March Madness captures the attention of the entire nation. After the first day of action, this year is no different. People plan extended lunches, call in sick, and find ways to mask their desktops with static images of spreadsheets, all for the love of the shared experience of college basketball.
CBS Sports, in partnership with TNT Sports, has done a masterful job presenting March Madness for many years. One Shining Moment and onions all around. It’s the single biggest tournament in college sports, with 68 teams all vying for the opportunity to call themselves champion.
It has also long been a product airing on these networks. Since 1982, CBS has served as the NCAA’s primary television partner for the tournament. Yet no one debates whether March Madness should have a single television partner like the College Football Playoff. It begs the question: after 44 years on CBS, is it time for March Madness to have more than one television home?
College basketball is as hot as it has been in recent years. Viewership across all networks that broadcast the sport nationally increased during the past regular season.
CBS drew the highest viewership, averaging 1.42 million viewers across its 30-game slate. That’s up 10% from last season and marks the network’s most-watched regular season in seven years.
ESPN also saw similar gains, finishing with its most-watched season in 11 years. FOX Sports experienced growth as well, averaging 1.21 million viewers across its broadcasts. That’s up a whopping 38% year over year. FS1 also posted gains, rising 25% year over year.
Without question, live sports across the board have benefited from the new Nielsen Big Data + Panel measurement system. Since its launch last September, the NFL, NHL, NBA, and college football and basketball have all shown rising viewership trends. While some may argue that more people aren’t necessarily watching, the fact remains that more viewers are being counted. That reality benefits leagues and networks alike through increased rights fees and advertising revenue.
Last year, FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt said the College Football Playoff is making a mistake by having a single television partner. His reasoning centered on presentation.
“There is no playoff that should be a single television partner. It just shouldn’t,” said Klatt in early January about the College Football Playoff. “Because the presentation is important, in particular, when you’re down to this point in the sport where you’re trying to showcase games. Let’s face it. It would be better if every network was giving an A-level broadcast versus a single presenter. In particular, when that single presenter has a deep relationship with one conference with college football.”
At the time, I disagreed with Klatt’s argument. I argued that fans value consistency in a fragmented media landscape, using first-round viewership figures as evidence.
At a time when sports broadcasts are splintered across cable channels, streaming apps, and subscription tiers, the College Football Playoff’s greatest strength may be its simplest: clarity. Fans know where to go. Casual viewers know exactly what button to press.
However, sports fans also crave new, fresh, and innovative experiences. March Madness has long maintained a consistent feel, look, and presentation. Despite the fresh faces and upsets, the CBS Sports broadcast can feel worn and dated.
You can’t say that about the College Football Playoff. ESPN has done a masterful job introducing new and creative ways for fans to engage. Alt-casts offer fresh perspectives, angles, and analysis beyond traditional play-by-play. Unique camera angles provide a bird’s-eye view with visuals rarely seen during the regular season.
Given everything March Madness represents on CBS, do Klatt’s ideas carry more weight for college basketball? The sport has just as many, if not more, national media agreements as football. Much of the on-air talent featured on CBS comes from other networks and partners.
Would that model work on FOX Sports, which has ties to the Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, and Mountain West? Gus Johnson is synonymous with college basketball, yet he is no longer part of the March Madness broadcast.
Would this model work for ESPN, which currently holds the rights to the entire women’s NCAA tournament? More than likely, yes. Consider the innovative ways ESPN could apply its College Football Playoff experience to its presentation of March Madness.
As much as fans may desire consistency in a fragmented world, college basketball needs a new coat of paint on its signature event. For everything March Madness already gives sports fans, expanding to additional network partners could breathe new life into a tournament that arrives quickly and fades just as fast.
For all the tradition, nostalgia, and familiarity CBS has built into March Madness, the question isn’t whether the tournament has been presented well. It has. The real question is whether “well” is still good enough for where sports — and sports media — are headed.
Because in 2026, standing still is the fastest way to fall behind.
March Madness doesn’t need to abandon what makes it special. One Shining Moment will still hit. The upsets will still captivate. Office pools and buzzer-beaters will still define the calendar. However, the way those moments reach fans should evolve just as much as how fans consume them.
Expanding to multiple network partners wouldn’t dilute the tournament — it would amplify it. More voices, perspectives, and innovation. More ways to meet fans wherever they are and however they choose to watch.
Consistency once made March Madness easy to find. Now, creativity will keep it impossible to ignore. If college basketball is as strong as the numbers suggest, then its biggest stage should reflect that same energy — not just on the court, but on the screen.
Because the madness shouldn’t just live in the games. It should live in the broadcast, too.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
hot take. just what we need in this world.