By Danica Creahan

/ Essentials

CBS Essentials is created independently from the CBS News staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.

2022 March Madness season is here. The exciting, month-long NCAA tournament is finally getting back to normal. Following the cancellation of 2020 March Madness due to the pandemic and a highly controlled, isolated 2021 tournament with a limited audience, fans will finally return to the stands for this year's tournament. Keep reading to find out how you can follow all the action:

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The top products in this article:

Best way to stream March Madness: HULU + Live TV, $70 and up monthly

$70atHulu

March Madness tickets, $30 and up

Find Tickets

Best-selling Samsung TV under $1,500: 55" Samsung 'The Frame' smart TV, $1,400 (regularly $1,500)

$1,400atSamsung

Best deal on a Samsung LED TV under $500: Samsung 58" class 4K Crystal UHD LED smart TV with HDR, $478 (regularly $600)

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Best deal on a TV with 8K under $3,000: 65" Samsung QN800A 8K Neo QLED TV, $2,600 (reduced from $3,500)

$2,600atSamsung

After a wild 2021-22 season with plenty of teams showing great potential, experts are already making predictions on which team will win March Madness. However, no team has been pegged as a front runner for the national title so far.

Whether you're hoping to catch a game or two in person, or follow the action from the comfort of your own home, here's everything you need to know about how to watch March Madness.

Which teams are playing in the First Four and first round of March Madness 2022?

The First Four tipped off on Tuesday, March 15 with No. 16 Texas Southern defeating No. 16 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. That very same night, No. 12 Indiana beat No. 12 Wyoming.

Wednesday, March 16 features two more games: No. 16 Bryant vs. No. 16 Wright State and No. 11 Notre Dame vs. No. 11 Rutgers. The first round will follow on Thursday, March 17, kicking off a 48 hour stretch of back to back college basketball games.

2022 March Madness First Four and first round schedule

Tuesday, March 156:40 p.m. - No. 16 Texas Southern vs. No. 16 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi9:10 p.m. - No. 12 Indiana vs. No. 12 Wyoming

Wednesday, March 166:40 p.m. - No. 16 Bryant vs. No. 16 Wright State9:10 p.m. - No. 11 Notre Dame vs. No. 11 Rutgers

Thursday, March 1712:15 p.m. - No. 11 Michigan vs. No. 6 Colorado State12:40 p.m. - No. 13 South Dakota State vs. No. 4 Providence1:45 p.m. - No. 9 Memphis vs. No. 8 Boise State2:00 p.m. - No. 16 Norfolk State vs. No. 1 Baylor2:45 p.m. - No. 14 Longwood vs. No. 3 Tennessee3:10 p.m. - No. 12 Richmond vs. No. 5 Iowa4:15 p.m. - No. 16 Georgia State vs. No. 1 Gonzaga4:30 p.m. - No. 9 Marquette vs. No. 8 North Carolina6:50 p.m. - No. 12 New Mexico State vs. No. 5 UConn7:10 p.m. - No. 15 Saint Peter's vs. No. 2 Kentucky7:20 p.m. - No. 12 Wyoming/Indiana vs. No. 5 Saint Mary's7:27 p.m. - No. 9 Creighton vs. No. 8 San Diego State9:20 p.m. - No. 13 Vermont vs. No. 4 Arkansas9:40 p.m. - No. 10 San Francisco vs. No. 7 Murray State9:50 p.m. - No. 13 Akron vs. No. 4 UCLA9:57 p.m. - No. 16 Texas Southern/Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs. No. 1 Kansas

Friday, March 1812:15 p.m. - No. 10 Loyola Chicago vs. No. 7 Ohio State12:40 p.m. - No. 15 Jacksonville State vs. No. 2 Auburn1:45 p.m. - No. 14 Montana State vs. No. 3 Texas Tech2:00 p.m. - No. 14 Yale vs. No. 3 Purdue2:45 p.m. - No. 15 Delaware vs. No. 2 Villanova3:10 p.m. - No. 10 Miami (FL) vs. No. 7 Southern California4:15 p.m. - No. 11 Rutgers/Notre Dame vs. No. 6 Alabama4:30 p.m. - No. 11 Virginia Tech vs. No. 6 Texas6:50 p.m. - No. 13 Chattanooga vs. No. 4 Illinois7:10 p.m. - No. 15 Cal State Fullerton vs. No. 2 Duke7:20 p.m. - No. 11 Iowa State vs. No. 6 LSU7:27 p.m. - No. 16 Wright State/Bryant vs. No. 1 Arizona9:20 p.m. - No. 12 UAB vs. No. 5 Houston9:40 p.m. - No. 10 Davidson vs. No. 7 Michigan State9:50 p.m. - No. 14 Colgate vs. No. 3 Wisconsin9:57 p.m. - No. 9 TCU vs. No. 8 Seton Hall

All times Eastern

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2022 March Madness schedule overview

Where to watch 2022 March Madness:

First- and second-round games will air live on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV, while the Sweet 16 games on March 24-25 will only be shown on CBS and TBS.

Moving on to the Elite Eight games: March 26 games will air on TBS, and March 27 games will air on CBS. The national semifinal games on April 2 will air on TBS, and the national championship game on April 4 will air on CBS.

If all those channel changes are already confusing you, there is a more elegant solution. March Madness Live is the dedicated home for live streaming all 67 games of the 2022 NCAA Tournament online, just sign in with your TV provider to access the livestreams. You can also catch March Madness games via popular streaming platforms including Hulu + Live TV, Paramount+ and more.

Where to stream March Madness 2022:

Streaming platforms such as Hulu + Live TV, Paramount+ and Sling TV are a great way to stream all the March Madness games wherever you happen to be.

Paramount+

All March Madness games airing on CBS will be available to stream simultaneously with a Paramount+ premium subscription. Paramount+ has two plans: the ad-supported Essential plan available for $5 per month, and the ad-free Premium plan available for $10 per month. You also can try Paramount+ free for 7 days.

Try Paramount+ for free

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Hulu + Live TV

A subscription to Hulu Live TV offers access to all major channels airing 2022 March Madness games including CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. You'll also get access to more than 65 other live and on demand channels with live sports, news and entertainment.

HULU + Live TV, $70 and up monthly

$70atHulu

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Sling TV

Sling TV is a great streaming option for basketball fans. Sling TV plans start at just $35 a month and offers access to more than 40 channels, including TBS, TNT and truTV, making it easy to catch most March Madness games. You even have the option of bundling a Paramount+ subscription for $10 extra to gain access to games airing exclusively on CBS.

Sling TV, $35 and up

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Where to get tickets to March Madness games 2022

If you're excited to return to the stands with your fellow fans for the first "back to normal" March Madness tournament in two years, you'll be happy to know there's still tickets available, starting as low as $30. And if your game happens to sell out, It's easy to find resale tickets on Vivid Seats.

March Madness tickets, $30 and up

Find Tickets

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2022 March Madness merchandise

If you plan on catching a game in-person, at a watch party or even your local sports bar, tossing on your favorite team's jersey is always a smart move (unless you're in the opposition's territory).

Shop March Madness merch

Shop merch

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The best TV deals ahead of March Madness 2022

If you're looking to create the ultimate at-home NCAA tournament experience, it might be time to upgrade your home theater. Keep reading to check out the best deals on great TVs for watching sports, TV stands, wall mounts and more.

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Transform your TV into a piece of art when you're not watching college hoopers. The Frame smart TV has a built-in motion sensor that activates your device to display your favorite pieces of art in 4K resolution whenever you enter the room. No matter if you're admiring Hopper's "Early Sunday Morning" or cheering on Duke, this QLED TV produces 100% color volume in the DCI-P3 color space, which is the format for most cinema screens and HDR movies for television. (Translation: Colors on this TV will be more vivid and true-to-life.)

55" Samsung 'The Frame' smart TV, $1,400 (regularly $1,500)

$1,400atSamsung

65" Samsung 'The Frame' smart TV, $1,800 (regularly $2,000)

$1,800atSamsung

This 65-inch Samsung QLED TV features 8K resolution, Quantum Matrix Technology Pro for a colorful and luminous picture, and an anti-reflection layer that minimizes glare and reduces unwanted distractions. While March Madness won't be broadcast in 8K this year, owning this TV will make sure you'll be able to catch the first 8K NCAA broadcast, whenever it happens.

65" Samsung QN800A 8K Neo QLED TV, $2,600 (reduced from $3,500)

$2,600atSamsung

65" Samsung QN900A Neo QLED TV: $3,000

A premium Samsung TV can cost a lot, especially when it's something like Samsung QN900A Neo TV, which boasts 8K resolution, AI upscaling and a Quantum LED panel. Factor in a massive, 65-inch screen and you're looking at a $5,000 TV. Luckily, Samsung has a great deal that knocks a hefty $2,000 off the price, bringing it down to $3,000.

65" Samsung QN900A Neo QLED TV, $3,000 (reduced from $5,000)

$3,000atSamsung

75" Samsung QN900A Neo QLED TV, $4,000 (reduced from $7,000)

$4,000atSamsung

58" Samsung class 4K Crystal UHD LED smart TV with HDR: $478

This 58-inch LED smart 4K TV from Samsung features a processor that can upscale your favorite HD shows and streams.

Samsung 58" class 4K Crystal UHD LED smart TV with HDR, $478 (regularly $600)

$478atWalmart

32" Toshiba set (720p) with Fire TV: $140

At just 32 inches, this budget-friendly Toshiba TV is suited for small spaces like bedrooms or offices. It runs Amazon's FireTV platform, so you can stream new shows from Hulu, Netflix and more without plugging in extra equipment. You can also watch live TV on this device.

32" Toshiba set (720p) with Fire TV, $160 (reduced from $200)

$140atBest Buy

Full motion TV wall mount: $45

Mount your new TV with ease with this tilted 4.8-star-rated wall mount, now on sale at Amazon. It's designed to handle televisions ranging in size from 47 to 84 inches.

Full motion TV wall mount (for 47" - 84" TVs), $45 (reduced from $53)

$45atAmazon

Amazon Fire TV Stick with 4K Ultra HD: $25

This Amazon streaming stick with a new Wi-Fi antenna design is optimized for 4K streaming. The Amazon Fire TV Stick pairs with compatible Bluetooth headphones and comes equipped with Alexa-enabled voice-control technology.

Amazon Fire TV Stick with 4K Ultra HD, $40 (reduced from $50)

$40atAmazon

Amplified HDTV antenna

Most March Madness games will be broadcast on local CBS affiliates, so a digital antenna is a great option for watching the game if you don't have a cable or streaming subscription. This HDTV antenna, an Amazon best seller, claims a 200-mile range and comes with an 18-foot-long coaxial cable. Rated 4.3 stars by Amazon reviewers.

Amplified HDTV antenna, $30

$30atAmazon

Charmma TV cabinet

This affordable TV cabinet from Walmart, reminiscent of a popular Ikea find, has three sliding drawers for storage. This white TV stand measures 47.2 inches long by 13.4 inches wide and offers a clean, modern look.

(For more options, check out our favorite TV stands you can buy online.)

Charmma TV cabinet, $171

$171atWalmart

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First published on March 14, 2022 / 7:00 AM