When Does March Madness Start? (Bracket Release Date, How to Watch and More)
By Peter Dewey
The 2022 NCAA Tournament will begin on Sunday, March 13 with Selection Sunday, as that will set the stage for the first four games to be played to narrow down the field of 64 teams that will compete for the national title.
If you’re looking to bet on March Madness or simply just want to watch as many games as possible, here’s a full guide on when and where to get all the action for this year’s NCAA Tournament:
When Do Brackets Come Out for March Madness?
The official bracket for the 2022 NCAA Tournament will come out on Sunday, March 13 during the Selection Sunday show. There, the bracket determined by the selection committee will be revealed.
There are 32 teams who will automatically qualify for the tournament by winning their respective conference tournament, and the other 36 teams in the 68-team field will receive at-large bids that are decided by the selection committee.
The bracket will fully be revealed by Sunday night, as the Selection Sunday show begins at 6 p.m. EST.
How Many Teams in March Madness?
There are 68 teams that will make the NCAA Tournament. However, eight of those teams will play in the “First Four” to cement their spot in the tournament, bringing it to a field of 64 by the time the first round begins.
How to Watch March Madness: What Channel Is March Madness On?
March Madness games will be shown on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV.
Every matchup is also available to watch on the official NCAA app. You can download the app on iPhone, iPad and android, and use a sign-in from your cable provider to watch games live.
With so many games being played in the first and second round of the tournament, there will be games on all four channels at times. This should allow you to flip back and forth between games in order to get as much action as possible.
What Time Does March Madness Start?
The games in the first four will be played on March 15 and 16 and are usually night games. We will update this article once the NCAA releases the official start time of each game.
The first round, which begins on Thursday, March 17, typically starts with a 12 or 12:10 p.m. EST game to kick off the round of 64. Once that matchup is determined, we will add it to this article.
When Is First Game of March Madness?
The first game, or games of March Madness will take place on Tuesday, March 15. Those matchups will be decided following the Selection Sunday show on March 13.
When Is March Madness Final?
The 2022 NCAA Tournament Championship Game is set to take place on Monday, April 4 in New Orleans at the Caesars Superdome.