When Does March Madness Start? | Key Dates & FAQs

It's now March, so do you know what that means? The NCAA regular season is approaching the finish line as the 2024 NCAA Tournament, aka March Madness, is set to officially begin on March 17.

Last year's national championship game between the Connecticut Huskies and San Diego State Aztecs reeled in nearly 15 million viewers to watch the basketball action unfold. Fans are excited to tune in to the 2024 edition, and the teams are eyeing the prize and prestige waiting at the end of this month-long event.

Here's everything you need to know about NCAA March Madness, including key dates, venues, and where to watch!

When Does March Madness Start?

March Madness begins with Selection Sunday of the tournament on March 17. This is followed by the First Four on March 19 - 20.

Once the opening round is complete, the field is set with the 64 top teams, with the first and second official rounds starting on March 21 - 22.

What is Selection Sunday?

Selection Sunday is the official day when the NCAA committee releases the entire NCAA Tournament March Madness brackets seeding, featuring 68 teams.

This will take place on March 17, around 6 PM ET. The men's basketball bracket is revealed first, followed by the women's.

For both gendered brackets, 32 teams automatically qualify for March Madness by winning their respective conference tournament.

NCAA March Madness 2024 Dates

Men's NCAA Tournament

• Selection Sunday: March 17
• First Four: March 19 - 20
• First Round: March 21 - 22
• Second Round: March 23 - 24
• Sweet 16: March 28 - 29
• Elite Eight: March 30 - 31
• Final Four: April 6 (State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona)
• NCAA Championship Game: April 8

Women's NCAA Tournament

• Selection Sunday: March 17
• First Four: March 20 - 21
• First Round: March 22 - 23
• Second Round: March 24 - 25
• Sweet 16: March 29 - 30
• Elite Eight: March March 31 - April 1
• Final Four: April 5 (Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, Ohio)
• NCAA Championship Game: April 7

NCAA March Madness 2024 Venues

The following stadiums will play host to the first and second rounds of the tournament. We have also included the regional tournaments towards the end of the month.

• First/Second: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
• First/Second: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
• First/Second: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
• First/Second: CHI Health Center, Omaha, Nebraska
• First/Second: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• First/Second: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
• First/Second: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Washington
• First/Second: FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tennessee
• East Regional: TD Garden, Boston, Massachussetts
• West Regional: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
• Midwest Regional: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
• South Regional: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

Where to watch March Madness 2024?

All 2024 March Madness and NCAA Games are broadcast live on TBS, TVT, and truTv. Many March Madness games throughout the tournament will also be broadcast on local CBS affiliates. The Final Four and Championship-winning game are shown exclusively on TBS.

If you have a digital antenna, you can watch the games for free without any subscription to any cable of other streaming services.

Take a look at our table below to see how the games align with different television channels showing the events:

• Selection Sunday - CBS, Paramount+
• First Four, truTV
• First Round, CBS, Paramount+, TNT, TBS, truTV
• Second Round, CBS, Paramount+, TNT, TBS, truTV
• Sweet 16, CBS, Paramount+, TBS
• Elite Eight, CBS, Paramount+, TBS
• Final Four: TBS
• NCAA Championship Game, TBS

Final Thoughts

That's everything we know about when March Madness begins and where to watch the events unfold. If any key dates in the March Madness schedule change, we'll update this article accordingly.

Dive into the exciting world of sports betting with Rivalry! We've got 24/7 customer support, the best live NCAA betting odds, welcome bonuses, promotions, and more. Whether you're into football, basketball, hockey, or something else, we've got options to suit everyone. After all, variety is the spice of life!

The action never stops, and neither do your chances to cash in on the chaos and win big.

FAQS about March Madness and NCAA

What is March Madness?

March Madness refers to the period between mid-March through to the beginning of April, when the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men's and women's college basketball tournaments are usually held.

Does every college play in March Madness?

The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament exclusively features Division I teams. Participation is strictly by invitation, with 32 automatic bids reserved for the champions of each of the 32 conferences. The remaining 36 bids are awarded to the runner-up teams from each conference.

Where is Final Four 2024?

The NCAA Men's Final Four location is the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

How many teams play in March Madness 2024?

As always, 68 teams will be competing in March Madness in best-of-one match-ups.

Who won March Madness last year?

For the men's tournament, the Connecticut Huskies bested the San Diego State Aztecs in the 2023 NCAA March Madness tournament. The final score was 76 - 59. For the women, the LSU Tigers won over the Iowa Hawkeyes with a final score of 102-85.

Who won 2022 March Madness in the Women's Tournament?

South Carolina won NCAA March Madness 2022 against Connecticut. The final score was 64 to 49.