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It’s Official: New $10.8 Billion Deal for March Madness–Expands to 68 Teams, Games Will Be On CBS and Turner, Deal Is for 14 Years

Apr 22, 2010  •  Post A Comment

The NCAA has announced a new deal for March Madness, the annual Division 1 Men’s Basketball Championship.

The deal is worth more than $10.8 billion, and runs from 2011 through 2014. Besides incombent CBS Sports, add Turner to the mix. The agreement includes TV, Internet, wireless and marketing rights.

The basketball tourney will now include 68 teams.

According to the official announcement, "Beginning with the 2011 championship, opening- , first- and second-round games will be shown nationally on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. CBS and Turner will split coverage of the regional semi-final games. CBS will provide coverage of the regional finals, as well as the Final Four® including the National Championship Game through 2015. Beginning in 2016, coverage of the regional finals will be split by CBS and Turner with the Final Four and the National Championship game alternating every year between the CBS Television Network and Turner’s TBS."

The announcement also said that "CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting have been licensed and will collaborate on the NCAA’s corporate marketing program."

To read the entire announcement, click here.

3 Comments

  1. Conan’s move looks even better now. With TBS carrying the national championship and ESPN having the bowl games the demise of the networks is coming very quickly. This likely the last decade where there will be any differnce between Braodast and Cable TV as far as ratings and influence.

  2. The biggest news I see out of this story is after 2016, every other year the national championship game won’t be shown on free tv. What a shame. I’m sure the NCAA will be sharing all of those huge profits with the athletes.

  3. Ice hockey is an interesting exercise, I like it.

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