ATLANTA, Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gray Media (NYSE: GTN) and the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) today announced that select NCHC college hockey games will appear free, over-the-air on Gray's market-leading television stations and over-the-air broadcast sports networks across the country. The first game, pitting No. 2-ranked and defending national champion Denver and No. 8-ranked Colorado College, will air in more than 20 Gray markets, including in St. Louis on Matrix Midwest Sports, throughout Louisiana on the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, and across South Carolina on the Palmetto Sports & Entertainment Network on Friday, December 13, 2024 at 7 p.m. Mountain Time.

Gray's stations are deeply committed to the sport of hockey to serve their local viewers. For example, Gray stations air the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL), Cleveland Monsters (AHL), Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL), the Great Lakes Invitational (NCAA), Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL), multiple Southern Professional Hockey league teams, and many more. In addition, Gray's wholly owned production company, Raycom Sports, produces all of the games for the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).

"We're excited to partner with Gray Media to expand the Conference's linear television offerings," said NCHC Commissioner Heather Weems. "This will put a premier NCHC game each week on several local TV stations in non-NCHC markets, as well as some of our own media markets, growing exposure for the Conference and the high-quality product that defines college hockey. Combining Gray's reach with our already existing CBS Sports Network agreement and NCHC.tv, fans will be provided more options than ever to enjoy NCHC hockey."

"Hockey is a fan favorite in many of our local markets," said Sandy Breland, Chief Operating Officer of Gray. "We are pleased to bring this top-notch conference and highly ranked teams to local viewers."

All NCHC games airing on Gray's stations will also still be available on NCHC.tv, the Conference's official streaming platform. The majority of the games to air on Gray's stations will take place on Saturday nights starting in January.

The December 13 matchup between Colorado College and Denver will also air nationally in Canada on TSN2. Other Friday night NCHC games will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network starting in January.

About Gray Media:

Gray Media, or Gray, is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, formally known as Gray Television, Inc. The company is the nation's largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 113 television markets that collectively reach approximately 36 percent of US television households. The portfolio includes 77 markets with the top-rated television station and 100 markets with the first and/or second highest rated television station, as well as the largest Telemundo Affiliate group with 43 markets totaling nearly 1.5 million Hispanic TV Households. The company also owns Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital products and services. Gray's additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios. Gray owns a majority interest in Swirl Films. For more information, please visit .

About the National Collegiate Hockey Conference:

The NCHC is currently a nine-member NCAA Division I men's hockey conference, which will begin its 12th season of competition in 2024-25. Its members are: Arizona State University, Colorado College, the University of Denver, Miami University, the University of Minnesota Duluth, the University of Nebraska Omaha, the University of North Dakota, St. Cloud State University and Western Michigan University. Beginning on July 1, 2026, the NCHC will become a 10-member conference with the addition of the University of St. Thomas. Since the NCHC began play in 2013-14, 39 NCHC teams have qualified for the NCAA Tournament, including 14 Frozen Four berths and six of the last eight NCAA national champions (2016-19, 2022, 2024), with Denver the reigning National Champions. For more information, visit the NCHC website at and follow the conference on social media @theNCHC on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.

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Gray Contact:

Sandy Breland, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, 404-266-8333