How To Disable Ad Blocker and Watch March Madness

Since today is the first day of the 2026 March Madness First Round, many streaming sites like NCAA March Madness Live, Max, and Paramount+ are actively blocking video playback if an ad blocker is detected.

Here is how to disable your ad blocker specifically for these sites so you can get to the games.

1. How to “Allowlist” the Streaming Site

Instead of turning off your ad blocker for the whole internet, just disable it for the specific site you’re using (e.g., ncaa.com or max.com):

• For AdBlock / AdBlock Plus: Click the Stop Sign icon in your browser toolbar. Select “Always” (or “Don’t run on pages on this site”).

• For uBlock Origin: Click the Power button icon in the extension menu to turn it “off” for the current site.

• For Brave Browser: Click the Lion icon in the address bar and toggle “Shields are UP” to OFF.

2. Browser-Level “Intrusive Ads” Setting (Chrome/Edge)

If you don’t have an extension but the video still won’t load, your browser might be blocking the “Ad Wall” itself:

1. Click the three dots (top right) > Settings.

2. Go to Privacy and security > Site settings.

3. Scroll to Additional content settings > Intrusive ads.

4. Select “Any site you visit can show any ad to you” (you can turn this back off after the tournament).

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Where to Watch Today (March 19, 2026)

If one site is giving you trouble, try these alternatives which often have different ad-detection levels:

Platform	What it Covers	Best Free/Cheap Access
March Madness Live	All Men’s Games	Free 3-hour “Preview Pass” (then requires cable login).
Max (Standard/Premium)	TNT, TBS, truTV	Included in Standard ($18.49) & Premium plans.
Paramount+ Premium	All CBS Games	Use codes MARPREM or BG2L7M for a free trial/discount.
YouTube TV	Every Channel	10-day Free Trial currently available for new users.

Pro-Tip: The “Incognito” Trick

If the site still says “Ad Blocker Detected” even after you’ve disabled it, your browser’s cache is likely remembering the old blocked state. Open a New Incognito Window (Ctrl+Shift+N) and log in there. This usually bypasses the detection script.