How to Watch NCAA Basketball on DIRECTV

The thrill of college basketball is undeniable, and with events like March Madness just around the corner, fans are eager to catch every moment of the action. The NCAA tournament is almost here. In just a few weeks, office and school productivity will crash as the nation turns to a full slate of games. In order to do just that, you’re going to need to know what channel your game of choice is on. For die-hard college sports fans, DIRECTV has dedicated conference networks you need to watch your favorite teams on the SEC Network, Big Ten Network, ACC Network & ESPNU.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to watching NCAA basketball, particularly focusing on DIRECTV and other platforms.

Understanding the Broadcast Landscape

College basketball games are broadcast across a variety of networks, including major platforms like CBS, ESPN, and FOX Sports. Casual fans can get decent NCAA basketball coverage on local channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and The CW. For extensive coverage, especially of specific conferences, dedicated channels like ACC Network (ACCN), Big Ten Network (BTN), and SEC Network are essential.

Key Networks for NCAA Basketball

CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV: These channels are the primary broadcasters for the men’s NCAA Tournament.
ESPN Networks (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU): These networks cover the women’s tournament extensively.
Conference-Specific Networks: ACCN, BTN, and SEC Network offer a wealth of games from their respective conferences.

DIRECTV: A Comprehensive Solution for College Basketball Fans

Among cable and satellite providers, we recommend DIRECTV for the most non-streaming college basketball coverage. DIRECTV is expensive but has bulky channel lineups to satisfy the most diehard sports fans. DIRECTV’s CHOICE All Included package ($89.99/mo.) is our favorite because it has a balanced mix of sports and entertainment channels. DIRECTV offers a robust selection of channels to satisfy even the most dedicated college basketball enthusiasts.

Channel Packages and Add-ons

CHOICE All Included Package: Starting at $89.99/month, this package provides a balanced mix of sports and entertainment channels.
DIRECTV SPORTS PACK: For an additional $14.99 per month, this add-on includes over 40 specialty and regional sports networks, including ACC Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPNU, and more.

If you’re targeting RSNs, you’ll need the CHOICE plan or above to get your area’s in-market sports channels. You can also take your DIRECTV plan up a notch by getting the DIRECTV SPORTS PACK add-on ($14.99 per month).

Conference Channels on DIRECTV

DIRECTV provides dedicated conference networks, allowing fans to follow their favorite teams on:

SEC Network
Big Ten Network
ACC Network
ESPNU

DIRECTV Features for College Basketball Fans

Sports Central: With Sports Central, you can keep up with your teams easier than everWhether the game is on live TV or streaming services, you can access them all right in the DIRECTV interface.
DIRECTV App: The DIRECTV app lets you take live sports on the go, so you never have to miss your alma mater or favorite team hit the court. You can even record matchups & watch them on your phone later!

Potential Drawbacks of DIRECTV

DIRECTV certainly has its disadvantages. For instance, you must sign a two-year contract and connect a satellite dish to your home. Plus, DIRECTV doesn’t carry beIN SPORTS channels.

Watching March Madness

One of the best times on the sports calendar is nearly here: March Madness. As the calendar flips to the third month of the year so too do the minds of millions of sports fans who cannot wait to fill out the bracket for the men's and women's tournaments. Even more are looking forward to seeing which college basketball teams will write their names in the history books as the 2024-25 NCAA champions. You’ve got a perfect bracket to keep an eye on, after all. As the calendar flips to the third month of the year so too do the minds of millions of sports fans who cannot wait to fill out the bracket for the men's and women's tournaments.

Broadcast Schedule

The arrival of March Madness also means it's time to remember what channel those pesky games are on. Once the field of 64 gets whittled down it's easy to find the broadcasts for the tournament, but when there are a handful of games being played at once, some broadcasts end up on channels not often used for sports. Like, say, TruTV. TruTV is one of several channels used to broadcast March Madness games. Tt's an important channel to be able to locate quickly once tip-off happens. Here's everything you need to know in order to find TruTV when the NCAA tournament begins, however you choose to view the basketball.

First Four: TruTV
First and Second Rounds: CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV
Sweet 16 and Elite Eight: CBS, TBS, TruTV
Final Four and National Championship: CBS

Finding TruTV

TruTV is one of several channels used to broadcast March Madness games. It's an important channel to be able to locate quickly once tip-off happens.

Read also: Crafting Your NCAA Profile

Here's where to find TruTV on major cable and satellite providers, including but not limited to DirecTV, Xfinity, DISH, and more.

CABLE PROVIDER	DOES IT HAVE TRUTV?	CHANNEL NUMBER
Xfinity (Comcast)	Yes	Local
DirecTV	Yes	246
DISH Network	Yes	242
AT&T U-Verse	Yes	164 (HD: 1164)
Spectrum	Yes	Local
Cox Communications	Yes	Local
Optimum	Yes	Local
Verizion Fios	Yes	Local

As you can see, most of these services have region-locked channel guides. You'll have to check local listings to find the TruTV channel. For Xfinity, you can find local listings here. For Verizon Fios, you can find local listings at this link. To find TruTV on Spectrum, you can check local listings here. For Cox Communications, this link will help you find TruTV. And, finally, you can find your local listing for TruTV on Optimum here.

Watching Without Cable

Of course, in today's day and age, there are many viewers who will be tuning into this year's slate of March Madness games via non-traditional means. If you already have a cable, satellite, or live TV streaming subscription, you can sign in to the NCAA March Madness Live app with your provider credentials and watch every game in the tournament.

Alternative Streaming Options

In the cord-cutting age, Hulu + Live TV is our favorite way to watch college basketball. College basketball games can be watched on multiple direct-to-subscriber platforms that are individually cheaper than the cable bundle (though they do add up). If DIRECTV doesn't fit your needs, several streaming services offer comprehensive college basketball coverage.

Hulu + Live TV

Hulu + Live TV bundles start and include ESPN Select and Disney+ for no extra charge. Hulu + Live TV is the best streaming option for college basketball. Even with its small channel lineup, you still get the main ESPN and FOX Sports channels. Having ESPN Select integrated into the Hulu app is a massive perk for college sports fans. Other great benefits of Hulu + Live TV are its unlimited cloud DVR and My Stuff watchlist.

College basketball channels: ABC†, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, and moreFeatures: 50 hr.

Sling TV

Sling TV offers the best value for watching college basketball because it carries many games for a low monthly cost. Sling TV is an inexpensive alternative to Hulu + Live TV.

Sling Blue: Priced at $45.99/month, Sling Blue includes FS1.
Sling Orange: Priced at $40/month, Sling Orange includes the ESPN networks
Sling Orange & Blue: For $55/month, you get both Sling Blue and Sling Orange
Sports Extra Add-on: For an additional $11 per month, this add-on provides even more college basketball coverage.

The biggest downside to Sling TV is that it doesn’t have complete local channel coverage. While ABC, FOX, and NBC are available to Sling TV users in select markets, you won’t find CBS in any of the service’s plans. Most sports airing live on ABC also stream on ESPN3, an ESPN overflow channel available to all Sling Orange and Sling Orange + Blue subscribers.

ESPN Select

In recent years, ESPN Select (formerly known as ESPN+) has become one of the prime locations to catch college sports-not just basketball. Getting ESPN Select for free through Hulu + Live TV is excellent for sports fans who want the benefits of ESPN Select on top of a live TV plan. ESPN Select delivers thousands of collegiate basketball games thanks to long-term agreements with over 25 college conferences-including the Big 12, the Ivy League, and the Missouri Valley Conference. In fact, the 2025-2026 college basketball season on ESPN Select will feature more than 3,200 men’s games and over 3,000 women’s games.

YouTube TV

YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV include BTN, SEC Network and ACC Network as part of their base packages.

Fubo

Fubo has BTN as part of its base package, plus SEC Network and ACC Network on its Elite tier ($85/mo) or as part of an $8/mo add-on. Pro tip: Another way to watch college basketball without paying is to sign up for a free five-day trial of Fubo. With careful planning and discipline, you could watch a solid amount of basketball before your trial expires.

Free Options

An over-the-air (OTA) antenna is one of the easiest ways to get free access to live college basketball games. While the antenna will cost money, it’s only a one-time purchase that will benefit you for many seasons. Costing from $20 to $60, an antenna will pick up every channel within range. Possible networks include ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. We recommend the Mohu Leaf 50 because it can receive TV signals within a 60-mile range. Depending on your location, that should get you the primary local channels needed for college basketball.

Additional Tips for College Basketball Viewing

Check Local Listings: Always verify local channel listings for the most accurate information.
Utilize Streaming Apps: Many networks and conferences offer streaming apps where you can watch games with your TV provider credentials.
Explore Conference-Specific Channels: If you follow a particular conference, consider subscribing to its dedicated network for comprehensive coverage.
Stay Updated on Schedules: Keep an eye on DIRECTV’s NCAA TV schedule and other sources for the latest game times and channel assignments.

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