FAQ: NCAA Tournament on TV, Radio, Web, Mobile

FAQ: NCAA Tournament on TV, Radio, Web, Mobile

Its NCAA Tournament time on television, radio and digital platforms. Heres how to find and track your teams and even play to win the $1 million bracket challenge.

Let us know if you have other questions, and we'll do our best to answer them.

NCAA BASKETBALL on TV

Q: When do the games begin?

A:The tournament tips off Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. with the NCAA First Four on truTV, pairing North Carolina A&T against Liberty University for the right to meet overall No. 1 Louisville. In the second game, at about 9 p.m., Middle Tennessee State and St. Marys play for the 11 seed in the Midwest Region.On Wednesday night, LIU-Brooklyn and James Madison (6:30 p.m.) play for the right to face Indiana, and Boise State and La Salle (9 p.m.) play for the 13 seed in the West Region.

Winners of those games will be slotted into second-round games Thursday and Friday. Games begin on WRAL-TV(CBS) Thursday at noon. The four participating networks, including WRAL-TV (CBS) will have four games apieceThursday and Friday.

Q: What does this mean for soaps and primetime programs and the evening news?

A:Soap opera fans and viewers of primetime programs need not worry that the basketball tournament will cause themto miss an episode. The following shows will not air anywhere in the country on Thursday, March 21, and Friday,March 22:

The Bold and The Beautiful

The Talk

Lets Make a Deal

The Young and the Restless

The Big Bang Theory

Two and a Half Men

Person of Interest

Elementary

Blue Bloods

Undercover Boss

Vegas

Find the full WRAL-TV schedule here

New episodes of soap operas return Monday, March 25. The primetime programs return during the first week in April at their regulartimes.

WRAL's late night newscast is scheduled to begin after the games, at about midnight on Thursday and Friday nights.

Q: Who has the television rights?

A:Two years ago CBS Sports entered a long-term partnership with Turner Sports to televise every single game in its entirety.

The good news is that viewers with access to CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV are able to watch the game of their choice at any time. However, those who do not have access to cable or satellite may be disappointed in the games that CBS provides to WRAL-TV in the early rounds. As part of this arrangement, WRAL-TV has no say in what games we air, including those of our local teams.

Q: Why is this good for viewers?

A:The NCAA's 14-year contract with CBS and Turner Sports makes every tournament game available in its entirety on TV nationwide.

No longer are fans subject to the decision of the network of when to switch away from a game, and no longer will you have to wait for your game to be "joined in progress."If you haveaccess to all four networks, you can customize your viewing to see the games you want from start to finish, and you can switch from game to game whenever you choose.

The broadcast windows are staggered in such a fashion that a fan can essentially watch wall-to-wall basketball all day and all night.

Q: How do the networks divvy up the games?

A:Over the course of the 67 games of the tournament, 26 air on CBS/WRAL (including the Final Four and championship game), 16 on TBS, 12 on TNT and 13 on truTV.

CBS television stations across the country, including WRAL, do not have any choice of what games to air, even regarding teams of local interest. The national game selections are determined by CBS and the three Turner networks.

Q: Will WRAL carry the games featuring local teams?

A: Not necessarily. WRAL has no choice in what game it airs. The station carries whatever game CBS chooses to broadcast nationally.

Q: Can CBS/WRAL pick any game it wants?

A: Actually the networks pick locations instead of games for each broadcast window. The networks evaluate the interest in the combination of the two games being played at each site and make a selection accordingly.

In each broadcast window (afternoon and evening), CBS will stick to a single site, not take one game from one site and the second game from another.

Q: If a game is a blowout, will the network shift to another, more competitive game?

A: No. Each network must stay with the game that they were scheduled to broadcast. This puts the power in the hands of the viewer. You can change the channel to see a closer game or decide to stay with one until the end.

Q: Will the network switch to another game when a game ends early?

A: CBS is not permitted to take viewers to other games in progress other than a brief look-in. (Each network is only allowed a total of three minutes of look-ins during the course of a given time block.) If you choose to stay on a single channel, you will see studio updates, highlights and possibly brief look-ins between games, schedule permitting.

Q: Will the games be available in high definition?

A:All games on WRAL are in high definition. The three Turner networks have the games in high definition on their respective HD channels. Check with your cable or satellite provider to confirm whether you can receive the Turner channels in HD.

Q: Will any games be simulcast on more than one network?

A: No. Each of the games are shown nationally and independently.

Q: What if viewers do not have access to TBS, TNT or truTV?

A: Unfortunately, fans who do not have cable or satellite, or whose channel lineups do not include all three Turner networks, do not have access to those games on TV. Any game that is not assigned to CBS is shown on one of the Turner networks only.

CBS and the NCAA are cooperating to offer some online games. See below for how to access "March Madness on Demand."

NCAA basketball on Radio

Q: When I listen to NCAA games on local sports radio?

A: Both 99.9FM The Fan ESPN Radio a

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