dazzle. Plans to this serivice start at $69.99 per month, and will include CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV, so you can watch whistle-to-whistle action of the entire NCAA tournament. It’s not the cheapest service on our list, but if you go this route you’ll get access to the Disney Bundle for free, so you’ll have Hulu and Disney+ on-demand, plus more live sports from ESPN+ when you sign up.

One Final Option: YouTube TV

YouTube TV takes up the trail position on our list. It still offers all the channels you’ll need to see every 2023 March Madness game, and with plans starting at $64.99 per month, you can actually save money with this service over Hulu + Live TV and DIRECTV STREAM (once the current $10 savings offer for DIRECTV STREAM expires).

It’s last in our eyes simply because it doesn’t offer any little extras. No uniform free trials to all new users, and no free additions to your streaming library for signing up. YouTube TV is the only service on this list that allows for 4K streaming, but it takes a $20 per month add-on, and none of this year’s NCAA tournament games will be broadcast in 4K anyway.


David covers the biggest news stories, live events, premieres, and informational pieces for The Streamable. Before joining TS, he wrote extensively for Screen Rant and has years of experience writing about the entertainment and streaming industries. He's a Broncos fan, streams on his Toshiba Fire TV, and his favorites include "Andor," "Rings of Power," and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."

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