Cable and satellite television providers hook consumers on convenience. One box with one remote – all you have to do is turn on the television and everything is there. You can flip through hundreds of channels, fire up the DVR or browse their catalog of on-demand offerings. These viewing habits become so entrenched, so second nature, that blowing it all up in favor of a more à la carte model can be intimidating. Even more so for sports fans, who feel wedded to cable and satellite out of fear of missing the action.

Last April, I ditched my cable subscription out of curiosity. Could the average sports fan still have a satisfactory television experience with an over-the-air antenna and apps? Almost a year later, the most honest answer I can give is: kinda.

There are tradeoffs, like the inability to watch local hockey, but it won't take long to get used to a new normal if the goal is to save money. It's possible to spend less than $100 a month between a decent broadband Internet service and a patchwork of apps.

If you're an average sports fan concerned only with high-profile games and major events, the basic requirements can be found in my beginner's guide for sports without cable or satellite. Same goes for the NFL, where most of the action is broadcast over-the-air.

And now March is here to stuff your face with college basketball. Here's how to watch it all without a traditional bundle.

ACC, NCAA, OTA & You

A good HD antenna is critical for anyone thinking about cord-shaving. It's the easiest way to watch every ACC Tournament game produced by the ACC Network (aka Raycom), which is broadcast locally on WRAL-TV and NCAA Tournament games broadcast over the air on CBS.

The Wirecutter has a good rundown of indoor HD antennas if you're overwhelmed by the number of options. I purchased a Mohu Leaf because it was relatively cheap, hangs somewhat inconspicuously behind my television and is made by a local company based in Raleigh. Setup was relatively easy, but I did have to play around with the Leaf's placement in order to program all available channels.

While most of the major NCAA Tournament games are aired on CBS, a contract partnership with Turner Broadcasting Company brought TBS, TNT and TruTV into the broadcasting mix through 2024. Early-round games are spread throughout the networks, with no guarantee your favorite team will be available over the air. Additionally, CBS and TBS alternate exclusive coverage of the Final Four and National Championship.

But don't sweat it, there are ways to watch every game with streaming options.

Sling TV & Playstation Vue offer no strings option

The upcoming NCAA Tournament is a good excuse to experiment with an "over-the-top Internet" streaming television service. Unlike the usual cable or satellite packages, these are month-to-month "skinny bundles" available through an app or a browser. Sling TV and Playstation Vue currently offer access to TBS, TNT and TruTV, while AT&T is preparing "DirecTV Now" later this year.

Sling TV offers just over 20 channels for $20 a month and is available on just about every device capable of streaming (Apple TV is the lone holdout, but that might change soon). The service includes ESPN, ESPN 2, TBS and TNT in their basic bundle.

A "lifestyle" package of channels, including TruTV, is available for an additional $5. However, "Best of Live TV" subscribers will have access to a free preview of TruTV throughout the NCAA Tournament.

Sling doesn't come with a bunch of frills, doesn't offer multiple viewing instances and lacks DVR capabilities. They also had to apologize for glitchy service after misjudging Final Four demand last season. However, it is the cheapest way to watch college basketball for a month.

Playstation Vue offers a "slim" bundle of 55 channels for $29.99 a month. Sony initially introduced Vue for their Playstation video game consoles in 2015 but recently spun it off to Amazon's Fire TV, Google's Chromecast or Apple iOS devices. Unlike Sling TV, the service offers multiple streams and a cloud-based DVR.

At the outset, Playstation was only available in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Miami and San Francisco. Conveniently, the service has expanded nationwide in over 200 markets.

Something to keep in mind if you're thinking about an over-the-top streaming solution – both Sling TV and Playstation Vue offer 7-day free trials. So it's possible to watch the Final Four on TBS and not pay a dime for it.

March Madness Live

The official NCAA Tournament app, March Madness Live, will stream games on a variety of devices. Unfortunately, the app requires a television service provider login to unlock all 67 contests. Apart from borrowing credentials from friends or family, which is frowned upon, cord-cutting fans will be stuck with the CBS games in the app.