March 14, 2023 11:39 AM EDT
March Madness will return in just a few days, as the First Four play-in games start on March 14th. There will be even more ways to take in the tournament this year. For the first time, there will be a multiview streaming option on the web. You’ll be able to watch up to four games simultaneously.
Fans still have the option to stream two games at the same time on Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Google TV and Xbox One. Fans apparently only wanted two simultaneous streams on connected devices. There’s a picture-in-picture option on mobile, tablet and desktop as well.
The web multiview option should help make sure that you don’t miss any of the action in the early rounds — especially if you happen to be working at the time. If your manager happens to approach while you're watching March Madness games at the office, you'll be able to smack the Boss Button to hide your tracks. This time around, hitting the button will bring up an AI chatbot interface called BossGPT. Maybe the NCAA isn't entirely behind the times after all.
Games will stream in 1080p resolution with 5.1 surround sound. The NCAA, CBS Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports (which manage the NCAA March Madness Live apps) say they've optimized the video player for improved performance across a swathe of devices, including older ones.
If you happen to be on the road while your team’s playing, you’ll have another way to stay up to date. The NCAA March Madness Live app will offer live game audio through CarPlay and Android Auto. This is powered by Westwood One national feeds. A Spanish audio option will be available for the Final Four and championship games.
Moreover, the app will harness the Live Activities feature on iOS 16. You can receive interactive notifications and have a faster way to start enjoying live games from your iPhone lock screen. You'll have to tap an icon on the app's scores page to activate Live Activities.
You'll be able to watch any game that airs on CBS on the web and mobile for free through Paramount+ without having to log in. However, you will need to sign in to stream games being broadcast on TBS, TNT and truTV digital platforms.
Along with having access to every game from the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, there will be some coverage from the concurrent women's tournament on the NCAA March Madness Live app and the NCAA website. That includes "game updates, legends of the game and greatest Final Four moments," according to a press release. You'll need to hop over to ESPN to watch games from the women's tournament, though.
Meanwhile, the Fast Break feature, which provides live whip-around coverage during the first two rounds of March Madness, will be available on more devices, including set-top boxes, consoles and smart TVs. It was previously only on mobile and the web. Fast Break offers highlights, real-time analysis and breakdowns of key stats.
Ami KAKA
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