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The First Four of the men’s NCAA tournament will begin today. For the four winning teams, today and tomorrow’s games mark the beginning of their journey to March Madness. For the other four teams, the First Four is as close as each will get to March Madness 2024.
Figuring out how to watch the men’s First Four can be as tricky as deciphering Dan Hurley’s playbook. It’s a good thing you don’t have to do either. Keep reading for all the ways you can watch the men’s First Four.
CBS Essentials, CBS and Paramount+ are all subsidiaries of Paramount. CBS is one of the broadcast homes of the 2024 men’s March Madness tournament.
What is the full schedule for the First Four games?
Below, are the dates and times for the First Four games of the 2024 NCAA men’s tournament, held in Dayton, OH. All time Eastern.
Tuesday, March 19 (First Four)
Wednesday, March 20 (First Four)
What time do the First Four games start?
The first games on both March 19 and March 20, 2024 are scheduled to begin at 6:40 p.m. ET (3:40 p.m. PT). The second game of each night is scheduled to be played at 9:10 p.m. ET (6:10 p.m. PT).
How to stream the men’s First Four games on cable
All of the First Four games of the men’s tournament will be broadcast live on TruTV and stream on Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV.
How to stream the men’s First Four games without cable
If you’ve given up your cable subscription, or your cable provider doesn’t include the channels carrying March Madness this year, you can subscribe to one of the streaming or live TV platforms featured below.
Sling TV: The most cost-effective way to stream March Madness 2024
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If you don’t have cable TV that includes TruTV, TNT or TBS (all channels you’ll need to watch 2024 men’s March Madness), one of the most cost-effective ways to stream March Madness this year is through a subscription to Sling TV’s Blue tier. The streamer offers access to your local network affiliate’s live feed (excluding CBS) and also includes the NFL Network and March Madness games on ESPN with its Orange tier plan.
Right now, SlingTV is offering your first month of service on the Orange, Blue and Orange + Blue tiers for half price. The Sling TV Blue tier normally costs $40 per month, but you can start watching March Madness for just $20. The Sling Orange + Blue tier is regularly $45, but it’s discounted to $22.50 for the first month.
Note: Because some men’s March Madness 2024 games will broadcast on CBS, you won’t be able to watch all men’s March Madness 2024 games with a just Sling TV subscription. If you’re looking to stream the entire men’s tournament on one platform, we suggest a subscription to Hulu + Live TV.
Top features of Sling TV Blue tier:
- There are 42 channels to watch in total, including local ABC, Fox, NBC affiliates (where available).
- You get access to most local NFL games and nationally broadcast games next season at the lowest price.
- All subscription tiers include 50 hours of cloud-based DVR storage.
Hulu + Live TV/ESPN+ bundle: The one way to stream every March Madness game
You can watch March Madness 2024, including both the men’s and women’s tournaments, with the Hulu + Live TV/ESPN+ bundle. The bundle features 95 channels, including TruTV, ESPN, ABC and CBS, and includes ESPN+, so you’ll be able to watch every game of both tournaments. The women’s Final Four will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Unlimited DVR storage is also included. Watch every March Madness game on every network this season with Hulu + Live TV/ESPN+ bundle.
Hulu + Live TV comes bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+. It’s priced at $77.
Key dates for the 2024 NCAA men’s college tournament
Below are key dates for March Madness 2024.
- First Four: Tuesday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 20, 2024
- First round: Thursday, March 21 and Friday, March 22
- Second round: Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24
- Sweet 16: Wednesday, March 28 and Thursday, March 29
- Elite Eight: Saturday, March 30 and Sunday, March 31
- Final Four: Saturday, April 6 (TBS)
- National championship: Monday, April 8 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (TBS)
Key dates for the 2024 NCAA women’s college basketball tournament
- First Four: Wednesday, March 20 and Thursday, March 21, 2024
- First round: Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23
- Second round: Sunday, March 24 and Monday, March 25
- Sweet 16: Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30
- Elite Eight: Sunday, March 31 and Monday, April 1
- Final Four: Friday, April 5 (ESPN+)
- National championship: Sunday, April 7 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio (ABC)
What is the First Four in March Madness?
The First Four is a play-in round of March Madness for both the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments. The First Four consists of two games between the four lowest-ranked teams, usually comprised of the four lowest-ranked conference champions. It also consists of two games between the four lowest-seeded teams who have earned at-large bids to the tournament. The winners of the First Four determine the last four teams to qualify for the 64-team bracket that goes on to the first round of the tournament.