NCSN LIVE To Deliver Wall-to-Wall Coverage Of
2026 ACC Tournament, Then NCAA Tournament
NCSN LIVE from ACC Tournament (presented by Stitch Golf)
Bacon & Basketball Bracket Challenge (powered by NC Pork)
For Immediate Release
North Carolina Sports Network
(last updated March 8, 2026)
The North Carolina Sports Network (NCSN) announced Sunday comprehensive coverage plans for the 2026 ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, anchored by its on-site original programming brand, NCSN LIVE.
Tournament coverage will include preview programming, nightly wrap-up shows, Selection Sunday reaction and the launch of NCSN’s annual March bracket promotion.
NCSN LIVE from the ACC Tournament in Charlotte is presented by Stitch Golf, while the network’s third annual Bacon & Basketball Bracket Challenge is presented by NC Pork.
Throughout tournament week, NCSN will originate remote programming from Charlotte under its recurring NCSN LIVE banner, the network’s signature on-site platform built to cover the biggest events across the Bold North State.
“Bacon & Basketball” month starts Monday, with a pre-ACC Tournament edition of TIME-OUT (link below), as Mike Waddell, David Glenn and Coach Kerry Keating set the stage for Charlotte by celebrating a banner weekend for the Bold North State — with High Point returning to the Big Dance as Big South champs and Queens earning its first-ever Division One NCAA berth as ASUN champs — before breaking down the ACC’s final regular-season results, including Duke’s statement win over UNC, NC State’s late-season slide and Carolina’s urgent search for a new identity with Caleb Wilson out for the year amid echoes of past Tar Heel injury derailments.
The crew then previews the ACC Tournament schedule at Spectrum Center, hands out their All-ACC awards (First Team, POY, ROY, DPOY, Sixth Man, and Win of the Year) and closes with a pointed overtime debate on automatic bids and whether conference tournaments reward the sprint over the marathon — using UNCW’s CAA upset loss as the case study — before final words and a look ahead to NCSN’s Stitch Golf–presented coverage from Charlotte and the upcoming Bacon & Basketball NCAA Tournament run.
NCSN will produce daily NCSN LIVE wrap-up shows from Charlotte following each day’s action at Spectrum Center.
Its Tuesday through Thursday coverage will include game recaps, key storylines, standout performances and analysis of how each result impacts the ACC and NCAA Tournament pictures.
Friday’s semifinal edition will feature deeper breakdowns of both matchups, including tactical adjustments, player matchups and a full preview of the championship game. Saturday’s coverage will deliver extended postgame reaction to the ACC title game, a look at the new tournament champion’s path to the trophy, and analysis of NCAA Tournament seeding implications for ACC teams.
“NCSN LIVE is built for weeks like this, when the energy, personalities and stakes of college basketball all come together in one place,” said Waddell, co-founder and CEO of the North Carolina Sports Network. “The ACC Tournament in Charlotte is one of the premier events on the sports calendar in our state, and we’re excited to deliver smart, passionate, on-site coverage for fans across North Carolina while showcasing great partners like Stitch Golf and NC Pork.”
All NCSN LIVE shows and tournament-related content from Charlotte will be distributed free across the North Carolina Sports Network’s digital and social platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube, where NCSN has built a growing state-wide-and-beyond audience through original programming, commentary, interviews and event coverage. Full-length shows, highlight clips and short-form reactions will be published throughout the week to give fans multiple ways to engage with NCSN’s ACC Tournament coverage.
NCSN’s ACC Tournament coverage will roll directly into Selection Sunday, when the network will react to the NCAA Tournament bracket reveal, including bids, seeds, matchups and paths for ACC teams entering March Madness.
At the conclusion of Selection Sunday coverage, NCSN will officially launch its third annual Bacon & Basketball Bracket Challenge, presented by NC Pork, inviting fans to fill out brackets, compete for prizes, and engage with NCSN programming throughout the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. This year’s platform moves to YahooSports, and you can join for free NOW by clicking here and using group ID: #14348 > BOLD NORTH STATE | NCSN.
The Grand Prize is FREE BACON FOR A YEAR, courtesy of NC PORK, the foundational partner of the NORTH CAROLINA SPORTS NETWORK, with additional prizes provided by STITCH GOLF, “Dress Your Game”.
About the North Carolina Sports Network
The North Carolina Sports Network is a product of Brentwood Partners LLC & Glenn Family Sports Media. Since launching in July 2023, NCSN has produced more than 3,000 videos, generated 40+ million impressions, surpassed 3.8 million total views, and delivered 90+ on-site events through its BOLD NORTH STATE Tailgate Tour, making NCSN the fastest-growing sports and culture media network in the state. NCSN features on-air personalities that include coaches, journalists, athletes and former sports executives, with coverage spanning college football, basketball, baseball, ACC media days, NASCAR, the PGA Tour and major community events across the state. Experience Matters.
About NCSN LIVE
NCSN LIVE is the North Carolina Sports Network’s recurring remote programming brand, featuring on-site shows and special event coverage from major sports and cultural events across North Carolina. Whether on campus, at neutral-site championships or at marquee state-wide gatherings, NCSN LIVE brings fans closer to the action, the personalities and the stories that define sports in the Bold North State.
Media Contact
Mike Waddell
Co-Founder & CEO
North Carolina Sports Network
michael@brentwoodpartnersllc.com
NCSportsNetwork.com
