A cord cutter’s guide to watching the 2018 NCAA tournament

Technology allowed mankind to escape the surly bonds of gravity and explore a universe cloaked in mystery. It pushed the development of a network that connects worlds and cultures instantaneously, allowing for the passage of free ideas and information in a way once envisioned in moments when Thomas Edison rubbed his eyes too hard.

But technology’s greatest advancement is probably the one that lets you watch every single NCAA tournament game anywhere you please, whether you’ve got a television handy or not. A litany of streaming services, including the NCAA’s official March Madness app, can bring the games to your laptop, phone, tablet, or Oculus Rift VR headset.

The NCAA has set up its March Madness Live site, which has been the standard bearer for sneakily (or not-so-sneakily) watching games at the office when TVs are scarce. Every game, regardless of network, will be streamed through the NCAA’s site. You’ll be able to watch a limited amount of broadcast time — three hours, or roughly enough time for 1.5 games — before being prompted to sign in through your cable provider. If you’re not subscribed to the CBS/TBS/TNT/TruTV, you may want to pick and choose your spots to take advantage of that streaming window.

March Madness Live isn’t just confined to a website. You can also download the app on mobile devices to stream through your phone. It’s also compatible with Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, and Xbox One and supports AirPlay and Chromecast. Like with the site, the same restrictions apply for viewers without cable subscriptions.

Apple TV has the trump card in the battle for best offering; Steve Jobs’ brain-grandchild (the brainchild of his brainchild) will allow viewers to stream three games at once as part of the NCAA’s attempt to piggyback on the success of the NFL’s RedZone Network.

An emerging marketplace of streaming services has put the squeeze on traditional cable companies, and that won’t stop with March Madness upon us. Utilities like YouTubeTV, SlingTV, and Hulu offer the opportunity to watch the same broadcasts cable provides. You’d just have to have CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV as part of your subscription packages to ensure the chance to watch every NCAA tournament game.

Here are your biggest options to stream your way through the opening weekend, if you’re willing to pay a monthly fee. Or, if you’re not already subscribed, each of these services offers a free one week trial that should be able to get you through the first two rounds of this year’s tournament.

DirecTV Now’s Live a Little package costs $35-a-month and includes CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV. Although, if you’re already subscribed to DirecTV proper, you can just watch the games through your cable box.

Hulu with Live TV offers CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV for $40 per month. It also offers certain local networks specific to your location, so you’ll get the nearby broadcast wherever you end up watching.

PlayStation Vue’s $40 Access plan includes CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV, which will get you every game of the NCAA tournament without having to use the NCAA’s official site.

Sling TV doesn’t offer CBS, but a reliable HD over-the-air antenna would be an easy supplement to make sure you don’t miss any games. The service does include TBS, TNT, and TruTV with its Blue plan, which costs $25 per month.

YouTube TV’s basic service includes CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV and costs $35 a month. It’s not available everywhere, but here’s a list of the major markets where you can sign up for a subscription.

You’re in luck! The organization will roll out its first-ever virtual reality stream this March. It will be available through the NCAA March Madness Live VR app, which you’ll be able to download on the Oculus Store or through Google Play.

An indoor HD antenna will get you access to some, but not all, of the tournament’s games. CBS is the only network of the four to broadcast this year’s games that you can get for free via the airwaves, so you’ll be limited to 25 percent of the opening weekend’s games. What’s worse, the Final Four and NCAA championship game will all be broadcast on the Turner networks, so your run ends after the second weekend — unless you’re willing to turn to some streaming options to round out your coverage.

Oh, America’s great for that. Just go to literally any sports bar and enjoy the camaraderie of of a distinguished group of people who left work at 2 p.m. to drink beer and yell at college kids.

No, not Buffalo Wild Wings. You’re better than that.