Turner and CBS will share the NCAA basketball tournament under a new rights deal that has TBS airing the Final Four in alternate years starting in 2016. Overall, Turner will begin covering tourney
games next year on three networks, along with CBS.
Next year, the NCAA tournament looks to be expanded to 68 teams (from 65), not the 96 some feared would dilute its appeal.
The
Turner-CBS agreement is valued at $10.8 billion and runs through 2024, meaning TBS will get four Final Fours and CBS, which has had those games since 1982, will have nine. CBS will have it each year
from 2011-2015. The Final Four rights include the national semis and championship game.
Starting next year, the tourney's first two rounds will be shown on Turner's TNT, TBS and truTV, as well
as CBS. Turner and CBS will split Sweet 16 games, while CBS will air the next round, which is the regional finals or Elite Eight, through 2016.
Then, Turner and CBS will begin splitting the
Elite Eight games and the alternate-year schedule starts with the Final Four.
CBS and Turner parent Time Warner will share rights to carry games live on the Web; games will also be accessible
via NCAA.com.
The 14-year deal also has CBS and Turner both having rights to the NCAA’s corporate marketing program.
ESPN had been viewed as a bidder for the
tournament, but the price apparently got too high. That could mean, however, it has money to spend to grab Olympic rights.