Final Four’s Move to Cable in 2016 Reflects Change of Sports TV Landscape

There was a time not long ago when CBS and Turner’s deal for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament would have created massive waves on Capitol Hill, but it seems that this day has passed. Starting in 2016, the Final Four will alternate between CBS and Turner, meaning the biggest games of the tournament will be available only on cable every other year.

A few years ago, this would have created a thrash of hearings from legislators looking to keep big sporting events on over-the-air network TV. However, with the migration of the BCS, the British Open, the NBA All-Star Game and Monday Night Football to cable, along with the prospective retrans fees that the new deal will create for CBS and Turner, March Madness’ move to cable has been all but ignored by legislators.

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