The best month in hoops (and possibly sports) is quickly approaching, and we couldn’t be more excited. Just like you, we’re getting ready for Selection Sunday this weekend and the first game that will air on Tuesday, March 19th. To get into team spirit, here’s our list of essentials that you’ll need to make your March Madness viewing as awesome, and easy, as possible.

Where to Watch the Games

First thing first: where do we watch the games? Just in case you don’t know, the tournament will be televised on TBS, TNT, TRU TV, and CBS, with the latter showing the team selection process as well as the actual Final Four.  For specific matchups and starting times, you should definitely check your local listings.

Have an HDTV

If you have a CRT or a Plasma TV, it would be in your best interest to upgrade. The picture quality on those models are quite dull and will definitely hinder your viewing experience. At the very least, you should have an HDTV, specifically LED or LCD TV, but if you have room in the budget, then OLED TV’s are the way to go. For more info on purchasing a new TV, check out our TV Buying Guide.

Make Sure Your TV Audio is Game Ready!

In an ideal world, your home theater will already have various external audio devices plugged in, but we don’t live in an ideal world and we understand. If you plan on hosting viewing parties, then audio is definitely an area you want to focus on. Modern-day high-end TVs are thinner so the built-in audio isn’t as strong compared to TVs 10-15 years ago. In terms of upgrading your audio, there are a myriad of options, but the simplest way would be to either add a soundbar or a home theater starter kit.  

TV Placement is Key

How your living room or theater room TV placement is very important and no, we’re not talking Feng Shui. For the optimal viewing experience, make sure your home theatre is set up so that you and multiple people can watch the game(s) without issue. If your TV is jammed in a corner, but your couches are set up along the side of the room, you might have trouble seeing the screen due to glare or even distance.

Snacks & Sports Go Together

While your home doesn’t need to be Oracle Arena or Levi’s Stadium, food is a critical part of the sports viewing experience. You’ll definitely want food during the games, so make sure your snack game is on point. I mean, how can you focus on the game when your stomach is growling, right?

For the Streamer

For the cord cutters out there, you’ll probably be viewing the games from either your home or on any of your mobile devices, which means you probably have one or a medley of devices connected such as Apple TV or Amazon, Roku, PS4, Xbox. We obviously recommend Caavo Control Center, so you can seamlessly switch between any and all of them when you’re not on the go. Use Caavo’s true universal search to easily find and watch all the games on your list.

Don’t Forget Your Bracket

Out of everything, this is the most important tip. Don’t forget to fill out your bracket. Watching your team win by the narrowest of margins will be fun and exciting, but nothing will be as satisfying as besting your friends and colleague on who had the better picks. Trust us.

Have a fun March Madness viewing and we hope your favorite school doesn’t get upset!