March Madness is beginning with conference tournaments underway, Selection Sunday fast approaching and the start of the 2025 men’s NCAA basketball tournament less than a week away. It’s time to figure out how to watch every game or figure out the channel for truTV), and who might be on the call when the next buzzer beater or Cinderella emerges.
For the 15th season in a row, CBS and Turner Sports are combining to broadcast all 67 games of the NCAA Tournament, starting with First Four action on March 18. It will be the first March Madness on CBS since the death of the network’s longtime college basketball studio host and play-by-play announcer Greg Gumbel. But there will be plenty of familiar faces on set, with TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA’ trio of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith returning and the addition of former Michigan Fab Five star and ESPN NBA commentator Jalen Rose as an analyst.
CBS and Turner Sports have done joint coverage of the men’s NCAA Tournament since 2011. The two networks previously agreed to an 8-year, $8-billion contract extension with the NCAA for broadcasting rights to the event through 2032.
Here’s a break down of March Madness coverage plans for CBS and Turner Sports in 2025, as well as the studio and game announcer teams for this year’s NCAA Tournament:
March Madness 2025: Men’s NCAA Tournament game announcers
The lead CBS announce team of Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery and Grant Hill, with Tracy Wolfson on sideline duties, will broadcast the Final Four and national championship game from San Antonio for the second-straight season. Here’s the rest of the broadcasters for men’s NCAA Tournament games this year:
Through Final Four/national championship: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Grant Hill (analyst) and Tracy Wolfson (sideline)
Through Elite Eight: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Jim Jackson (analyst), Allie LaForce (sideline)
Through Elite Eight: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Stan Van Gundy (analyst), Lauren Shehadi (sideline)
Through Elite Eight: Andrew Catalon (play-by-play), Steve Lappas (analyst), Evan Washburn (sideline)
First/second round: Lisa Byington (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (analyst), Jalen Rose (analyst), Andy Katz (sideline)
First/second round: Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Jon Rothstein (sideline)*
First/second round: Tom McCarthy (play-by-play), Debbie Antonelli (analyst), Steve Smith (analyst), AJ Ross (sideline)
First/second round: Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Brendan Haywood (analyst), Dana Jacobson (sideline)
*Will also broadcast First Four games in Dayton, Ohio
March Madness 2025: NCAA Tournament studio commentators
As part of its 2025 NCAA Tournament coverage, CBS and Turner Sports will once again broadcast from two different studio sets based in either New York or Atlanta.
From New York: Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Clark Kellogg.
From Atlanta: Adam Lefkoe (host), Jay Wright, Candace Parker and Seth Davis
Adam Zucker (host), Wally Szczerbiak (analyst), Gene Steratore (rules analyst) and Jami Erdahl (game updates) will also work in studio roles during the the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Lefkoe, Wright, Rose and Davis will work as a team in studio during First Four action.
How to watch March Madness: TV, streaming for 2025 NCAA Tournament
The 2025 men’s basketball NCAA Tournament will be broadcast on CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV, beginning with First Four games on March 18 and 19 on truTV. First-round action starts on March 20.
NCAA Tournament games can be streamed on the March Madness On Demand app, Paramount+, Sling or Fubo, which is offering a free trial.
Watch 2025 NCAA Tournament games with Fubo
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