How to Watch March Madness 2025 on Paramount+: Pricing, Streaming Details & More

Nate Cunningham | Mar 17, 2025

A March Madness basketball sits on the court during a timeout Friday, March 29, 2024, during the midwest regional semifinals at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The Purdue Boilermakers defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs, 80-68. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Paramount+ will be carrying some men's NCAA tournament games in 2025, meaning the streaming platform is another option to consider for cord cutters who want to tune into March Madness. 

In this post, we’ll break down which NCAA tournament games are available on Paramount+, pricing and how to get a free trial of the service. 

Can You Watch March Madness on Paramount+?

Some March Madness games are available on Paramount+, but there’s a catch. 

The only games available are those which air on CBS. Which means only the Final Four, select games during the first four rounds of the tournament, the Final Four and national championship games. The Final Four takes place on Saturday, April 5. The national championship game will be played on Monday, April 7. 

Most games in the first round, second round, Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will air on TBS, TNT and TruTV. 

For a full, game-by-game broadcast schedule, check out this post.

Paramount+ Plans & Pricing for March Madness

Users must get Paramount+ with Showtime in order to access CBS for the NCAA tournament. That plan is $12.99 per month, but new users can get a seven day free trial. 

Considering the only games on Paramount+ will air on April 5 and 7, we’d suggest waiting until then, getting a free trial and watching. 

How to Stream March Madness on Paramount+

Going to the Paramount+ website allows users to sign up and redeem their free trial (if eligible). Once signed up, users will have access to the entire Paramount+ library of content, including CBS. 

How Paramount+ Compares to Other March Madness Streaming Options

To be honest, Paramount+ provides a pretty limited amount of March Madness. It does give users the opportunity to watch the most important games of the NCAA tournament, but users will have to miss the first three weeks of games. 

But, considering new users can get a free trial, there’s certainly no harm in using Paramount+. 

However, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream all provide users with TBS, TNT, TruTV and CBS. So while those options are more expensive, they give access to every second of March Madness. 

Streaming Service	CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV?	Price	Free Trial
YouTube TV	Yes	$82.99	Yes
Sling TV	Yes	$60.99	No
fuboTV	No	$84.99	Yes
Hulu + Live TV	Yes	$82.99	Yes
DirecTV Stream	Yes	$114.99	Yes

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