Cumulus Media's Westwood One Presents Exclusive Full-Court Audio Coverage of the 2026 NCAA® Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Final Four® and National Championship Games on Multiple Platforms
Rhea-AI Summary
Cumulus Media (NASDAQ: CMLS) through its Westwood One network will provide exclusive full-court live audio coverage of the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Final Four and national championship games on multiple platforms. Coverage includes English and Spanish broadcasts, 500+ radio stations, SiriusXM, NCAA March Madness Live™, free streaming, apps, Alexa, and TuneIn Premium.
Men’s games originate from Indianapolis (April 4 and April 6); Women’s games originate from Phoenix (April 3 and April 5). Sponsors include Werner Ladder (Spanish men’s) and Intuit TurboTax (women’s).
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Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
CMLS fell 91.32% while peers were mixed: SBSAA up 6.67%, FHLD down 9.28%, and others near flat. This pattern suggests a company-specific issue rather than a coordinated broadcasting-sector move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 05 | Debt restructuring plan | Negative | -91.3% | Prepackaged Chapter 11 to eliminate about $600M of debt and issue new notes. |
| Mar 04 | College hoops coverage | Positive | -2.1% | Announcement of 19 NCAA conference championship game broadcasts and Selection Sunday. |
| Feb 17 | New vodcast launch | Positive | -9.0% | Launch of ‘Liberty’s Voice with Mark Levin’ ad-supported digital vodcast series. |
| Feb 07 | Super Bowl LX update | Positive | +2.8% | Update on Super Bowl LX national audio coverage and broadcast talent details. |
| Feb 05 | Super Bowl LX rights | Positive | +10.1% | Announcement of live national radio coverage of Super Bowl LX across ~600 stations. |
Large negative reactions have followed balance-sheet and restructuring developments, while sports and content announcements have produced smaller, mixed price moves.
Over the past few months, Cumulus Media has combined marquee sports and content initiatives with mounting financial stress. Westwood One secured major properties such as Super Bowl LX and multiple college basketball championships, plus a new vodcast with Mark Levin. However, filings and a March 2026 restructuring agreement to eliminate roughly $600 million of debt through Chapter 11 coincided with a 91.32% drop, and regulatory filings highlight substantial doubt about going-concern status. Today’s NCAA Final Four coverage news fits the ongoing focus on premium sports audio content amid restructuring.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights Cumulus Media’s ongoing emphasis on premium live sports audio, adding comprehensive 2026 NCAA men’s and women’s Final Four coverage across radio, streaming, and apps to its existing marquee portfolio. In parallel, recent filings describe a prepackaged Chapter 11 plan and substantial doubt about its going-concern status. Investors following the story may watch how audience scale from events like March Madness interacts with restructuring progress and any updated financial disclosures around revenue and losses.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Westwood One’s Final Four Coverage Connects College Hoops Fans across Multiple Platforms – 500+ Radio Stations, SiriusXM, NCAA March Madness Live™; via Free Online Streaming at WestwoodOneSports.com and the Westwood One Sports App, The Varsity Network App & on Alexa-Enabled Devices; also Available with TuneIn Premium
Network’s Coverage Includes the Men’s Final Four and National Championship Games in Spanish, Presented by Werner Ladder
Westwood One’s Women’s Final Four Coverage is Presented by Intuit TurboTax
NEW YORK, April 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cumulus Media’s Westwood One, one of America's largest audio networks and the exclusive national audio broadcast partner of the NCAA, will present comprehensive live audio coverage of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four and national championship game live from Indianapolis, Indiana in both English and Spanish. The network will also broadcast the NCAA Women’s Final Four and national championship game live from Phoenix, Arizona.
Westwood One’s coverage of the Men’s Final Four will begin at 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 4 with “The Final Four Show” followed by the game broadcast at 4:00 p.m. ET. The first national semifinal, between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Connecticut Huskies tips off at 6:09 p.m. ET. The second national semifinal, between the Michigan Wolverines and the Arizona Wildcats will begin 50 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
On Monday, April 6 audio coverage will commence at 6:00 p.m. ET with the “Championship Monday” pregame show followed by game coverage at 7:00 p.m. ET. The men’s national championship game will tip off at 8:50 p.m. ET.
Westwood One will also broadcast all three men’s games in Spanish, presented by Werner Ladder. Spanish-language coverage of the Final Four commences at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 5 and at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday, April 6 for the national championship game.
Westwood One will also provide complete play-by-play coverage of the Women’s Final Four® on Friday, April 3 beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET when the defending Champion South Carolina Gamecocks take on the Connecticut Huskies. Immediately following, the network will air the second national semifinal, between the Texas Longhorns and the UCLA Bruins. Coverage of the women’s national championship game on Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET. Westwood One’s broadcasts of all three women’s games will be presented by Intuit TurboTax.
ALL-STAR BROADCAST TEAMS
Men’s Final Four (English)
The trio of Kevin Kugler, Robbie Hummel, and P.J. Carlesimo will announce all the action for the Final Four and the National Championship in English. Kugler has been the voice of the Final Four on Westwood One every year since 2008. Former Purdue star Robbie Hummel joins former Seton Hall coach P.J. Carlesimo as game analysts. Andy Katz will return as courtside reporter, and Jason Horowitz and Nick Bahe will host the pregame, halftime and postgame shows from the Final Four and National Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Men’s Final Four (Spanish) Rafael Hernández Brito will once again serve as the play-by-play announcer, his ninth time with the network, while former All-American point guard Greivis Vásquez will return as analyst for the eighth time. For the sixth time, former Puerto Rican National Basketball Team coach Carlos Morales will host the broadcasts.
Women’s Final Four (English) Westwood One’s broadcast crew for the Women’s Final Four and national championship game will consist of Ryan Radtke as play-by-play announcer, Debbie Antonelli as analyst, and Ros Gold-Onwude as courtside reporter. This will be Antonelli’s 23rd time as lead analyst and 30th season overall with the network while Gold-Onwude is back on Westwood One for the third year in a row. J.B. Long and Kim Adams will serve as studio hosts.
Where to Listen
Westwood One’s complete NCAA men’s tournament coverage can be heard on terrestrial radio stations nationwide and via SiriusXM. The Final Four and national championship Division I men’s and women’s games will also be streamed online for free at NCAA.com/MarchMadness, westwoodonesports.com, and the Westwood One Sports mobile app. Additionally, the broadcasts will be available for free via the NCAA March Madness Live apps or The Varsity Network app. Fans can also access live audio via Alexa-enabled devices by asking to “Open Westwood One Sports.” TuneIn premium subscribers can also hear all the action live.
For a complete schedule of games, announcer bios, exclusive audio content, and a list of radio stations airing Westwood One’s broadcast of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship, please visit westwoodonesports.com.
Westwood One is the exclusive broadcast radio, digital audio, distribution, and licensing partner for the NCAA Championships. Westwood One has broadcast the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament since 1982 and every game of March Madness® on multiple platforms since 2005. The network has broadcast the NCAA Men’s Final Four and national championship game in Spanish for nine years. In addition, Westwood One has broadcast the Women’s Final Four and national championship game every year since 1998.
NCAA, First Four, Final Four, and March Madness are trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
About Westwood One Sports
Westwood One Sports is home to some of the most exciting sports broadcasts on radio. In addition to being the exclusive national audio broadcaster of the NFL since 1987 – featuring regular and post-season NFL football, including the playoffs and the Super Bowl – its other extensive properties include NCAA Basketball, including the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournaments and the Final Four®; NCAA Football; The Masters; US Soccer; and other marquee sporting events. On social media, join the Westwood One Sports community on Facebook at facebook.com/westwoodonesports, Instagram at instagram.com/westwoodonesports, and X at x.com/westwood1sports. For more information, visit www.westwoodonesports.com.
About Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media is an audio-first media company delivering premium content to a quarter billion people every month — wherever and whenever they want it. Cumulus Media engages listeners with high-quality local programming through 394 owned-and-operated radio stations across 84 markets; delivers nationally-syndicated sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming from iconic brands including the NFL, the NCAA, the Masters, US Soccer, AP News, and the Academy of Country Music Awards, across more than 7,800 affiliated stations through Westwood One, a leading national audio network; and inspires listeners through the Cumulus Podcast Network, an established and influential platform for original podcasts that are smart, entertaining, and thought-provoking. Cumulus Media provides advertisers with personal connections, local impact and national reach through broadcast and on-demand digital, mobile, social, and voice-activated platforms, as well as integrated digital marketing services, powerful influencers, full-service audio solutions, industry-leading research and insights, and live event experiences. For more information visit www.cumulusmedia.com.
About the NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association provides a world-class athletics and academic experience that fosters lifelong well-being for more than 520,000 student-athletes annually. The NCAA stages 92 championships across three divisions, and its 1,100 member schools provide nearly
Contact: Lisa Dollinger, Dollinger Strategic Communication, for Cumulus Media | Westwood One, lisa@dollcomm.com, and 512.633.4084.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1f5f450f-8a8b-47fc-9639-65fdaed75d6c
FAQ
When will Westwood One air the 2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four and championship games (CMLS)?
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