Pending any changes, a total of 68 teams will enter the 2025 tournament. A total of 31 automatic bids are awarded to each program that win a conference tournament. The remaining 37 bids are issued "at-large", with selections extended by the NCAA Selection Committee on Selection Sunday, March 16. The Selection Committee will also seed the entire field from 1 to 68.
Eight teams (the four-lowest seeded automatic qualifiers and the four lowest-seeded at large-teams) play in the First Four. The winners of these games will advance to the main tournament bracket.
2025 NCAA Tournament schedule and venues
The following are the sites selected to host each round of the 2025 tournament:.[1]
CBS Sports and TNT Sports have US television rights to the tournament.[2] As part of a cycle that began in 2016, CBS will televise the 2025 Final Four and the national championship game.
First and Second Rounds – CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV.
Regional Semifinals (Sweet 16) and Finals (Elite 8) – CBS and TBS
National Semifinals (Final Four) and Championship – CBS
Radio
Westwood One will have exclusive coverage of the entire tournament.
Internet
Video
Live video of games is available for streaming through the following means:[3]
NCAA March Madness Live (website and app, CBS games available for free on digital media players; access to all other games requires TV Everywhere authentication through provider)
Watch TBS website and app (only TBS games, required TV Everywhere authentication)
Watch TNT website and app (only TNT games, required TV Everywhere authentication)
Watch truTV website and app (only truTV games, required TV Everywhere authentication)
CBS website and app (only CBS games, required TV Everywhere authentication)
Websites and apps of cable, satellite, and OTT providers of CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV (access required subscription)
For the app this year, a multiview which showed all games airing simultaneously was available for the second straight year.[4]
In addition, the March Madness app will offer Fast Break, whiparound coverage of games similar to NFL RedZone on the First weekend of the tournament (First and Second rounds).
Audio
Live audio of games is available for streaming through the following means:
NCAA March Madness Live (website and app)
Westwood One Sports website
TuneIn (website and app, required TuneIn Premium subscription)
Varsity Network app
Websites and apps of Westwood One Sports affiliates
The March Madness app also supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto through a native app.[5]