Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Wagner vs Howard live stream: Watch the First Four for free

The 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament officially gets underway in Dayton today, as Wagner and Howard battle it out for a chance to take on No. 1 seed North Carolina in Thursday’s Round of 64.

This one is starting very soon, at 6:40 p.m. ET, and–like all of the other First Four games–it will be televised on truTV. That means it’s time to once again find wherever truTV is located on your channel guide, or to learn how to watch a live stream of the game. Here’s what you need to know to watch March Madness online tonight.

Is There a Free Wagner vs Howard Live Stream?

YouTube TV on Roku.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

There are four OTT live-TV streaming services that offer truTV in their channel packages: YouTube TV (“Base Plan”), DirecTV Stream (“Entertainment” package or above), Hulu + Live TV (main channel package) and Sling (“Sling Orange” plus “Entertainment Extra”).

Of those four options, however, only YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream come with a free trial (both are five days long), giving you what you need to watch Wagner vs Howard without paying anything. They both also include CBS (live in most markets), TBS and TNT, which is all the channels you’ll need to watch every tournament game.

Your third and final completely-free option is the NCAA’s official March Madness Live app or website, which is home to every single game of the tournament. You’ll need to log-in to a participating TV provider to watch games this way, but before doing that you’ll get a three-hour free preview where you can watch unrestricted. Barring an unforeseen amount of overtimes, that should be plenty of time to at least watch this game for free.

Other Ways to Watch the Wagner vs Howard Live Stream

Max logo
Max / Max

Every NCAA tournament game on truTV, TBS and TNT will be available on the Max (formerly HBO Max) app or website. You’ll need a Max subscription, which doesn’t come with a free trial, but it’s just $10 per month, making this the cheapest long-term option for watching any of the games of these channels. That will also include the Final Four and national championship, which are all on TBS.

If you want another non-free but cheap long-term option, Sling‘s  “Sling Orange” channel package plus the “Entertainment Extra” add-on will get you truTV, TNT and TBS. That normally costs $46 per month, but it’s currently on sale for just $21 for your first month, which will cover the entirety of the tournament.

How to Watch the Wagner vs Howard Live Stream from Abroad

NordVPN app listing on Apple TV.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

If you want to watch any of those streaming services from somewhere that’s not in the United States, you’ll need the help of a virtual private network (VPN). There are certain location-restrictions for any of these streaming services, but VPN’s hide your IP address/location and connect you to a digital server in another country (in this case, the US) to bypass these geo-blocks.

NordVPN is exactly what you need, offering the ideal combination of security, speed and amount of available servers to make it the perfect VPN for streaming sports on any streaming service. You can also peruse our lists of the best VPN services or the best VPN deals for some other options.

Editors' Recommendations

Tim Keeney
Tim is a long-time sports journalist who has written about everything from the NFL to more popular sports such as chess…
Suns vs Bucks live stream: Can you watch for free?
Booker vs Giannis

The Phoenix Suns finish off their four-game road trip with a foray into Fiserv Forum to take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks today.

The ball is going to tip at 1:00 p.m. ET. If you live in the US and want to watch, it'll be televised on ABC, but there are also several different ways you can watch a free live stream if you don't have cable or don't have access to a TV.
The Best Way to Watch the Suns vs Bucks Live Stream

Read more
Man United vs Liverpool live stream: Can you watch for free?
manchester united youtube channel old trafford

Long-time foes Manchester United and Liverpool will meet in the FA Cup for the 19th time today, this one offering a semifinal berth for the winner. The Red Devils are attempting to reach the semis in consecutive campaigns for the first time since 2005, while Liverpool are looking to keep alive their quest for four trophies this season.

This one is kicking off soon, at 11:30 a.m. ET, and will stream exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States. That means you can't watch for free, but it does give you a chance to discover arguably the best value in sports streaming right now.
Watch Man United vs Liverpool on ESPN+

Read more
Chelsea vs Leicester City live stream: Can you watch for free?
A soccer goal net with the rest of the pitch in front.

In a rematch of the 2021 FA Cup final, Chelsea and Leicester City will meet in the quarterfinals today at Stamford Bridge. Things have obviously changed quite a bit since that match, with Leicester currently fighting to return back to top-flight football in England, but this still sets up as an awfully compelling showdown.

The match kicks off early this morning, at 8:45 a.m. ET. If you live in the United States and want to watch, you'll need to do it on ESPN+. Here's everything you need to know about the streaming service and how exactly to watch Chelsea vs Leicester today.
Watch Chelsea vs Leicester City on ESPN+

Read more