Here’s Everything New for March Madness 2014

In addition to the traditional NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship broadcast on CBS, TNT, truTV and TBS, several other options are being offered this year, particularly for second-screen users.

The NCAA March Madness Live App, appearing in the Windows Store, Apple App Store, Amazon Appstore and Google Play outlets, will feature a variety of new ways for sports enthusiasts to become engaged with the games, including live streaming, an improved bracket system, social forum and digital television listings of all the events.

AT&T will be presenting an official North Texas NCAA Men’s Final Four App, and while the exact content hasn’t been released yet, it will likely resemble 2013’s Atlanta-inspired version, which offered game times, fan gatherings, Bracket Town activities and maps.

For 2014, March Madness will be available from several more online sources than in the past, consisting of websites like ncaa.com/marchmadness, CBSSports.com and bleacherreport.com. 

Also new this year: the “teamcast.” TNT and truTV will offer separate Final Four simulcasts of each game custom-tailored per team, each with their own specific announcers and camera angles. For example, if a Duke fan wanted to hear game commentary from a local supporter or celebrity, he or she would select the channel airing it from that perspective to receive those insights.

“I think it’s something that the future of media may end of [sic] being,” said Turner President David Levy. “There are going to be situations where you do this, when there’s what I would call a dominant fan base around certain teams.”

NCAA March Madness Live App

“The concept was borne out of the popularity and the incredible passion people have with their college basketball teams and schools and we wanted to provide some kind of alternate viewing -- trying to give people a different perspective, if you will,” he continued in a call with reporters. "And constantly trying to push ourselves internally. What can we do differently for the fans and what's happening differently in the media landscape?"

Furthermore, CBS Outdoor has allied with TBS to launch a digital network throughout New York City’s subway system, which has 10 66 in. tall LCD screens placed at high-traffic stations designed to display coverage of all 67 March Madness games, as well as promotions for all the broadcast networks.

March Madness will officially begin on March 18, 2014 at 6 p.m. EST on truTV; the Final Four and championship competitions will take place April 5 and 7 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, located a mere stone’s throw from FYI Television. All sorts of fun festivities are planned for Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex residents, including music festivals, practices and Conan O’Brien show tapings.



Author: Brian Cameron

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