Turner Networks To Air 41 March Madness Tournament Games

Turner Networks will air more than 40 NCAA men's College Basketball Tournament games beginning next month as part of its new tournament distribution deal with the NCAA.

For the first time every NCAA March Madness game will be available live on broadcast TV and cable as part of the $10.8 billion, 14-year TV, digital and wireless rights deal between the NCAA, TNT and CBS announced last year.

TNT will air 12 games, including second round and third round matchups, while TBS will air a total of 16 contests, including games in the second and third round and Sweet 16, said the Turner officials.

TruTV will air the tournament's first four games as well as 13 total games during the first and second round. The network will also air the Reese's College All-Star Game on Friday, April 1 as part of the NCAA Final Four Sunday.

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R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.