Alright, the NCAA tournament is upon us.
Starting next year, the Turner games should have simulcasts on broadcast stations in markets with a rooting interest in the participating teams.
Affiliates of The CW, as a joint venture between the two media companies which share broadcast rights to the tournament, would have right of first refusal, with other stations (prioritizing non-CBS stations co-owned with CW stations, and non-CW stations co-owned with CBS stations) being able to air games if simultaneous games on Turner's side feature teams of local interest.
In Zanesville, Ohio, the only market without an over-the-air CBS affiliate, the one local station that does exist, NBC affiliate WHIZ-TV, would also be eligible to air CBS games featuring the Ohio State Buckeyes or Ohio Bobcats.
To avoid ratings damage from affiliate pre-emptions, The CW would not air any first-run episodes on nights Turner networks are scheduled to air tournament games, only expendable repeats.