No single subscription covers college hockey. Six conferences sit on five platforms that don’t overlap, and watching essentially all of it costs around $845 a year. What you need depends on which team you follow.
The 2026-27 NCAA Division I men’s season opens on Friday, 2 October 2026. Sixty-two programs are playing, and every one of them is listed below with its home arena and where its games stream.
Is there one subscription for all college hockey?
No. The closest you can get with a single purchase is ESPN Unlimited, which covers Hockey East, ECAC Hockey, and the whole NCAA tournament. That is 23 of the 62 teams plus every round of March and April. The Big Ten, the NCHC, the CCHA, and Atlantic Hockey America each sit on their own service.
What do I need to watch my college hockey team?
| If your team plays in | You need | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hockey East or ECAC Hockey | ESPN Select | $13.99 a month |
| The Big Ten (except Notre Dame) | B1G+, plus FOX One for the BTN games | $89.99 a year plus $19.99 a month |
| Notre Dame home games | Peacock Premium, not B1G+ | $12.99 a month |
| The NCHC | NCHC.tv | About $115.95 a year for one school |
| The CCHA | Midco Sports Plus, tier 2 | $129.99 a year |
| Atlantic Hockey America | FloHockey | $127.44 a year |
| The NCAA tournament | ESPN Unlimited | $31.99 a month |
Three things trip people up every year.
Notre Dame is carved out of B1G+ entirely. Every home game at Compton Family Ice Arena streams only on Peacock under NBC’s Notre Dame deal. Subscribe to B1G+ expecting to watch the Irish play in South Bend, and you will not be able to. Notre Dame’s road games follow the normal Big Ten rules.
The CCHA is no longer on FloHockey. It left after the 2023-24 season and has been streaming on Midco Sports Plus since 2024-25.
The NCHC has no national TV. Its CBS Sports Network deal was not renewed after 2024-25, and everything now runs through NCHC.tv.
How can I watch Hockey East and ECAC hockey?
On ESPN Select, which carries every home game in both conferences. ESPN raised the price on 17 September 2026 to $13.99 a month or $139.99 a year, according to ESPN’s own plan page.
Hockey East. All eleven schools stream every home game on ESPN Select under a six-year deal running through 2027-28, covering more than 300 games a season and the whole conference tournament. NESN carries at least fifty men’s and women’s games a year as a regional simulcast, not an exclusive, so ESPN Select still gets you the game. Three games a season air on ESPNU. NESN announces its game list in late October.
ECAC Hockey. All twelve schools, every home game, no blackouts, under an eight-year extension running through 2028-29. That includes the six Ivy League members. SNY adds about thirty combined men’s and women’s games on regional television in the New York area.
How can I watch Big Ten hockey?
Around thirty-one games a season are on Big Ten Network, FS1, and the FOX Sports app. Everything else is on B1G+ at $12.99 a month or $89.99 a year, except Notre Dame home games, which are only on Peacock.
The cheapest way to get Big Ten Network is not a cable-replacement service. FOX One includes BTN in its base $19.99 subscription, undercutting Sling at $30.99 and costing a fraction of YouTube TV at $82.99. A FOX One and ESPN Unlimited bundle at $39.99 a month includes BTN and every ESPN channel.
Minnesota fans in the Twin Cities also get games free over the air on FOX9 and FOX9+. The Big Ten’s television picks for 2026-27 had not been released in late August 2026; the 2025-26 list came out on 9 October 2025.
How can I watch NCHC hockey?
On NCHC.tv, which carries about 200 games in 2026-27: every home non-conference game, all 120 conference games, and the whole Frozen Faceoff, with no blackouts. The total rose from about 175 because St. Thomas joined on 1 July 2026, taking the NCHC to ten teams.
The 2026-27 prices had not been published in late August 2026. In 2025-26, a full-conference annual pass cost $126.95, a single-school pass $115.95, and a monthly pass $32.95.
Where do the CCHA, Atlantic Hockey and the independents stream?
CCHA. All eight schools stream on CCHA TV, part of the Midco Sports Plus tier-2 package at $24.99 a month or $129.99 a year. The conference has no linear television.
Atlantic Hockey America. All nine men’s programs stream on FloHockey at $29.99 a month or $127.44 a year, including the conference tournament. A FloHockey subscription also covers the AHL, ECHL, OHL, QMJHL, USHL, and SHL, which makes it better value than the college games alone suggest.
Independents. All five are different. Alaska, Lindenwood, and Long Island stream on FloHockey. Alaska Anchorage puts every home game on YouTube for free. Stonehill is on NEC Front Row, also free.
How many Division I men’s hockey teams are there?
Sixty-two in 2026-27, down from sixty-four two seasons earlier: American International moved to Division II after 2024-25, and Mercyhurst dropped its men’s program in March 2026. Maryville plays a transitional schedule including eighteen games against Division I opponents but is not yet a full member. Here is where every team plays and streams.
Hockey East (11)
| Team | Home arena | Stream | Regional TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston College | Conte Forum | ESPN Select | NESN |
| Boston University | Agganis Arena | ESPN Select | NESN / NESN+ |
| UConn | Toscano Family Ice Forum; select games at PeoplesBank Arena, Hartford | ESPN Select | NESN and SNY |
| Maine | Harold Alfond Sports Arena | ESPN Select | NESN; TSN+ in Canada |
| UMass | Mullins Center | ESPN Select | NESN |
| UMass Lowell | Tsongas Center | ESPN Select | NESN |
| Merrimack | Lawler Arena | ESPN Select | NESN / NESN+ |
| New Hampshire | Whittemore Center | ESPN Select | NESN |
| Northeastern | No announced home rink, see below | ESPN Select | NESN |
| Providence | Schneider Arena | ESPN Select | NESN |
| Vermont | Gutterson Fieldhouse | ESPN Select | NESN |
Northeastern is the one to check. Matthews Arena hosted its final game in December 2025 and has been demolished; a replacement is targeted for 2028. In 2025-26, the Huskies split their home dates between Walter Brown Arena, Bentley Arena, the Tsongas Center, and Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine. Their 2026-27 home venues had not been announced in late August 2026, so check the schedule before buying tickets.
ECAC Hockey (12)
| Team | Home arena | Stream | Regional TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | Meehan Auditorium | ESPN Select | SNY (select) |
| Clarkson | Cheel Arena | ESPN Select | SNY (select) |
| Colgate | Class of 1965 Arena | ESPN Select | SNY (select) |
| Cornell | Lynah Rink | ESPN Select | SNY |
| Dartmouth | Thompson Arena | ESPN Select | SNY (select) |
| Harvard | Bright-Landry Hockey Center | ESPN Select | NESN for the Beanpot |
| Princeton | Hobey Baker Memorial Rink | ESPN Select | SNY (select) |
| Quinnipiac | M&T Bank Arena, Hamden | ESPN Select | SNY |
| RPI | Houston Field House | ESPN Select | SNY |
| St. Lawrence | Appleton Arena | ESPN Select | SNY (select) |
| Union | M&T Bank Center at Mohawk Harbor | ESPN Select | SNY (select) |
| Yale | Ingalls Rink | ESPN Select | SNY |
Union moved into the $55 million M&T Bank Center at Mohawk Harbor in October 2025, replacing Messa Rink. Older guides still list the old building.
Big Ten (7)
| Team | Home arena | Stream | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Yost Ice Arena | B1G+ | BTN / FS1 |
| Michigan State | Munn Ice Arena | B1G+ | BTN / FS1 |
| Minnesota | 3M Arena at Mariucci | B1G+ | BTN / FS1, plus FOX9+ free over the air |
| Notre Dame | Compton Family Ice Arena | Peacock only | None |
| Ohio State | Value City Arena | B1G+ | BTN / FS1 |
| Penn State | Pegula Ice Arena | B1G+ | BTN / FS1 |
| Wisconsin | Kohl Center | B1G+ | BTN |
Michigan’s defense includes Landon DuPont, the projected first pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
NCHC (10)
| Team | Home arena | Stream | Regional TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State | Mullett Arena | NCHC.tv | None |
| Colorado College | Ed Robson Arena | NCHC.tv | SOCO CW, KRDO 13, Altitude |
| Denver | Magness Arena | NCHC.tv | Altitude |
| Miami | Goggin Ice Center | NCHC.tv | RESN |
| Minnesota Duluth | AMSOIL Arena | NCHC.tv | MY9 Sports |
| Nebraska Omaha | Baxter Arena | NCHC.tv | None |
| North Dakota | Ralph Engelstad Arena | NCHC.tv | Midco Sports |
| St. Cloud State | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center | NCHC.tv | The CW Twin Cities, free |
| St. Thomas | Lee & Penny Anderson Arena | NCHC.tv | None |
| Western Michigan | Lawson Arena | NCHC.tv | None |
CCHA (8)
| Team | Home arena | Stream |
|---|---|---|
| Augustana | Midco Arena, Sioux Falls | Midco Sports Plus |
| Bemidji State | Sanford Center | Midco Sports Plus |
| Bowling Green | Slater Family Ice Arena | Midco Sports Plus |
| Ferris State | Ewigleben Ice Arena | Midco Sports Plus |
| Lake Superior State | Taffy Abel Arena | Midco Sports Plus |
| Michigan Tech | John MacInnes Student Ice Arena | Midco Sports Plus |
| Minnesota State | Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center | Midco Sports Plus |
| Northern Michigan | Berry Events Center | Midco Sports Plus |
Atlantic Hockey America (9)
| Team | Home arena | Stream |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | Cadet Ice Arena | FloHockey |
| Army West Point | Tate Rink | FloHockey |
| Bentley | Bentley Arena | FloHockey |
| Canisius | LECOM Harborcenter | FloHockey |
| Holy Cross | Hart Center Rink | FloHockey |
| Niagara | Dwyer Arena | FloHockey |
| RIT | Gene Polisseni Center | FloHockey |
| Robert Morris | Clearview Arena | FloHockey |
| Sacred Heart | Martire Family Arena | FloHockey |
Army fans get one perk nobody else has: the Army Sports Network’s radio broadcasts are free on The Varsity Network app.
Independents (5)
| Team | Home arena | Stream |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Carlson Center, Fairbanks | FloHockey |
| Alaska Anchorage | Avis Alaska Sports Complex | YouTube, free |
| Lindenwood | Centene Community Ice Center | FloHockey |
| Long Island | Northwell Health Ice Center | FloHockey |
| Stonehill | Warrior Ice Arena, Brighton | NEC Front Row, free |
How much does it cost to watch college hockey?
| Platform | Monthly | Annual | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESPN Select | $13.99 | $139.99 | Hockey East and ECAC in full; national Beanpot feed |
| ESPN Unlimited | $31.99 | $319.99 | The above plus ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU: the whole NCAA tournament |
| FOX One | $19.99 | $199.99 | Includes Big Ten Network |
| FOX One + ESPN Unlimited | $39.99 | Not offered | The best-value bundle in college hockey |
| B1G+ | $12.99 | $89.99 | Big Ten games not on BTN, except Notre Dame home games |
| NCHC.tv | $32.95 (2025-26 price) | $126.95 (2025-26 price) | All NCHC games; single-school pass $115.95 |
| Midco Sports Plus 2 | $24.99 | $129.99 | CCHA TV |
| FloHockey | $29.99 | $127.44 | Atlantic Hockey, three independents, plus AHL, ECHL, OHL, QMJHL, USHL, SHL |
| Peacock Premium | $12.99 | $129.99 | Notre Dame home games |
| NESN 360 | $29.99 | $239.99 | Hockey East regional slate and the local Beanpot feed |
To watch everything, you are looking at roughly $845 a year paid monthly across a seven-month season, or about $1,085 for annual passes. Adding NESN 360 takes it to around $1,325.
For most people, the sensible answer is ESPN Unlimited on its own. At $31.99 a month, it covers two full conferences, the Beanpot and every round of the NCAA tournament. Nothing else comes close per dollar.
How can I watch college hockey for free?
More of it than you would expect, though almost all of it is local.
- St. Cloud State on The CW Twin Cities: all eighteen home games, free over the air, under a deal running through 2027-28.
- Minnesota on FOX9 and FOX9+, free over the air in the Twin Cities.
- Minnesota Duluth on MY9 Sports, Colorado College on SOCO CW and Miami on RESN, all free over the air locally.
- Alaska Anchorage streams every home game free on YouTube.
- Stonehill is on NEC Front Row, which is free.
- NCHC Game of the Week puts at least thirteen games a season on free Gray Media stations, but in Las Vegas, Nashville, St. Louis and the Carolinas rather than in the conference’s own markets.
ESPN, B1G+, NCHC.tv, FloHockey, Midco, and Peacock have no free tiers. Division I schools almost never stream their own games for nothing, because the conference rights deals take the inventory. Free trials on YouTube TV, FOX One and Fubo will cover a Beanpot night or a regional weekend if that is all you need.
How can I watch college hockey in Canada?
Mostly on TSN. In 2025-26, TSN+ carried the bulk of TSN’s NCAA men’s schedule, with some games on TSN2, TSN3, and TSN5, and the national championship game was on TSN2 and TSN+, according to College Hockey Inc.’s Canadian TV schedule. Maine’s games are on TSN+ in Canada. College Hockey Inc. publishes the Canadian schedule each season, and the 2026-27 list will replace this paragraph when it is out.
ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited are US services. FloHockey, the home of Atlantic Hockey America and three independents, also carries the OHL and QMJHL for Canadian subscribers.
How can I watch the NCAA tournament and the Frozen Four?
On ESPN’s networks. The 2027 Frozen Four is at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, 8 April and Saturday, 10 April 2027. It is the first Frozen Four in Washington since 2009. The regionals run from 25 to 28 March 2027 in Hartford, Loveland, Springfield and Fargo, according to the NCAA’s championship page.
ESPN holds the rights under an eight-year NCAA agreement running through 2031-32. Network assignments for each round are announced in March. In 2026, the regional semifinals were on ESPN2 and ESPNU with a couple of ESPN+ exclusives, the regional finals on ESPN2 and ESPN, the national semifinals on ESPN2, and the championship game on ESPN.
That split is why ESPN Unlimited rather than ESPN Select is the tournament subscription. If you only care about March and April, two months cost about $64.
Denver won the 2026 title, beating Wisconsin 2-1 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for a record eleventh national championship. The game drew 901,000 viewers, up 52 percent from 2025 and the most-watched title game since 2009.
When does the 2026-27 college hockey season start?
On Friday, 2 October 2026. These are the dates that matter after that:
| Date | Event | Where to watch |
|---|---|---|
| 2 and 3 October 2026 | Season opens | Conference platforms |
| 1 and 8 February 2027 | 74th Beanpot, TD Garden | NESN locally, ESPN Select nationally |
| 5 to 19 March 2027 | NCHC Frozen Faceoff, new ten-team, all-campus format | NCHC.tv |
| 19 and 20 March 2027 | ECAC Championship Weekend, Lake Placid | ESPN Select |
| 20 and 21 March 2027 | Big Ten Tournament final | BTN |
| 21 March 2027 | NCAA tournament selection show | ESPN networks |
| 25 to 28 March 2027 | NCAA regionals | ESPN networks |
| 8 and 10 April 2027 | Frozen Four, Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C. | ESPN networks |
The Beanpot dates follow the usual pattern of the first two Mondays in February but had not been formally confirmed in late August 2026. For the NHL, the channels for every team are in our guide to how to watch the NHL.
Updated 25 September 2026
