Friday, November 6, 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

The ESPN logo is seen on an electronic display in Times Square in New York City, U.S., August 23, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Segar
Exclusive

ESPN Warns Talent About Insider Betting on Prediction Markets

The guidelines were sent to on-camera talent at the end of October.

College Football’s Loaded Saturday Sets Up Huge Day for ABC, ESPN

The networks will broadcast five top-25 matchups Saturday.
Dec 15, 2025; Cary, NC, USA; Washington Huskies goalkeeper Jadon Bowton (1) holds up the National Championship trophy after the Huskies win the championship in overtime at First Horizon Stadium

Colleges Overwhelmingly Oppose Men’s Soccer Calendar Change

Enough schools voted against the fall-to-spring calendar to block the NCAA’s proposal.

Cody Campbell’s Texas Tech Board Seat in Jeopardy After Elections

Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa could replace Texas university board members.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

11/6/26 – LIV Golf Is Over, LeBron vs. Bron AI App, Pegula’s Hot-Mic Moment

0:00

Featured Today

Can MLS Capitalize on Son-Mania?

Korea and Tottenham fans alike have flocked to LAFC’s away matches.
Pickering High School North
November 4, 2026

High School Athletic Directors Say They’re Running ‘Mini Colleges’

ADs are managing a growing list of demands from athletes and parents.
October 30, 2026

How Injuries Hit Pro Marathoners in the Wallet

Staying healthy can get expensive—quickly.
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
October 21, 2026

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.
Feb 7, 2022; Westlake Village, CA, USA; ESPN reporter Dianna Russini at Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl LVI Opening Night at Oaks Christian High School. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
First at FOS

Dianna Russini Set to Return to Media: What We Know

Russini’s new content is expected to be sponsored by gambling operators.
ESPN analyst Pat McAfee broadcasts live from the sidelines of Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA prior to the start of the Pittsburgh Panthers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish game on November 15, 2025.
Opinion
November 5, 2026

How Did Pat McAfee Get So Polarizing?

Some of the criticism is self-inflicted. Some of it is unfair.
Sep 21, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman during halftime at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
November 5, 2026

Julian Edelman: Foxborough ‘Will Be Rocking’ for Tom Brady’s Return

Brady will be calling a Patriots game for the first time.
Sponsored

How Jeremy Bloom Is Reinventing the X Games

Jeremy Bloom discusses transforming the X Games into a global brand.
November 4, 2026

College Football TV Ratings Remain Down 11% Through October

Four games total have drawn an audience of 10 million or higher.
Oct 31, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries players hold the trophy after winning the 2026 WNBA Finals against the Atlanta Dream at Chase Center
November 3, 2026

WNBA Finals Game 7 Draws 3.3M Viewers

The series averaged nearly 1.9 million viewers, the most for a Finals.
Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; The ESPN logo at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Exclusive
November 3, 2026

ESPN Hires The Athletic Editorial Director Sergio Gonzalez

The move comes three months after ESPN eliminated Roxanna Scott’s editor-in-chief role.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) talks to CW sports after the game at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, November 22, 2025.
First at FOS
November 3, 2026

The CW Eyes TNT Sports Rights and More CFP Games

TNT Sports’s portfolio includes the NHL, MLB, and French Open.