Frozen Four in '16 had third-highest attendance ever for a college hockey final: 19,358 at Amalie ArenaGetty Images
Tampa will host the men's Frozen Four in '23 at Amalie Arena, which is the third time the city has hosted the national championship without having a D-I college program, and it is "really no surprise the NCAA is heading back down south again," according to Ryan Kennedy of THE HOCKEY NEWS. Tampa has "a lot going for it as a host." Tampa Bay Sports Commissioner Exec Dir Rob Higgins said, "Right off the heels of the Lightning winning their first Stanley Cup in 2004, we started to look into the potential of different events that could make sense in our community. And the Frozen Four rose to the top of that list." The '16 Frozen Four "boasted the third-highest attendance ever for a college hockey final with 19,358 fans packing into the building." Since Tampa does not have a D-I hockey program, the Univ. of Wisconsin has been the host school for the '16 and '23 bids. Geographically, it is a "big leap," but the school's football team "has been to the area for the Outback Bowl, while other administrators know the city from women's basketball and volleyball." The school "helps with game management, NCAA compliance and the student-athlete experience during the Frozen Four" (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 10/15).
