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March Madness is almost over, and with that, comes the NCAA Championship. This year’s final match will see the Connecticut Huskies and the Purdue Boilermakers clash on the court in a game you won’t want to miss. But first, you’ll need to find out how to watch the NCAA Championship game live for free if you want to get it done without breaking the bank. And the good news is, you won’t even need a cable subscription with the options we’ve included up ahead.
The NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, famously dubbed March Madness, has been a staple of American sports culture since its inception in 1939. The tournament pits the best teams in college basketball against each other over the course of three tantalizing weeks. This year marks the 85th edition of the tournament, which began on March 19, 2024, and will culminate in the NCAA Championship game on April 8, 2024, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Following intense matches in the Final Four, the Connecticut Huskies emerged victorious over Alabama with a commanding 86-72 triumph, while the Purdue Boilermakers secured their spot in the final showdown after a victory against NC State. With the tournament’s two No. 1 seed teams both making it to the championship, anticipation for this title game is at an all-time high.
Whether you’re a big fan of the Huskies or the Boilermakers—or simply an all around lover of college basketball—we’ve got you covered on how to watch the NCAA Championship game live for free. Keep reading ahead to make sure you don’t miss a single moment of the action tonight.
When does the NCAA Championship game air?
The 2024 NCAA Championship game airs tonight, Monday, April 8 at 9:20 p.m. ET.
How to watch the NCAA Championship game live for free
The NCAA Championship game airs on TBS, TNT, and truTV, which are available to stream on services like DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, Hulu+ With Live TV, and Max. You can find TBS and TNT on DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, and Hulu+ With Live TV. TruTV is on DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, Hulu+ With Live TV, and Max
DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial, and starts at $79.99 per month after the trial ends. While Sling TV and Hulu+ With Live TV don’t have free trials, they’re cheaper per month than the other options, with Sling TV starting at $20 for your first month and Hulu+ With Live TV starting at $75.99 per month. HBO Max costs $9.99 per month for its ad-supported plan and $15.99 per month for its ad-free plan. Both plans also offer yearly subscriptions, which are currently on sale for over 40 percent off. The ad-supported plan costs $69.99 per year, the ad-free plan costs $104.99 per year, and the ultimate add-free plan costs $139.99 per year.
Best Overall Pick to Watch the NCAA Championship game: DirecTV Stream
Direct TV is our best overall pick to watch the NCAA Championship game live for free for its free trial, price, and channel selection. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial. DirecTV offers four plans: Entertainment, which costs $79.99 per month; Choice, which costs $108.99 per month with the first 2 months at $83.99 per month; Ultimate, which costs $119.99 per month with the first 2 months at $94.99 per month; and Premiere, which costs $174.99 per month.
As for other differences between the plans, Entertainment includes more than 75 channels, the ability to stream on unlimited devices in your home, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and a special offer on premium channels. Choice, which is the most popular plan, includes more than 105 channels, regional sports networks, and everything included in Entertainment. Ultimate includes more than 140 channels and everything included in Entertainment and Choice. Premiere includes more than 150 channels including premium channels like HBO and Starz and everything included in Entertainment, Choice, and Premiere. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the NCAA Championship game with DirecTV Stream’s free trial.
- Visit streamtv.directv.com‘s packages page
- Click “Try It Free” for the plan of your choice
- Enter your information and payment method
- Search for TBS, TNT, or truTV and start watching the NCAA Championship game!
Best Budget Pick to Watch the NCAA Championship Game: Sling TV
Sling TV is our best budget pick to watch the NCAA Championship game for its channel selection. Sling TV offers three plans: Sling Orange for $40 per month; Sling Blue for $45 per month; and Sling Orange + Blue for $60 per month. Sling also has a current deal where subscribers can sign up for 50 percent off their first month, bringing Sling Orange’s price down to $20 for your first month; Sling Blue’s to $22.50 for your first month; and Sling Orange + Blue’s to $30 for your first month. All plans include TBS, as well as similar channels like TNT.
As for the differences between the plans, Sling Orange, which is most suited toward sports and family channels, includes 32 channels and the ability to stream on one device at a time. Sling Orange, which is most suited toward news and entertainment channels, includes 42 channels and the ability to stream on three devices at a time. Sling Orange + Blue includes all the channels offered on both Sling Orange and Sling Blue, as well as the ability to stream on three devices at a time. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the NCAA Championship game with Sling TV.
- Visit Sling.com
- Click “Try Us Today”
- Create an account
- Select your plan
- Enter your payment information and check out
- Search for TBS, TNT, or truTV and start watching the NCAA Championship game!
Best Upgrade Pick to Watch the NCAA Championship game: Hulu+ Live TV
Hulu+ With Live TV is our best upgrade pick to watch the NCAA Championship game based on its channel selection and its free subscriptions to Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus. Hulu+ With Live TV offers four plans: a $75.99 per month plan with access to only live TV; a $76.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; a $81.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; and a $89.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with no ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the NCAA Championship game with Hulu+ Live TV.
- Visit Hulu.com/liveTV
- Click “Sign Up Now”
- Enter your information and payment method
- Search for TBS, TNT, or truTV and start watching the NCAA Championship game!
Where is the NCAA Championship game?
The NCAA Championship game is taking place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Purdue vs. UConn Odds
Boasting five national titles since 1999, UConn enters the matchup as 7-point favorites to win the NCAA Championship title, according to the latest Purdue vs. UConn odds from SportsLine, with DraftKings also favoring them by 7 points. If Purdue were to win, it would land the Boilermakers their first-ever national title. Meanwhile, a UConn victory would etch the Huskies into history as the first team since Florida in 2006 and 2007 to achieve back-to-back championships.
The NCAA Championship game will air on TBS, TNT, and truTV on Monday, April 8, 2024, at 9:30 p.m. ET.
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