With live TV streaming options like Sling, you no longer have to rely on a cable subscription to watch live sports. Sling TV even offers several channels to watch college basketball games and keep up with your favorite teams. So it could be an excellent streaming service for fans of NCAA basketball.
You can watch some of the bigger games on major cable channels such as ESPN and FOX Sports 1. And local networks like ABC, CBS, and FOX will broadcast most college basketball games. You can even watch a handful of games through regional sports networks, although the coverage only includes select areas.
Besides these, smaller games and conferences are available to watch on college sports channels and streaming-only networks. This includes ACC Network, Big Ten Network, BTN+, ESPN+, and ESPN 3 to name a few.
Sling TV gives you access to several of these channels so you can watch college basketball with your subscription. This post explores the full Sling TV NCAA basketball offering to help you figure out if it’s a good choice for you. But make sure you check out our Sling TV review to get a more detailed look at the service offering.
Sling TV plans and sports channels compared
The Sling Orange plan costs $30/mo. and only has ESPN among the major cable sports networks that broadcast college basketball games. For access to FOX and NBCSN, you’ll need the Sling Blue plan, which also costs $30/mo. Learn more about the complete lineup in our Sling channels list.
To get all three major cable sports networks, go for the Sling Orange + Blue plan that combines the two packages for $45/mo. Compare the three plans using our Sling packages and pricing guide and see which one makes the most sense.
Sling also offers several other channels to stream college basketball games.
Sling TV college sports channels
Most of the college sports channels that broadcast smaller games and conferences are available on Sling TV through add-on packages. You get Big Ten Network and Pac-12 Network in the Sports Extra add-on for Sling Blue. ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, ESPNU, Longhorn Network, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network are available with the Sports Extra add-on for Sling Orange.
But if you get the same add-on with the Sling Orange + Blue plan, you’ll also get all the extra college sports channels that broadcast smaller NCAA basketball games. Keep in mind that CBS Sports Network and FOX College Sports are missing from the Sling TV lineup and aren’t available through any add-ons.
| Sling Orange Free Trial$30/mo. | Sling Blue Free Trial$30/mo. | Sling Orange + Blue Free Trial$45/mo. | |
| ACC Network | + $10/mo. | + $10/mo. | |
| ACC Network Extra | + $10/mo. | + $10/mo. | |
| Big Ten Network | + $10/mo. | + $10/mo. | |
| CBS Sports Network | |||
| ESPNU | + $10/mo. | + $10/mo. | |
| FOX College Sports | |||
| Longhorn Network | + $10/mo. | + $10/mo. | |
| Pac-12 Network | + $10/mo. | + $10/mo. | + $10/mo. |
Sling TV streaming-only channels
Some of the smaller college basketball games also broadcast through channels that are only available through streaming services or as standalone subscriptions. That means you won’t get these channels on cable. ESPN+ and BTN+ are available as standalone subscriptions, so you’ll need to get them separately from the Sling TV service.
Other than these, the service offers a few streaming-only channels to watch NCAA basketball games live. And if you have the Sling Orange or Sling Orange + Blue subscription, you get access to ESPN 3 through the ESPN app. But SEC Network Plus will require the Sports Extra add-on.
| Channel | Sling Orange Free Trial$30/mo. | Sling Blue Free Trial$30/mo. | Sling Orange + Blue Free Trial$45/mo. |
| beIN Sports | + $10/mo. | + $10/mo. | + $10/mo. |
| Eleven Sports | |||
| ESPN 3 | ✔ | ✔ | |
| SEC Network Plus | + $10/mo. | + $10/mo. | |
| Stadium | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Sling TV local networks
The biggest drawback of the Sling TV NCAA basketball offering is that it doesn’t have too many local networks that broadcast major games. You won’t get ABC or CBS with your Sling TV subscription. And your Sling Blue or Sling Orange + Blue plan only gives you FOX in a handful of markets. Make sure to check your zip code on Sling to see whether FOX is available in your area.
It’s good to note that these local networks don’t broadcast the same games as regional sports channels. Regional sports networks only cover a handful of games in select parts of the country, so their offering is a bit limited. Plus, Sling doesn’t offer too many RSNs, except for the NBC Sports RSNs.
| Sling Orange Free Trial$30/mo. | Sling Blue Free Trial$30/mo. | Sling Orange + Blue Free Trial$45/mo. | |
| ABC | |||
| CBS | |||
| FOX | ✔ | ✔ |
Can I stream every college basketball game on Sling TV?
Sling TV has a decent offering of NCAA basketball broadcasts, but it doesn’t have all of the channels to watch major games. It doesn’t have most of the major local networks that cover the biggest college basketball games, for one. And you only get FOX in a handful of markets with the Sling Blue or Sling Orange + Blue plan.
But you do get some of the leading cable networks that cover other major events, including ESPN, ESPN 2, FOX Sports 1, and NBCSN. You also get FOX Sports 2 with the Sports Extra add-on for Sling Blue or Sling Orange + Blue.
And other than CBS Sports Network and FOX College Sports, you get all of the college sports channels through the Sports Extra add-on for Sling Orange + Blue. So you can keep up with most games involving lower-profile matchups.
You also get most of the streaming-only channels with the default Sling Orange + Blue plan and the Sports Extra add-on. The only major streaming-only option that’s missing from Sling is Eleven Sports.
What about March Madness on Sling TV?
The Sling TV March Madness offering is pretty decent, though not entirely complete. You can watch all 67 March Madness games through CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. And aside from CBS, you get all of these networks with the default Sling Blue lineup. So you can watch most of the March Madness games with Sling.
The final cut
With a solid lineup of major cable networks and college sports channels, Sling TV is a great way to watch NCAA basketball games live. But with most local networks missing from the lineup, you might end up missing out on major events.
If you’re planning to try out the service, Sling TV typically offers a $10 discount on your first month instead of a free trial. So sign up for Sling TV and see if it’s a good option for you. But make sure to check out our guide on Sling TV free trials and deals to look for other offers.
If you’re a diehard sports fan, you might want to invest in an antenna like HDHomeRun too. This gives you free, over-the-air broadcasts of sports events.