Sling is not just one of the most competitively priced live TV streaming services around; it’s also one of the most flexible. In 2025, Sling rolled out its 1, 3, and 7 Day Passes, which give customers access to every channel on the Sling Orange platform for as little as $5, offering customizable, affordable streaming options no matter your budget. Kind of ideal if you’re, say, a college student rooting for your favorite team at this year’s college basketball tournament, but you only want to watch certain games or teams.
Of course, you don’t have to be a student to take advantage of these Passes; you just need to be a smart shopper. With Sling’s Day Passes, you can get access to channels like ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and TBS, which will carry a majority of men’s and women’s college hoops games this March. And for as little as $1 more, you can add Sling Sports Extra, which gets you ESPNU, ESPNews, and more.
This year, Sling is betting on the underdogs at the men’s and women’s tournaments too. If you sign up for a Day Pass to watch the basketball tournament between March 19 and March 22, and an underdog team (ranked 12-16) advances to the third round, you’ll get an offer to grab another 1 Day Pass to catch the underdog’s game for just $1. More details on that promotion and how to get a Sling 1, 3, or 7 Day Pass are below.
How to watch the 2026 college basketball tournament with Sling
Dates: March 17-April 6
Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, TNT, TBS, TruTV, CBS, ABC
When does the 2026 college basketball tournament start?
The 2026 men’s college basketball tournament starts on Tuesday, March 17, and runs through Monday, April 6. The women’s college basketball tournament begins Wednesday, March 18, and runs through Sunday, April 5.
Where to watch women’s college basketball tournament games:
All women’s tournament games will be available across ESPN’s suite of channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPNews. The championship final on April 5 will be broadcast on ABC.
Where to watch men’s college basketball tournament games:
The men’s college basketball tournament will air across TruTV, TBS, TNT and CBS. The championship game on April 6 will air on TBS.
How to watch college basketball in 2026 with Sling:
Sling TV, the most flexible live streaming service, recently introduced 1, 3, and 7 Day Pass subscriptions, giving viewers flexibility and short-term access to live TV so you can watch what you want, when you want. These Passes give fans instant access to the games they want to see, without paying for more channels than they need.
A 1 Day Pass, which starts at $4.99, gets you 24 hours of live TV airing on any of the channels that are available through Sling Orange. Need a few extra channels? You can add on Sling’s Sports Extra for just $1 more. A 3 Day Pass ($9.99) or a 7 Day Pass ($14.99) extends your service so you can tailor your viewing to how much or little you plan to watch.
How to get Sling for just $1
During this year’s college basketball tournaments, Sling is looking out for the underdogs (meaning you, the consumer) with their special Underdog promotion. Between March 19-22, if a customer purchases any Sling 1, 3, or 7 Day Pass at regular pricing, and a 12 to 16 seed makes it to the third round in either the men’s or women’s tournament, the customer’s next Day Pass, which can be purchased between March 26-April 6, is just $1.
If a 12-16 seed makes it into the Round of 16, customers will get an email alert on March 26 with a link to redeem this deal in their Sling account. Not sure if you need a Pass so early on in the tournament? You can visit Sling.com/Underdog to find out how you can be entered into the promotion without purchasing a Day Pass.
College basketball tournament schedule:
Men’s tournament schedule
First Round: March 19-20
Second Round: March 21-22
Third Round: March 26-27
Final 8: March 28-29
Semifinals: April 4
National Championship: Monday, April 6, at 8:30 p.m. ET (TBS)
Women’s tournament schedule
First round: March 20-21
Second round: March 22-23
Third Round: March 27-28
Final 8: March 29-30
Semifinals: April 3 at 7 p.m. ET (Second semifinal starts 30 minutes after the first game ends.)
National Championship: Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Men’s Tournament First Round Game Schedule:
Thursday, March 19
12:15 p.m.: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU (CBS)
12:40 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy (TruTV)
1:30 p.m.: No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida (TNT)
1:50 p.m.: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point (TBS)
2:50 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena (CBS)
3:15 p.m.: No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese (TruTV)
4:05 p.m.: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State
4:25 p.m.: No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawaii (TBS)
6:50 p.m.: No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 VCU (TNT)
7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 UMBC or Howard (CBS)
7:25 p.m.: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas or NC State (TBS)
7:35 p.m.: No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Texas A&M (TruTV)
9:25 p.m.: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn (TNT)
9:45 p.m.: No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint Louis (CBS)
10 p.m.: No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State (TBS)
10:10 p.m.: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho (TruTV)
Friday, March 20
12:15 p.m.: No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara (CBS)
12:40 p.m.: No. 5 Texas Tech vs. No. 12 Akron (TruTV)
1:35 p.m.: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 LIU (TNT)
1:50 p.m.: No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State (TBS)
2:50 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State (CBS)
3:15 p.m.: No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Hofstra (TruTV)
4:10 p.m.: No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State (TNT)
4:25 p.m.: No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio) or SMU (TBS)
6:50 p.m.: No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa (TNT)
7:10 p.m.: No. 5 St. John’s vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa (CBS)
7:25 p.m.: No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 UCF (TBS)
7:35 p.m.: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Queens (TruTV)
9:25 p.m.: No. 16 Prairie View A&M or Lehigh vs. No. 1 Florida (TNT)
9:45 p.m.: No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist (CBS)
10 p.m.: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman (TBS)
10:10 p.m.: No. 7 Miami vs. No. 10 Missouri (TruTV)
Women’s Tournament First Round Game Schedule:
Friday, March 20
11:30 a.m.: No. 3 Duke vs. No. 14 Charleston (ESPN2)
12 p.m.: No. 3 TCU vs. No. 14 UC San Diego (ESPN)
1:30 p.m. ET: No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 Virginia Tech (ESPN2)
2 p.m.: No. 6 Baylor vs. No. 11 Nebraska/Richmond (ESPN)
2:30 p.m.: No. 6 Washington vs. No. 11 South Dakota State (ESPN News)
3 p.m.: No. 5 Maryland vs. No. 12 Murray State (ESPNU)
3:30 p.m.: No. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 12 Gonzaga (ESPN2)
4 p.m.: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 Stephen F. Austin/Missouri State (ESPN)
5:30 p.m.: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Holy Cross (ESPN2)
5:30 p.m.: No. 4 North Carolina vs. No. 13 Western Illinois (ESPN News)
6 p.m.: No. 2 LSU vs. No. 15 Jacksonville (ESPN)
6 p.m.: No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Green Bay (ESPNU)
7:30 p.m.: No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Colorado State (ESPN News)
8 p.m.: No. 7 NC State vs. No. 10 Tennessee (ESPN)
8:30 p.m.: No. 7 Texas Tech vs. No. 10 Villanova (ESPNU)
10 p.m.: No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Idaho (ESPN)
Saturday, March 21
11:30 p.m.: No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 14 Howard (ESPN2)
12 p.m.: No. 3 Louisville vs. No. 14 Vermont (ESPN)
1 p.m.: No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Samford/Southern (ABC)
1:30 p.m.: No. 7 Georgia vs. No. 10 Virginia/Arizona State (ESPN2)
2 p.m.: No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 11 Fairfield (ESPN)
2:30 p.m.: No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 12 James Madison (ESPNU)
2:30 p.m.: No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Rhode Island (ESPN News)
3 p.m.: No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 UTSA (ABC)
3:30 p.m.: No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 USC (ESPN2)
4 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 15 Fairleigh Dickinson (ESPN)
5 p.m.: No. 4 West Virginia vs. No. 13 Miami (Ohio) (ESPNU)
5:30 p.m.: No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 9 Syracuse (ESPN2)
7 p.m.: No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 15 High Point (ESPN News)
7:30 p.m.: No. 8 Oklahoma State vs. No. 9 Princeton (ESPN2)
9:30 p.m.: No. 7 Illinois vs. No. 10 Colorado (ESPN2)
10 p.m.: No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 California Baptist (ESPN)