The tournament is still a month away, but college basketball fans will want to make sure they know their pay-tv provider identification number in order to fully enjoy the 2013 version of the Madness.
Produced by Turner Sports, March Madness Live will offer free streaming of the 67 games comprising the 2013 NCAA Division Men’s Basketball Championship across myriad online, mobile and tablet devices to pay TV subscribers. Users will gain access to all games on TNT, TBS and TruTV on their preferred digital device by logging in with their TV service provider information, while all games on broadcast teammate CBS will be accessible sans registration requirements. Those who are not pay-tv subscribers will be able to check out up to four hours of live game streaming on NCAA March Madness Live, without viewer registration.
During the 2012 tourney, authentication was also in play, but non-pay TV subscribers could gain broadband or mobile access to all of the game action for $3.99 fee.
In 2012, NCAA.com/March Madness Live, CBSSports.com, SI.com, TruTV.com, TNT.tv and TBS.com delivered over 220 million visits across online and mobile platforms from March 11 through national championship game on April 2, won by Kentucky over Kansas, an 11% increase from 198 million in 2011, according to Turner officials.
This go-round, NCAA March Madness Live will feature social and interactive components to provide portable access to the tournament and – in partnership between the NCAA, Turner Sports and CBS Sports – will launch from www.ncaa.com/marchmadness, www.CBSSports.com and www.bleacherreport.com, along with Google Play and the App Store, beginning in March.
Turner Sports officials said March Madness Live will sport a new look and feel, while affording users with the same level of access and experience across all devices, which this year includes smart phones and tablets running on Android 4.0+ operating system, as well as iPhone5 and iPad mini.
Capital One is sponsoring the official NCAA March Madness Bracket Challenge, featuring new designs and enhancements on smart phones and tablets, along with expanded social functionality across all devices allowing fans to join groups, share brackets and chat with friends and other passionate fans via Facebook.
For its part, the Coke Zero NCAA March Madness Social Arena will serve as a forum to extend the conversation surrounding all of the games within NCAA March Madness Live products. Using the hashtag #marchmadness, fans can follow game and tournament tweets, participate in chats, watch the games and keep a pulse on all the key moments of every contest.
NCAA March Madness Live will once again provide video highlights, full-game replays and real-time game alerts, as well as live game scoring, real-time tournament brackets, personal channel lineup features, live stats and live social companion views. Fans will have direct access to live radio broadcasts, courtesy of Westwood One/Dial Global Radio Network, for all matchups across the collection of digital products. The “Boss Button” will also return.
In addition to their ties to the bracket and social arena, Capital One and Coke Zero will be joined by fellow NCAA Corporate Champion AT&T as co-presenting sponsors of NCAA March Madness Live
Buick, Capital One and Coke Zero will sponsor the NCAA March Madness Live iOS app, while AT&T, Infiniti and LG Electronics USA will sponsor the Android app.
“Whether viewing on a big-screen TV or a computer, tablet, or smart phone, fans can enjoy the incomparable excitement of March Madness anywhere they are and however they choose,” said Matthew Hong, senior vice president and general manager of operations, for Turner Sports, in a statement. “With Turner’s commitment to TV Everywhere, passionate fans can use NCAA March Madness Live® as either a first- or second-screen interactive experience to enjoy all 67 tournament games.”
