College Basketball on TNT Sports

College Basketball on TNT Sports
GenreCollege basketball telecasts
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons15
Production
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time120 minutes or until end of game
Production companies
Original release
Network
  • TBS (1982–83, 2011–present)
  • TNT (2011–present)
  • TruTV (2011–present)
  • HBO Max (2023–present)
Release1982 (1982) –
1983 (1983)
ReleaseMarch 15, 2011 (2011-03-15) –
present
Related
NCAA March Madness

College Basketball on TNT Sports is the de facto title of college basketball coverage produced by TNT Sports for TNT, TBS, and TruTV.

TBS initially broadcast two regular-season games in the early-1980s as part of syndication arrangements with the Lorimar Sports Network. In 2010, Turner Sports and CBS Sports partnered on an agreement—since extended through 2032—to acquire the rights to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, with the two broadcasters co-producing coverage across CBS and the Turner networks. Outside of the NCAA tournament, TNT Sports' regular-season coverage had largely been limited to neutral-site showcase events such as the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, and later the Acrisure Series and Players Era Festival, and various one-off broadcasts on NBA TV highlighting HBCUs.

In the mid-2020s, TNT Sports began to acquire regular-season conference packages for the first time, beginning with a share of rights to the Big East Conference, and a package of Big 12 Conference games sublicensed from ESPN.

History

Early TBS games (1982–1983)

On December 11, 1982, TBS[1][2] (with the aid of more than 100 independent network affiliates and stations[3]) broadcast a contest between Virginia and Georgetown[4][5][6] (led by Ralph Sampson and Patrick Ewing[7] respectively). The game in question (in which TBS paid approximately US$600,000[8] for the broadcasting rights) was called by Skip Caray[9] and Abe Lemons. On November 26, 1983, TBS broadcast a contest between Kentucky and Louisville. TBS, in a joint venture with Sports Productions Inc. of Dallas, paid $600,000 for the rights to the game.[10] Skip Caray and Joe Dean were on the call of the game.[11]

NCAA tournament rights, one-off games (2011–2024)

Main article: NCAA March Madness (TV program)

On April 22, 2010, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) reached a 14-year agreement,[12] worth US$10.8 billion, with CBS and the Turner Broadcasting System to receive joint broadcast rights to the Division I men's college basketball tournament.[13] This came after speculation that ESPN would try to obtain the rights to future tournament games.[14] The NCAA took advantage of an opt-out clause in its 1999 deal with CBS (which ran through 2013, even though the NCAA had the option of ending the agreement after the 2010 championship) to announce its intention to sign a new contract with CBS and Turner Sports, The new contract came amid serious consideration by the NCAA of expanding the tournament to 68 teams.

The agreement, which runs through 2032 (extended from 2024 in 2016),[15] stipulates that all games are available nationally. All First Four games air on truTV. During the first and second rounds, a featured game in each time "window" is broadcast terrestrially on CBS (15 games), while all other games are shown on TBS (12 games), TNT (12 games) or truTV (nine exclusive games, from 2024 on select TNT and/or TBS games may get a simulcast on TruTV when that network is not airing any games). Sweet 16 (regional semifinal) and Elite 8 (regional finals) games are split among CBS and TBS. In 2014 and 2015, Turner channels had exclusive rights to the Final Four, and CBS broadcast the championship game. Since 2016, rights to the Final Four and championship game alternate between Turner and CBS; the 2016 tournament marked the first time that the national championship game was not broadcast on over-the-air television.[16] That year, CBS and Turner renewed their rights to the tournament through 2032.[17]

In 2011, TruTV acquired the rights to the preseason Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, beginning with 2012. The tournament was the first regular season games aired by TNT Sports since 1983. The tournament was discontinued after the 2014 edition.[18]

In 2021, the Turner-run NBA TV began airing selected games highlighting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), beginning with a doubleheader on February 22, 2021 featuring men's and women's games between the Jackson State Tigers and Grambling State Tigers. They marked the first college basketball games broadcast by the channel.[19] Later in the 2021–22 season, TNT would begin carrying the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic—an early-season HBCU showcase, and the NBA would introduce the NBA HBCU Classic as a new component of NBA All-Star Weekend; the game would air in simulcast on NBA TV, TNT, and ESPN2. NBA TV also aired a package of four other regular-season SWAC games in February 2022 in commemoration of Black History Month.[20][21]

In 2023, TNT and TruTV began airing the Hall of Fame Series, an early-season showcase event in Las Vegas featuring men's and women's games.[22] The event was reduced to two games, one women's and one men's, for the 2024 edition.[23] .n 2024, TNT and TruTV also aired one game from the Hall of Fame Series in Baltimore.[24]

Expansion of regular-season coverage (2021–present)

On June 27, 2024, TNT Sports announced that they had reached a six-year agreement with the Big East Conference, joining incumbent Fox and newcomer NBC, to air men's and women's college basketball games on their platforms; this marked TNT Sports' first regular-season conference package. TNT will air more than 65 games (more that 50 men's basketball games and at least 15 women's basketball games) over the course of the six-year deal. While most games will air on TNT, select games will air on TBS and TruTV, and all games stream on HBO Max.[25]

On August 22, 2024, TNT Sports announced it had acquired the rights to the Acrisure Classic. As part of the agreement, 19 men's and women's basketball games over four days will air on TruTV and stream on Max.[26] On September 10, 2024, TNT Sports announced it had acquired the rights to the Players Era Festival, with 12 games airing on TNT, TBS, TruTV or Max.[27]

In November 2024, TNT Sports sublicensed a package of Big 12 Conference basketball from ESPN beginning in the 2025–26 season, as part of a larger settlement relating to Warner Bros. Discovery's loss of rights to the NBA.[28] The HBCU Classic will move to NBC Sports in 2026 as part of NBC's new NBA contract.[29]

Coverage overview

Current rights

Former rights

Commentators

For March Madness commentators on TBS, TNT and TruTV, see List of NCAA March Madness commentary crews for CBS/TNT Sports.

Current

Play-by-play

Color

Reporters

Former

Play-by-play

Color

Reporters

See also

Notes

  1. ^ March Madness games only

References

  1. ^ 1982 83 #1 Virginia at #4 Georgetown 1 of 1 on YouTube
  2. ^ 1982-83 UVA vs. Georgetown 12/11 on YouTube
  3. ^ Stoda, Greg (December 10, 1982). "Battle of giants forms collation". Star-News. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  4. ^ Rothenberg, Fred (July 22, 1982). "Superstation Wtbs Fights Network Methods, Programs". Toledo Blade. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  5. ^ Richard, Chris (July 22, 1982). "Awesome Basketball Game Spotlights Sampson-Ewing Confrontation". The Cavalier Daily. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  6. ^ 1982-83 UVA vs. Georgetown 12/11 on YouTube
  7. ^ Meade, Peter (December 8, 1982). "The Biggest Showdown?". The Times-News. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  8. ^ Siddens, Larry (September 16, 1982). "Court Ruling Is Made On Televised NCAA Athletics". Daily Times. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  9. ^ "Hawks Relive Caray Of Announcing Duties". The Palm Beach Post. February 4, 1983. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  10. ^ "Kentucky and Louisville will begin a four-year basketball series..." United Press International. May 25, 1983. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  11. ^ [1983-1984] NCAA Basketball: Kentucky Wildcats vs Louisville Cardinals on YouTube
  12. ^ Fang, Ken (March 17, 2017). "Looking back at how the NCAA-CBS/Turner partnership began". AwfulAnnouncing.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2017. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  13. ^ "CBS Sports, Turner Broadcasting, NCAA Reach 14-Year Agreement". NCAA.com (Press release). National Collegiate Athletic Association. April 21, 2010. Archived from the original on November 9, 2013. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  14. ^ Surber, Don (March 29, 2010). "ESPN to snag the Final Four?". Charleston Daily Mail. Retrieved April 11, 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  15. ^ Bonesteel, Matt (April 12, 2016). "CBS and Turner Sports lock down NCAA tournament through 2032". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 5, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  16. ^ Crupi, Anthony (May 7, 2013). "Fast Break: TBS to Air Final Four in 2014: College hoops title game shifts to cable in 3 years". Adweek. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
  17. ^ Bonesteel, Matt (April 12, 2016). "CBS and Turner Sports lock down NCAA tournament through 2032". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  18. ^ "Coaches vs. Cancer Classic to move". Associated Press. September 14, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  19. ^ "HBCUs to be first colleges featured on NBA TV". February 18, 2021. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  20. ^ "NBA TV to showcase HBCU games in Celebration of Black History Month | NBA.com". NBA. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
  21. ^ Rill, Jake. "Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic 2021: TV, Live Stream for HBCU Showcase". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
  22. ^ "LSU women's basketball season opener vs. Colorado in Las Vegas to air on TNT". Crescent City Sports. October 10, 2023. Archived from the original on January 27, 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  23. ^ Hayes, Dade (June 27, 2024). "With NBA Relationship Still In Limbo, TNT Sports Lands 6-Year Rights Deal For Big East College Basketball". Deadline. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  24. ^ Woods, Ashlee (October 15, 2024). "What channel is Villanova vs. Virginia on tonight? Time, TV schedule to watch NCAA men's college basketball game". Sporting News. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  25. ^ a b c d e "TNT Sports to Tip Off College Basketball Season with 2024 Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas on Monday, Nov. 4". TNT Sports. October 16, 2024. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  26. ^ "TNT Sports to Present Comprehensive Live Coverage of NCAA College Basketball Acrisure Series in Palm Springs – Tuesday, Nov. 26-Friday, Nov. 29 – on truTV & Max". TNT Sports Press Room. August 22, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  27. ^ "TNT Sports Reaches Multi-Year Agreement to be Exclusive U.S. Distribution Partner, Televising & Streaming Players Era Festival Tournaments Across TNT, TBS, truTV & Max". TNT Sports Press Room. September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  28. ^ Steinberg, Brian (November 16, 2024). "Warner Bros. Discovery, NBA Settle Legal Fight Over TV Rights". Variety. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  29. ^ Karangu, Jessie (October 2024). "Breaking down unsealed details of NBA's new deals with NBC, Amazon". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  30. ^ a b c d "truTv to air Coaches vs. Cancer Classic". NCAA. November 19, 2023. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "TNT Sports to Exclusively Televise 30+ Men's & Women's College Basketball Games During Thanksgiving Week (Nov. 26-30) Across TNT, TBS, truTV & Max". TNT Sports. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  32. ^ a b c d e "Game and Studio Commentators Announced for 2023 Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas on TNT, truTV & Max — Monday, Nov. 6". TNT Sports. November 2, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  33. ^ a b c "TNT Sports to Televise Third Annual Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 1 p.m. ET". TNT Sports. January 25, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  34. ^ a b c d e f "TNT Sports Announces Commentators for GEICO Players Era Men's & Women's Championships". TNT Sports. November 18, 2025. Retrieved November 24, 2025.
  35. ^ a b c "TNT Sports to Tip Off Inaugural BIG EAST Men's & Women's Basketball Regular Season Coverage Starting November 12". TNT Sports. November 10, 2025. Retrieved November 24, 2025.
  36. ^ a b c "2024 NBA HBCU Classic to be presented by AT&T". NBA. February 2, 2024. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  37. ^ a b c d "2024 NBA HBCU Classic to be presented by AT&T". NBA. February 13, 2023. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  38. ^ a b "San Francisco Closes Out Acrisure Holiday Classic Against Nevada". University of San Francisco. November 27, 2025. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  39. ^ "Gophers Set to Close out AcriSure Invite". University of Minnesota. November 28, 2025. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  40. ^ "Eastern Facing Butler Tuesday on truTV". Eastern Michigan. November 30, 2025. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  41. ^ a b c "TNT and ESPN2 to simulcast first-ever NBA HBCU Classic presented by AT&T". NBA. February 7, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  42. ^ "No. 3 UConn Hosts Bryant in Hartford on Sunday". UConn. November 21, 2025. Retrieved November 24, 2025.
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