As it has in previous years, the NCAA division I men's basketball tournament -- also known as March Madness -- will be streamed both online and to iPhones and iPads. Unlike previous years, iPad and iPhone users will need to pay a $3.99 to watch the Big Dance. CBS and Turner are sharing the NCAA broadcast duties across four television stations. Here's how it breaks down:

Mac users will be able to watch all the CBS-broadcast games for free on CBSSports.com. Games aired on TBS, TNT and TruTV will be available to authenticated watchers of certain pay-tv providers.

For iPad and iPhone viewers, everyone will be required to pay a $3.99 fee to watch the entire tournament. That fee covers all devices, so no mucking about with authentication to watch tournament games on the Mac. Once the fee is paid, all 67 games will be streamable on iOS via Wi-Fi or 3G.

marchmadness

NCAA(r) March Madness(r) Live will offer higher quality live video streams across platforms; video highlights for every game of the Tournament on the iPhone and Android phones; live game alerts for Android phones, as well as iPhones and iPads; an updated design; and live radio broadcast courtesy of Westwood One/Dial Global Radio Network, for all 67 games across the suite of digital products. In addition to the new offerings, NCAA(r) March Madness(r) Live will again provide the same fan-favorite features from last year including: schedules and live game scoring, live tournament brackets, personal channel lineup features, live stats, and live social companion views.

The NCAA March Madness apps for iPhone and iPad will go live on March 7, in time for the tournament to begin on March 13. Sign up on the NCAA's March Madness website to be notified when the apps go live.

Top Rated Comments

jdsipod Avatar
178 months ago
$3.99! That sucks. Not this year...

Dude you would be paying $.06 a game, how is that not a deal
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nsfw Avatar
178 months ago
People not willing to pay $4 for 67 games is whats wrong with media today. You expect everything to be free or your will steal it. The funny thing is you have no problem paying $4.25 for a non-fat mocha cappuccino.
I have no issue with the $4, I just think this will be a test to eventually charge $19.95 in the coming years.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gatecitybee Avatar
178 months ago
Last year it was great on the iPad. $4 isn't very much at all for what you're getting.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jlgolson Avatar
178 months ago
Zero new features worth $4.
I think being able to watch the 67 games of the 2012 tournament qualifies as a "new feature", and a ton of people are going to pay it.

Reminds me of this... http://theoatmeal.com/blog/apps
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aussieiphone Avatar
177 months ago
ad-free?

Paying for ads? That went out with my cable subscription two years ago...(don't worry macrumors.com I sometimes give yours a click ;) - but I choose)

It's not like college kids are paid to play anyway:confused:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tilpots Avatar
178 months ago
I'd probably pay $9.99 for the app, if it has Airplay I'd be willing to pay $14.99. The thing is at $10, $15, or $20 it is no longer an impulse buy for me, and I'll think about if I really, really "need" it. At $5, it is an impulse buy and whether I watch games all weekend long on it or two games the entire tourney I feel like I got my monies worth.

AirPlay support would certainly influence my decision. That's a very good point, it's also a feature absent from last years version.

I guess part of me feels hesitant about CBS, too. I remember watching several games last year that froze up or switched to "Audio Only" at crucial moments in a game. No big deal, cause it was free but if I'd paid for it? I'd have been soooo ticked. Anybody who plays Fantasy Football with CBS knows how crappy their app was for that this season. It was virtually unusable.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

Sunday September 28, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Pro models will enter mass production soon, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he continues to believe the new MacBook Pro models will be released at some point between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meaning they should be available to order by March at the latest. Apple often...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.0.1 With Fixes for Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Camera Issues on iPhone 17 Models

Monday September 29, 2025 10:12 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 26.0.1 and iPadOS 26.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out earlier this week. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes for the update, iOS 26.0.1 addresses a bug that could cause aberrations in...
maxresdefault

New iPad Pro With M5 Chip Leaked in Unboxing Video

Tuesday September 30, 2025 8:39 am PDT by
An apparent unboxing video for an unannounced iPad Pro with the M5 chip was uploaded to YouTube today by Russian channel Wylsacom. The same YouTube account leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip before it was announced by Apple last year, so this is likely a legitimate leak. Based on the box shown in the video, this appears to be a 13-inch iPad Pro with an M5 chip, 256GB of...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple's iPhone Driver's License Feature Now Available in 11 U.S. States

Tuesday September 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Apple recently revealed that the feature would soon be available in North Dakota, and starting today, the feature has officially gone...
LG UltraFine 6K Display TB5

LG UltraFine 6K (32U990A) TB5 Display: Pre-Orders Open September 30

Monday September 29, 2025 6:21 am PDT by
Pre-orders for LG's new UltraFine evo 6K display (model 32U990A) with Thunderbolt 5 support will begin on September 30, according to a major U.S. retailer listing. LG first revealed the 32-inch display at CES 2025 in January, teasing its status as the first monitor to support Thunderbolt 5. At the time, LG only provided high-level specs, but left pricing, availability, and full technical...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent 1

Samsung Confirms Plan to Make Foldable Displays for Major American Company

Monday September 29, 2025 6:54 am PDT by
Samsung Display president Lee Cheong has confirmed plans to make foldable smartphone displays for a major American company, which is widely believed to be Apple. As reported in Chosun Biz, Cheong last week told journalists in Seoul that the company is accelerating preparations for mass production of OLED displays designed for foldable smartphones to be supplied to a "North American client."...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

iPad Mini 8 Rumors: Everything We Know So Far

Monday September 29, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is likely to arrive next year, so here's what to expect. The current iPad mini came out in 2024, with the main upgrade over the previous version being the A17 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence support. The previous generation introduced a complete redesign and the A15 Bionic chip. In August, Apple mistakenly shared code that revealed key information about ...