You’ll see in-depth stories about this in the upcoming Thursday links, but we have the start times and networks for the NCAA Tournament. You’re now aware that CBS Sports and Turner Sports will air the NCAA Tournament under a new 14 year contract. Starting this year, all of the games will be seen nationally. CBS will carry most of the games, however, TBS, TNT and truTV will have a lion’s share of games. In addition, one of my biggest pet peeves has been erased. The Sunday of the opening weekend which had stopped around 7:30 p.m. due to CBS’ insistence of airing its primetime schedule will now extend to midnight thanks to TBS/TNT and truTV.
During the Sweet 16, CBS and TBS will have the regional semifinals, then CBS will carry all of the Elite Eight Regional Final games plus the Final Four. truTV will have pregame and postgame coverage.
All of this will be explained in the following press release.
TURNER SPORTS AND CBS SPORTS ANNOUNCE 2011 NCAA® DIVISION I MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TELECAST SCHEDULE
FOR FIRST TIME EVER ALL GAMES TO BE BROADCAST NATIONALLY ACROSS CBS, TBS, TNT AND truTV
NEW SCHEDULE FORMAT FEATURES STAGGERED START TIMES AND EXTENDED VIEWING WINDOWS
Turner Sports and CBS Sports announced today their television schedule for the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, which will include a number of new features to enhance the television experience for viewers and fans. For the first time in the tournament’s 73-year history, all of the games will be available live in their entirety across four national television networks: CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV.
Additionally, the new 14-year agreement between Turner Sports, CBS Sports and the NCAA allows the viewer to be the programmer by watching and switching between all of the game action across the four networks. The new format features staggered start times, extended programming hours across the networks and give viewers the ability to watch more live game action throughout the day.
CBS Sports and Turner Sports will present fully integrated game and studio productions across all four networks throughout the tournament, utilizing universal graphics, musical beds, unique camera angles and an integrated talent line-up. The two sports divisions also will collaborate to provide seamless studio integration across TBS, TNT, truTV and CBS with pregame, halftime and post-game shows from studios in New York City and Atlanta. Studio shows will include The ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR®, NCAA Tip-Off, AT&T At the Half and Inside March Madness®.
The 2011 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship tips off in primetime with the NCAA FIRST FOUR™ on truTV Tuesday, March 15 and Wednesday, March 16 and concludes with the FINAL FOUR® semifinals and national championship game on CBS on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 4, respectively.
Additional highlights include (Complete telecast schedule attached):
- CBS will air the Final Four semifinals and national championship game for the 30th year, in addition to a total of 26 games throughout the tournament, including the second round, third round, Sweet 16® and Elite 8®.
- Turner will air 41 games across its three television networks. TBS will air a total of 16 contests, including games in the second round, third round and Sweet 16.
- TNT will air a total of 12 games, including second round and third round match ups.
- truTV will tip off the tournament’s coverage airing all FIRST FOUR games, as well as a total of 13 games during the FIRST FOUR and second round. It also will air the College All-Star Game on Friday, April 1 as part of NCAA FINAL FOUR FRIDAY.
“The NCAA tournament television coverage has expanded and evolved with creativity and technology each year,” said Mike Aresco, executive vice president, programming, CBS Sports. “Now, as we collaborate on this schedule with our partners at Turner, two great media companies will further enhance the viewing experience as every game will be televised nationally, giving viewers greater choice. We look forward to this important next step, which offers viewers unprecedented coverage of America’s true national tournament.”
“We are proud of the programming schedule we were able to jointly create with our colleagues at CBS, which provides fans with the unprecedented opportunity of watching every game live on national television,” said Christina Miller, senior vice president of Turner Sports strategy, marketing and programming. “With extensive studio and game coverage across TBS, TNT, truTV and CBS there is more programming than ever during one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year. NCAA basketball fans will have the opportunity to see every game, from start to finish.”
“A big part of NCAA March Madness is the intense buzzer beater action all around the country. With two national media partners, fans are able to choose complete coverage of any game and catch all of the action,” said Greg Shaheen, interim executive vice president of championships and alliances. “Next month, living rooms across the country become the control rooms as CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV take the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship to the next level, and our fans reap the benefits.”
Turner Sports and CBS will wrap up their extensive live coverage from Houston, Texas with the FINAL FOUR semifinals and national championship game. A one-hour NCAA Tip-Off show on truTV at 3:00 PM, ET begins Final Four Saturday’s coverage. CBS takes the reigns at 4:00 PM with a two-hour ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR®, followed by the broadcast of the two national semifinal games beginning at 6:00 PM, ET. truTV wraps up the Final Four with Inside March Madness.
For the 30th straight year, CBS Sports will broadcast the national championship game on Monday, April 4 at 9:00 PM, ET. truTV will air a one-hour NCAA Tip-Off show leading up to CBS’s coverage.
Coming up next, the programming grids for each round of the NCAA Tournament.
First, let’s provide the First Four and the 2nd round schedules from March 15 through March 18.
| 2011 NCAA Men’s Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Schedule | |||||
| All Times Eastern | |||||
| NOTE – Games on TNT, TBS and TruTV Can Switch Start Times – Exact Order to be Announced on 3/13 | |||||
| FIRST FOUR: Tuesday 3/15 & Wednesday 3/16 | |||||
| CBS | TNT | TBS | TruTV | ||
| 6:00 PM | NCAA Tip-Off | ||||
| 6:00 PM | |||||
| Game 1 | |||||
| 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | ||||
| 9:00 PM | Game 2: | ||||
| 9:00 PM | |||||
| 11:00 PM | Inside March Madness | ||||
| 12:00 AM | 11:30 PM | ||||
| Second Round: Thursday 3/17 and Friday 3/18 | |||||
| CBS | TNT | TBS | TruTV | ||
| 11:00 AM | NCAA Tip-Off | ||||
| 11:00 AM | |||||
| 12:00 PM | Game 1 | ||||
| 12:00 PM | Game 1 | ||||
| 1:00 PM | 12:30 PM | ||||
| Game 1 | |||||
| 2:00 PM | Game 1 | 1:30 PM | |||
| Game 2 | 2:00 PM | ||||
| 3:00 PM | 2:30 PM | Game 2 | |||
| 3:00 PM | |||||
| 4:00 PM | Game 2 | ||||
| Game 2 | 4:00 PM | ||||
| 5:00 PM | 4:30 PM | ||||
| Programming TBD | |||||
| 6:00 PM | |||||
| Game 3 | |||||
| 7:00 PM | Game 3 | NCAA Tip-Off: 7:00 PM | |||
| Game 3 | 6:45 PM | ||||
| 7:00 PM | Game 3 | ||||
| 7:15PM | |||||
| 8:00 PM | 7:15 PM | ||||
| 9:00 PM | |||||
| Game 4 | |||||
| Game 4 | |||||
| 10:00 PM | 9:30 AM | Game 4 | 9:15 PM | Game 4 | |
| 9:45 PM | |||||
| 9:55 PM | |||||
| 11:00 PM | |||||
| 12:00 AM | |||||
| Inside March Madness | |||||
| 1:00 AM | 12:30 AM | ||||
Now to the 3rd round schedules for Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20.
| 2011 NCAA Men’s Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Schedule | |||||
| All Times Eastern | |||||
| NOTE – Games on TNT, TBS and TruTV Can Switch Start Times – Exact Order to be Announced on 3/17 and 3/18 | |||||
| Round 3: Saturday 3/19 | |||||
| CBS | TNT | TBS | TruTV | ||
| (EST) | 11:00 AM | NCAA Tip-Off | |||
| 11:00 AM | |||||
| 12:00 PM | Game 1 | ||||
| 12:00 PM | |||||
| 1:00 PM | |||||
| 2:00 PM | |||||
| Game 2 | |||||
| 3:00 PM | 2:30 PM | ||||
| 4:00 PM | |||||
| 5:00 PM | Game 3 | ||||
| 5:00 PM | |||||
| 6:00 PM | Game 1 | ||||
| 6:00 PM | |||||
| 7:00 PM | Game 1 | ||||
| Game 4 | 7:00 PM | ||||
| 8:00 PM | 7:30 PM | ||||
| Game 2 | |||||
| 9:00 PM | 8:30 PM | ||||
| Game 2 | |||||
| 10:00 PM | 9:30 PM | ||||
| 11:00 PM | |||||
| 12:00 AM | Inside March Madness | ||||
| 12:00 AM | |||||
| Round 3: Sunday 3/20 | |||||
| (EST) | 11:00 AM | NCAA Tip-Off | |||
| 11:00 AM | |||||
| 12:00 PM | Game 1 | ||||
| 12:00 PM | |||||
| 1:00 PM | |||||
| 2:00 PM | |||||
| Game 2 | |||||
| 3:00 PM | 2:30 PM | ||||
| 4:00 PM | |||||
| 5:00 PM | Game 3 | ||||
| 5:00 PM | |||||
| 6:00 PM | Game 1 | ||||
| 6:00 PM | |||||
| 7:00 PM | Game 1 | ||||
| 7:00 PM | Game 1 | ||||
| 8:00 PM | 7:30 PM | ||||
| Game 2 | |||||
| 9:00 PM | 8:30 PM | ||||
| Game 2 | |||||
| 10:00 PM | 9:30 PM | ||||
| 11:00 PM | |||||
| 12:00 AM | Inside March Madness | ||||
| 12:00 AM | |||||
Next, the Sweet 16 Regional Semifinals which will take place on March 24 and 25. CBS and TBS will share the coverage on both days. We also have the schedules for the Elite Eight on March 26 and 27 which CBS carries exclusively.
| 2011 NCAA Men’s Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Schedule | |||||
| All Times Eastern | |||||
| Regional Semifinals: Thursday 3/24 & Friday 3/25 | |||||
| CBS | TNT | TBS | TruTV | ||
| 6:00 PM | NCAA Tip-Off | ||||
| 6:00 PM | |||||
| 7:00 PM | Game 1 | NCAA Tip-Off | |||
| 7:00 PM | 7:00 PM | ||||
| 8:00 PM | Game 1 | ||||
| 7:15 PM | |||||
| 9:00 PM | |||||
| Game 2 | |||||
| 10:00 PM | 9:30 PM | ||||
| Game 2 | |||||
| 11:00 PM | 9:55 PM | ||||
| 12:00 AM | |||||
| 1:00 AM | Inside March Madness | ||||
| 12:30 AM | |||||
| Regional Finals (Elite 8): Saturday 3/26 | |||||
| 12:00 PM | NCAA Tip-Off | ||||
| 12:00 PM | |||||
| 1:00 PM | 1:00 PM | ||||
| NCAA Men’s Division II | |||||
| 2:00 PM | Championship | ||||
| 3:00 PM | Road to the Final Four | ||||
| 4:00 PM | |||||
| Game 1 | |||||
| 5:00 PM | 4:20 PM | ||||
| 6:00 PM | |||||
| 7:00 PM | Game 2 | ||||
| 6:55 PM | |||||
| 8:00 PM | |||||
| 9:00 PM | |||||
| 10:00 PM | Inside March Madness | ||||
| 10:00 PM | |||||
| Regional Finals: Sunday 3/27 | |||||
| 1:00 PM | NCAA Tip-Off | ||||
| 1:00 PM | |||||
| 2:00 PM | Road to the Final Four | ||||
| Game 1 | |||||
| 3:00 PM | 2:10 PM | ||||
| 4:00 PM | |||||
| 5:00 PM | Game 2 | ||||
| 4:55 PM | |||||
| 6:00 PM | |||||
| 7:00 PM | |||||
| 8:00 PM | Inside March Madness | ||||
| 8:00 PM | |||||
Lastly, we have the Final Four Weekend, April 1 and 2, and Championship Monday, April 4 schedule. CBS will have exclusive coverage while truTV will have pregame and postgame shows.
| 2011 NCAA Men’s Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Schedule | ||||
| All Times Eastern | ||||
| Friday April 1st | ||||
| CBS | TNT | TBS | TruTV | |
| 5:00 PM | NCAA Tip-Off: 5:00 PM | |||
| College | ||||
| 6:00 PM | All-Star Game | |||
| 5:30 PM | ||||
| 7:00 PM | ||||
| Inside March Madness | ||||
| 8:00 PM | 7:30 PM | |||
| 9:00 PM | ||||
| Final Four: Saturday 4/2 | ||||
| 3:00 PM | NCAA Tip-Off | |||
| 3:00 PM | ||||
| 4:00 PM | Road to the Final Four | |||
| 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | |||
| 6:00 PM | Final Four | |||
| Game 1 | ||||
| 7:00 PM | 6:00 PM | |||
| 8:00 PM | ||||
| Final Four | ||||
| 9:00 PM | Game 2 | |||
| 8:30 PM | ||||
| 10:00 PM | ||||
| 11:00 PM | ||||
| Inside March Madness | ||||
| 12:00 AM | 11:30 PM | |||
| National Championship: Monday 4/4 | ||||
| 8:00 PM | NCAA Tip-Off | |||
| 8:00 PM | ||||
| 9:00 PM | NCAA National | |||
| Championship | ||||
| 10:00 PM | 9:00 PM | |||
| 11:00 PM | ||||
| 12:00 AM | Inside March Madness | |||
| 12:00 AM | ||||
And that will do it.
