March Madness: Everything To Know About The NCAA Tournament That Preempts CBS Soaps Each Year

March Madness has a tendency to divide the audience into diehard sports fans and disappointed soap fans whose shows are preempted this month in favor of the annual college basketball tournament. It’s been this way for years now and if you’ve wondered just what the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament has going for it, we’ve got you covered!

March Madness Has Been in Play Since 1939

The NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament consists of 68 teams competing in seven rounds with the Final Four round the last one before the championship game.

If you’ve ever worked in an office, chances are you’ve had the chance to participate in the NCAA tournament bracket, picking teams you think will win. The bracket is determined on Selection Sunday, the day that all 68 teams are announced.

Support us! Celebrating The Soaps may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article.

Many of the games are broadcast during daytime on CBS. This means that The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless are subjects to preemptions.

The Mug with a Hoop Basketball Mug Novelty Hot Chocolate Coffee Mugs Sports Cereal Bowl

If you’re both a soap fan and a NCAA fan, this is heaven—if you’re only into soaps, March is a time to get Spring Cleaning done!

The 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule

Here is the breakdown of the b-ball tournament:

Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 16
First Four: March 18-19
First round: March 20-21
Second round: March 22-23
Sweet 16: March 27-28
Elite Eight: March 29-30
Final Four: April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
NCAA championship game: April 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas

Where Do I Get an NCAA Bracket?

If you want to get in on the fun of guessing which teams progress through the tourney, as well as the ultimate championship team, you can download a bracket online. Next step is to involve as many people as you want, and any bets made are up to you!

How Long Has March Madness Been Going On?

The NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament debuted in 1939 and was held continuously until the 2019-20 season which was cancelled due to—you guessed it– the coronavirus pandemic.
The tournament has changed over time, mainly in the number of participants.

The first tourney had only eight teams and that year Oregon beat Ohio State 46-33 to clinch the title. In 1951, the field doubled to 16 and in 1985 the current format debuted.

Why is it Called “March Madness?”

The modern use of the term March Madness is credited to CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger who used the epithet during the 1982 tournament.

The alliterate moniker was an immediate hit and today millions around the globe wait in anticipation for March Madness to kick off.

How Are the Teams Chosen?

Overall there 31 Division I conferences. Some participating teams qualify for March Madness automatically when they win their conference tournament.

But there are also at-large bids in which the Selection Sunday committee decide which of the 37 teams that are not automatic qualifiers should be invited to play. Regular season stats and rankings are used in the decision-making process.

The Selection Committee is made up of college and conference administrators who serve five-year terms.

How to Watch March Madness

Each and every March Madness game is broadcast on these channels: TBS, TNT, TruTV or CBS. You can also stream games on March Madness Live.

Fun Fact: UCLA has won the most championships, with 11 wins from 1964 to 1975.

Be sure to catch up on everything happening with March Madness. Come back here often for the latest March Madness news and updates and make us your favorite hotspot.