Fowling Warehouse
Fowling Warehouse operates a franchise of sports-bar entertainment venues built around its proprietary football-bowling hybrid game, serving consumers, corporate event clients, and private-party hosts across seven US cities with open play, lane rentals, food and beverage, and franchise expansion.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersCincinnati, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Fowling Warehouse does
Fowling Warehouse is a multi-location sports bar and entertainment venue chain built around a proprietary mashup sport called Fowling — a game in which players throw a football at ten bowling pins to knock them down, invented by founder Chris Hutt at a 2001 Indy 500 tailgate. The first warehouse opened in December 2014 in Hamtramck, Michigan, and the network has since grown to seven operating venues across the Midwest and Texas (Detroit, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Dallas, Kansas City, Omaha, Minneapolis), with footprints ranging from 25,000 to 50,000 square feet and 20 to 33 Fowling lanes per location. Beyond the core game, locations offer full bar service (including trademarked Mystery Beer Machine and Bottoms Up draft systems), in-house and partner food programs, arcade games, and location-specific adjacencies such as a TrackMan golf simulator in Indianapolis and indoor pickleball courts in Minneapolis. The American Fowling Association (AFA) governs the sport and sanctions Fowling Warehouse as the exclusive venue for official league play.
Revenue is generated through four primary streams: per-person open-play fees ($10-$15 per guest), private lane reservations for groups up to 10 people ($60-$180 for 2-3 hours), food and beverage sales (pizzas, appetizers, beer, cocktails), and corporate event / private-party packages accommodating 20 to 1,500+ guests. A franchise program layers in additional economics: a $75,313 franchise fee, 6% royalty on sales, and 1.5% marketing fee, with total per-unit investment of $2.7M-$5.2M and franchisees permitted up to 5 multi-unit commitments. The customer base spans walk-in consumers, corporate and team-building clients, private celebrations, nonprofit fundraisers (via the FOWLanthropy program), and organized league players. High-visibility associations with the Detroit Lions, New York Jets, and the Sam Hubbard Foundation provide brand cachet rather than contracted recurring revenue. The business is privately held under Fowling Enterprises, LLC, with no disclosed institutional capital beyond a $1.55M funding round in February 2022.
Fowling Warehouse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fowling Warehouse
- Legal name
- Fowling Enterprises, LLC
- Website
- https://fowlingwarehouse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Fowling Warehouse operates a franchise of sports-bar entertainment venues built around its proprietary football-bowling hybrid game, serving consumers, corporate event clients, and private-party hosts across seven US cities with open play, lane rentals, food and beverage, and franchise expansion.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fowling Warehouse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sports Entertainment Venues
- NAICS
- Bowling Centers (71395)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Esports Arenas & Stadium Venues (Purpose-Built Competitive Venues) (MPAFALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Venue Infrastructure & Managed Services (Network, PCs, Maintenance, A/V, IT Ops) (MPAFALAK), Mobile Esports Tournaments & Leagues (MPAKANAK), Wargames & Historical Board Games Retail (CRALALAD)
Keywords
Where Fowling Warehouse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cincinnati
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Fowling Warehouse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Open Play Fees: Per-person fees for unlimited open play on first-come first-served lanes. Prices range from $10-$15 per person depending on location.
- Lane Reservations: Private lane bookings for 2-3 hours for groups up to 10 people. Prices range from $60-$180 depending on duration and location.
- Food and Beverage Sales: Full-service bars with 80+ beers, cocktails, wine, and food service including pizzas ($12-$18), appetizers, and catering options.
- Corporate Events and Private Parties: Full venue rentals and corporate event packages accommodating 20-1,500 guests with customizable food, beverage, and entertainment options.
- Franchise Fees: Initial franchise fee of $75,313 plus 6% royalty on sales and 1.5% marketing/advertising fee. Total investment ranges from $2.7M to $5.2M.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Open Play - Walk-in unlimited gaming |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Reserved Lane - Private 2-hour booking |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Large Group Events |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Franchise Investment |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Indoor Pickleball |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Golf Simulator |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Fowling Warehouse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fowling Warehouse operates physical entertainment venues offering the proprietary Fowling game, a mashup sport combining football throwing with bowling pin knockdown. Each 21,000-50,000 sq ft location features 20-33 Fowling lanes, full-service bars with 80+ beers, food service, and flexible event spaces. The company runs 8+ corporate and franchise locations across the US and additionally generates revenue from a franchise licensing program, league play sanctioned by the American Fowling Association, and corporate event hosting for groups of 2 to 1,500+.
Product overview
Fowling Warehouse operates as a multi-location entertainment venue chain offering the Fowling game (a football-bowling hybrid) as its core product. The company operates on a platform-plus-modules architecture with Fowling as the anchor attraction, supplemented by reserved lane play and open walk-in play as primary revenue streams. Additional modules include league competition programs, corporate events and team building packages, indoor pickleball (Minneapolis), a TrackMan golf simulator (Indianapolis), full bar and food service, sports watch parties, portable Fowling sets for retail, and an active franchise program for expansion. The business model combines entertainment, hospitality (food/beverage), and community programming (league play, fundraisers) across 8+ physical locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- American Fowling Association (AFA): The governing body for the sport of Fowling that sanctions Fowling Warehouse as the only venue for official League Play. While separate, it is referenced as the sport's governing body.
- Fowlanthropy
- Bonk Pizza
- Mystery Beer Machine
- Bottoms Up Beer Taps
Products and services
- Fowling Open Play Walk-in open play option for individuals or small groups (typically 5 or fewer guests) at flat rate per person for unlimited play on first-come, first-served Fowling lanes. The Fowling game itself is a proprietary mashup sport combining football throwing with bowling pin knockdown.
- Fowling Reserved Lane Play Private lane reservations for groups up to 10 people, typically offering two full hours of Fowling play at a flat rate per lane. Prices range from $60 for 4 people (Kansas City 90-min) to $180 for 3 hours (Indianapolis).
- Fowling League Play Organized competitive league play accredited by the American Fowling Association (AFA), with seasons in Fall, Winter, and Spring, including national tournament opportunities. Fowling Warehouse is sanctioned as the only venue for official league play.
- Corporate Events and Team Building Customized corporate event packages including private venue rental, team building activities, meeting spaces, catering options, and full-service bar packages for groups from 10 to 1,500+ guests.
- FOWLanthropy Fundraising Events Charitable fundraising event hosting with dedicated nonprofit packages, special rates, and a proven method for helping organizations raise funds through Fowling tournaments and events.
- Indoor Pickleball Indoor pickleball courts available at the Minneapolis location, offering walk-in play at $15 per person for unlimited all-you-can-play during regular business hours.
- Golf Simulator TrackMan-powered indoor golf simulator at the Indianapolis location offering over 200+ courses, games, and range practice, priced at $40/hour for up to 6 people in a private bay.
- Full Bar and Beverage Service On-site full bar service at all locations featuring 80+ domestic, import, and craft beers, cocktails, wines, seltzers, non-alcoholic options, and the Mystery Beer Machine for randomized beer selection.
- Food Service In-house food offerings including fresh-baked pizzas (12-inch, serves 3-4) and partner restaurant delivery options. BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) policy at most locations for customer flexibility.
- Bonk Pizza In-house pizza kitchen at the Indianapolis location serving hot, fresh handcrafted pizza, wings and more served directly to tables.
- Minnesota Twins Watch Parties Sports watch party hosting at the Minneapolis location featuring wall-to-wall TVs, full bar, food, and free parking for Minnesota Twins home and away games, in partnership with the Minnesota Twins.
- Portable Fowling Sets Portable Fowling game sets available for purchase at warehouse locations or online at playfowling.com, enabling customers to bring the Fowling experience to tailgates, BBQs, beach days, or backyard gatherings.
- Franchise Program Franchise opportunity offering entrepreneur investors the rights to open Fowling Warehouse locations. Total investment ranges from $2,715,413 to $5,208,313 with a $75,313 franchise fee, 6% royalty on sales, and 1.5% marketing fee. Multi-unit commitments up to 5 locations available with discounts.
Companies that use Fowling Warehouse
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Fowling Warehouse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Fowling Warehouse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- American Fowling Association (AFA)coreThe AFA is the governing body for the sport of Fowling and has sanctioned Fowling Warehouse as the only venue to host Fowling League Play. The association is tasked with growing the sport and ensuring it is inclusive, sustainable, and flourishing for all participants.
- VisitKCminorOfficial tourism partner providing marketing visibility for Kansas City location through VisitKC promotional channels and visitor resources.
- Kansas City Chamber of CommerceminorLocal chamber partnership providing business networking and promotional support for Kansas City operations.
- Leawood Chamber of CommerceminorLocal chamber partnership for Kansas City area business community engagement.
- KC Sport and Social ClubcorePartnership with KCSC for Thursday Doubles League play, creating organized competitive Fowling opportunities in the Kansas City market.
- Fluid Table TennisminorPartnership with Fluid Table Tennis, the biggest and most active community league in the Twin Cities, for Table Tennis Thursday events at Minneapolis location.
- Sam Hubbard FoundationflagshipNFL star Sam Hubbard's foundation hosts annual signature Fowling tournament at Cincinnati location, raising $200,000+ for underserved youth programs.
- Special Olympics MissouricoreSOMO KC Fowling Tournament fundraiser at Kansas City location with prizes, silent auction, and 50/50 raffle benefiting Special Olympics athletes.
- Bonk PizzacoreIn-house pizza kitchen at Indianapolis location providing fresh-baked pizzas, wings and more served directly to tables.
- Nameless CateringminorPreferred catering partner for Indianapolis events and private bookings.
- Hoosier HomestyleminorPreferred catering partner for Indianapolis events providing local cuisine options.
- Red Cow / Red RabbitcoreExclusive caterer for Minneapolis group events over 100 guests, providing burger and restaurant-quality food options.
- Minnesota TwinscoreWatch party partnership hosting Twins home and away games with wall-to-wall TVs, allowing patrons to watch games while playing Fowling.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fowling Warehouse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Topgolf: Topgolf is the largest sports-entertainment venue chain in the US, combining a tech-enabled competitive activity (golf) with full bar/food service and large-format venues. Fowling Warehouse operates an analogous concept at smaller scale using a different proprietary sport, targeting similar corporate-event and casual-social occasions.
- Dave & Buster's: Dave & Buster's is the largest US chain combining full-service restaurants with arcade gaming and entertainment for adults and families. Fowling competes for the same adult group-night-out and corporate-event occasion in markets where both formats overlap.
Direct peers
- Bowlero (Bowlmor): Bowlero is the dominant US bowling-center operator, repositioning traditional bowling into a tech-enabled entertainment and nightlife venue with full bars, food, and event hosting. Fowling Warehouse uses bowling pins as its core activity but is differentiated by football throwing; the two venues compete directly for league play, corporate events, and casual group outings.
- Puttshack: Puttshack operates upscale, tech-enabled indoor mini-golf venues with full bars and food service, targeting similar corporate-event and adult-social-occasion segments as Fowling Warehouse. Both are purpose-built competitive venues monetizing food, beverage, and event revenue around a single novel activity.
- Main Event Entertainment: Main Event operates large-format family entertainment centers featuring bowling, laser tag, karaoke, and full food/beverage service. It competes with Fowling Warehouse for group outings, birthday parties, and corporate events in overlapping US markets.
- Swingers (Crazy Golf): Swingers operates competitive socializing venues built around a single themed activity (crazy golf) with cocktail bars and street food, originally in London and expanding to US cities. It mirrors Fowling's "one signature activity + bar + food + event" formula and targets the same corporate-event segment.
- Flight Club (Social Darts): Flight Club operates tech-enabled darts venues with full bars and food service in major US and UK cities. Like Fowling, it is purpose-built around a single pub/sport-game activity, monetizing bar and event revenue, targeting adult group and corporate customers.
Emerging players
- Drive Shack: Drive Shack operates tech-enabled golf entertainment venues with food, beverage, and event hosting, similar to Topgolf but smaller and more focused. While primarily golf-based, the competitive socializing model and venue economics closely parallel Fowling Warehouse.
- Andretti Indoor Karting & Games: Andretti operates large indoor entertainment complexes featuring karting, bowling, laser tag, arcade, and full food/beverage programs. It targets the same group/corporate-event use cases as Fowling Warehouse and competes in several of the same US metros.
- Pickleball Kingdom / Ace Pickleball Club: Purpose-built indoor pickleball clubs have grown rapidly across the US offering court rental, leagues, and food/beverage, much like the Minneapolis Fowling location's pickleball courts. Both formats are competing for the same Midwest corporate and league customers, often in shared venues.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Fowling Warehouse social profiles
Digital presenceFowling Warehouse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fowling Warehouse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Fowling Warehouse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fowling Warehouse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fowling Warehouse
What does Fowling Warehouse do?
Fowling Warehouse operates physical entertainment venues offering the proprietary Fowling game, a mashup sport combining football throwing with bowling pin knockdown. Each 21,000-50,000 sq ft location features 20-33 Fowling lanes, full-service bars with 80+ beers, food service, and flexible event spaces. The company runs 8+ corporate and franchise locations across the US and additionally generates revenue from a franchise licensing program, league play sanctioned by the American Fowling Association, and corporate event hosting for groups of 2 to 1,500+.
Is Fowling Warehouse a public or private company?
Fowling Warehouse is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Fowling Warehouse founded?
Fowling Warehouse was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Fowling Warehouse based?
Fowling Warehouse is headquartered in Cincinnati, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fowling Warehouse make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Open Play Fees are the primary driver. The others are lane Reservations, food and Beverage Sales, corporate Events and Private Parties and franchise Fees.
Who are Fowling Warehouse's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Topgolf and Dave & Buster's. Direct peers are Bowlero (Bowlmor), Puttshack, Main Event Entertainment, Swingers (Crazy Golf) and Flight Club (Social Darts). Emerging players are Drive Shack, Andretti Indoor Karting & Games and Pickleball Kingdom / Ace Pickleball Club.
Does Fowling Warehouse have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fowling Warehouse.
What industry is Fowling Warehouse in?
Fowling Warehouse's product category is Sports Entertainment Venues. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFALAB, Esports Arenas & Stadium Venues (Purpose-Built Competitive Venues), with a secondary code of MPAFALAK, Venue Infrastructure & Managed Services (Network, PCs, Maintenance, A/V, IT Ops). Its NAICS code is 71395 and its SIC code is 7997.