Friday, October 23, 2026

NCAA Ice Hockey Final Sets ESPN Ratings Record

  • Quinnipiac’s overtime win over Minnesota was the most-viewed Frozen Four game on ESPN platforms since 2011.
  • The title game had 808,000 average viewers, up 100% over last year’s championship game.
Apr 6, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Quinnipiac celebrates after beating Michigan in the semifinals of the 2023 Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Last Saturday’s NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey title game between Quinnipiac and Minnesota was the most-viewed Frozen Four game on ESPN platforms since 2011, the network announced Tuesday. 

The Bobcats’ overtime victory over the Gophers pulled in 808,000 average viewers during ESPN’s broadcast, up 100% over ESPN’s 2022 men’s ice hockey final coverage. This year’s championship game reached a high of 1.1 million peak viewers. 

The game aired on ESPN2 and was streamed via the ESPN app, as the network did with all games during the men’s ice hockey tournament. For Quinnipiac, its 3-2 victory over Minnesota secured the Connecticut school’s first NCAA title in program history. 

The state of Connecticut celebrated another national championship as UConn secured its fifth men’s basketball title in program history, solidifying its status as a bonafide college blue blood. Only UCLA, Kentucky, and North Carolina have more championships.

Quinnipiac’s campus in Hamden is just a short drive from UConn’s campus in Storrs — but the two schools couldn’t be more different. Quinnipiac is a small, private college with an undergraduate enrollment of about 6,000, while UConn is a sprawling public university with more than 18,000 students.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Troy Aikman

Examining Troy Aikman’s Options After J.J. Watt-CBS Deal 

Aikman has yet to receive a formal offer to return to ESPN.
Los Angeles, CA - October 27, 2025 - Dodger Stadium: Jeff Passan during game three of the 2025 World Series.

Jeff Passan: Brewers-Rays World Series Won’t Head Off MLB Lockout

Passan also addressed the backlash he received to comments about the Dodgers.

College Football’s Emerging Powers Are Shaking Up TV Ratings

BYU–Notre Dame averaged 9.2 million viewers on ABC.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/23/26 – JJ Watt Takes CBS Chair, FIFA Rights Shake-Up, Small-Market World Series

0:00

Featured Today

Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena
October 12, 2026

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?
Zach Lowe Sean Fennessey The Ringer

Substack CEO: No Deal With The Ringer, Even as Talent Flocks to Platform

Zach Lowe is the latest Ringer talent to launch a Substack newsletter.
October 22, 2026

FIFA’s World Cup Rights Shake-Up Could Favor NBC Over Fox

It’s bad news for Fox and great news for Telemundo’s parent, NBC.
NBC Sports Logo
October 22, 2026

Comcast-NBCUniversal Split Comes With $1B Cost, Layoffs

The NBC Sports parent company will take on a hefty restructuring charge.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
Aug 3, 2024; Canton, OH, USA; Houston Texans former defensive end J.J. Watt in attendance at the Class of 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
October 22, 2026

NFL TV’s Analyst Market Tightens as CBS Extends JJ Watt

Watt is officially Tony Romo’s full-time replacement at CBS.
Oct 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; MLB on Fox broadcasters Kevin Burkhardt, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Derek Jeter during game four of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.
October 22, 2026

Fox, MLB Look to Counter Lower World Series Expectations

MLB is riding a wave of postseason audience expansion.
October 21, 2026

NBC, USA Claim Record Audience for Start of WNBA Finals

The Finals are tied 1–1 with the series shifting to Atlanta.
Inglewood, CA - October 12, 2026 - SoFi Stadium: Troy Aikman prior to a regular season Monday Night Football game.
Opinion
October 21, 2026

‘Nobody Calls a Game Better’: Why ESPN Should Keep Troy Aikman

Michael Wilbon and Stephen A. Smith have publicly backed Aikman.