ESPN and ESPN+ have reached a new 6-year media rights agreement with Hockey East, which will make the networks and streaming platform the home of the premier NCAA Division 1 hockey conference. Live games featuring 21 teams across the men’s and women’s leagues will air on ESPN and ESPN2 beginning this fall through the 2027-28 season.
“Hockey East is delighted to begin an exciting and comprehensive digital and linear partnership with ESPN,” said Hockey East Commissioner Steve Metcalf. “By placing the top collegiate hockey conference on the ‘Home of Hockey,’ Hockey East can now provide our fans with the premier live-viewing experience in all of sports and allow the league to showcase the stories of our student athletes both on and off the ice.”
Over 300 games per year are included in the new agreement and all of them will be available on ESPN+ and 3 games will be available on ESPNU each season. Every men’s and women’s home game throughout the season, and every game during both the men’s and women’s postseason tournaments are included in the agreement. An ESPN network will be the home of the Hockey East Women’s Tournament Championship each year.
“ESPN is proud to add exclusive rights to Hockey East, one of the sport’s premier conferences, to our ever-growing lineup of top-level hockey leagues and events,” said Dan Margulis, senior director of programming, ESPN. “With half of the over 300 games annually dedicated to women’s hockey, we are very excited to help grow the sport across ESPN platforms.”
Adding Hockey East to ESPN+ is another reason why the platform is living up to its “Home of Hockey” moniker. The sports streamer is already home to the NHL, ECAC, the NCAA men’s and women’s Frozen Four championship events. Hockey East will join one of the best values for hockey fans, as the platform carries over 1,000 NHL games, every game from the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), and over 350 ECAC games.