What is Men’s March Madness due to which CBS has preempted The Young and the Restless? Everything you need to know

CBS's The Young and the Restless has been holding viewers in suspense since its premiere in 1973, serving up hot drama, romance, and power struggles in Genoa City. The soap, developed by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell, has had viewers on the edge of their seats with surprise twists and character-driven plots.

If you watched on March 20 or 21 expecting to get the most recent drama on The Young and the Restless, you probably found basketball on your TV instead. That's because March Madness has entered its swing, and it's not only a sporting event, it's a phenomenon that changes TV scheduling every spring season.

But what is Men's March Madness, and why does it dominate huge networks such as CBS? Here's all you want to know.

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What is Men’s March Madness?

March Madness is the nickname for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. It's an annual basketball college tournament that is watched by millions of fans across the United States.

It was first held in 1939. Since then, the championship has grown into a 68-team, single-elimination event that spans over three weeks. It concluded with the Final Four and the National Championship.

This year March Madness began on March 18 with the “First Four,” four preliminary games that determine the final entries into the 64-team bracket. The main event started on March 20 with the first round of matches.

It will continue until the National Championship game which will be on April 7.

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Why is The Young and the Restless preempted?

CBS is one of the major broadcast partners for the NCAA tournament, and it splits the coverage with TBS, TNT, and truTV. Since the early rounds comprise multiple games played in so many different regions at the same time, CBS gets to have most of its daytime and primetime booked with live coverage of basketball.

As a result, shows like The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, and CBS's new soap Beyond the Gates are temporarily taken out of the schedule. The soaps were preempted this year on Thursday, March 20, and Friday, March 21, both big days for the first round of the tournament.

Audiences for other CBS shows, such as Let's Make a Deal, NCIS: Sydney, Fire Country, and S.W.A.T., were also similarly interrupted. Prime-time shows like Ghosts, Matlock, and Elsbeth were put on hold to fit in live sports.

The good news is that preemptions are temporary only. Daytime dramas such as The Young and the Restless will be back to normal by Monday, March 24. The CBS primetime schedule will pick up following game schedules, some of which will return as early as the week of April 1.

But there will be another batch of preemptions for the "Sweet 16" and "Elite 8" games that will run from March 27 to March 30. The Final Four will also be on April 5 and the National Championship on April 7, which will likely impact primetime programs on these dates as well.

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What to expect on The Young and the Restless when it resumes?

The upcoming week on The Young and the Restless will feature significant plot twists, with betrayal, heartbreak, and family conflicts dominating the scene in Genoa City. Traci Abbott's involvement with Martin, who is posing as Alan Laurent, raises concerns.

Chance Chancellor may find video evidence revealing Martin's true identity, potentially rescuing Traci from significant trouble. At the same time, Sharon will battle the mental effects of her abduction and face rejection from Nick Newman, who advises her to focus on her healing.

Kyle Abbott is conflicted between Summer and Claire while Summer attempts to interfere in his connection with Claire. The situation will become complicated with Victor meddling in the relationship since he disapproves of Claire being with Kyle. In the meantime, while Adam Newman and Chelsea Lawson have dinner and stay the night together, their past looms ominously above them.

As Phyllis Summers tries to recover from her abduction experience, she displays some troubling behavior. She turns to Billy Abbott for solace, but this stirs up past feelings and possible conflict with Sally Spectra.

Victor shares a hidden connection with Alexander Duma, the individual linked to Damian's businesses. Thus, Victor was aware of Duma when he requested Micheal Baldwin to look into him. Victor will be shown disclosing the secret to Micheal, and he appears to have little affection for Duma.

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Fans can watch The Young and the Restless on CBS.