Play Hockey

What Play Hockey does

Play Hockey is a private youth hockey event and platform operator headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada with a parallel US entity in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The company operates 115+ youth hockey events annually across North America and Europe, organized into nine branded event series: World Selects Invitational (WSI), Female Force, International Cup, HHOF Series, International Summer Series, Performance & Development, Hometown Series, Future Gen Prospects, and Takeover Series. Core products include competitive tournaments for male and female teams across Open, AA, AAA, and Elite divisions, plus individual-player experiences (camps, showcases, evaluations) and European tours for elite participants. Prime Hockey, an invite-only elite spring program for 11-15 year old AAA players, operates as a sub-brand whose leadership claims a track record of 500+ players drafted to the NHL since 2007.

Underpinning the event business is a proprietary digital platform: a web platform at my.playhockey.com and native iOS/Android apps that handle team and player registration, digital waivers (signed once and valid indefinitely), real-time schedules and standings, rosters, LiveBarn live streaming integration, social highlight sharing, and athlete profiles. Backend operations are powered by Regystra (registration/tournament management) and Stripe (payments), with EventConnect enforcing a Stay to Play hotel booking requirement that bundles accommodation with tournament registration.

Revenue mechanics rely on per-event registration fees (approximately $1,900-$2,150 USD per team for tournaments), individual player entry fees for camps and showcases, European tour program fees, and Prime Hockey's premium invite-only fees. The company operates an event-driven GTM with no disclosed enterprise sales motion, distributing through its owned digital channels, app stores, social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok), the PLAY Hockey Insider email newsletter, and embedded hotel partner channels. Quebec residents are the only significant geographic exclusion from the otherwise US/Canada service area. No external funding, parent company, or institutional investment is indicated in the data.

Name

Play Hockey

Legal name

Play Hockey Canada Inc. and Play Hockey USA Inc.

Website

https://playhockey.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Play Hockey is a private youth hockey event operator and platform company hosting 115+ tournaments, camps, showcases, and European tours annually across North America for youth teams and players, anchored by an owned mobile and web platform with integrated hotel booking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sports Event Management

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments (MPAGAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sport-Specific Amateur Leagues & Circuits (Non-Professional) (MPAKACAJ), Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB)

Keywords

• Youth hockey tournaments
• Hockey event management
• Hockey camps and showcases
• Hockey league operations
• Youth sports events

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Team Tournament Registration Fees: Teams pay registration fees to participate in PLAY Hockey tournaments. Fees vary by event and age division, ranging from approximately $1,900 to $2,150 USD per team. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Individual Player Entry Fees (Camps, Showcases, Evaluations): Individual players pay fees to participate in single-player experiences including camps, showcases, and evaluations. Fees vary by event type.
3. European Tours: PLAY Hockey organizes international European tours for teams and individual players, generating revenue through tour program fees.
4. Prime Hockey Program Fees: Invite-only spring hockey team programs for elite youth players aged 11-15, run as a premium programming tier under the PLAY Hockey brand.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Play Hockey operates a youth hockey event platform hosting 115+ tournaments, camps, showcases, leagues, and international tours across North America and Europe. The company provides competitive team experiences (male and female divisions from Open to Elite AAA) and individual player experiences including skill development, exposure events, and European tours. Operations are supported by an integrated digital platform (my.playhockey.com and a mobile app) that handles registration, waivers, live streaming, schedules, statistics, and athlete highlights.

Product overview

PLAY Hockey operates a multi-faceted youth hockey events platform consisting of a core mobile app and website, tournament management services, and multiple branded event series. The core offerings include tournaments (male and female, ages U15-U18+, divisions from Open to Elite), European Tours, Camps & Showcases, and the PLAY Hockey App providing real-time updates, streaming, and highlight sharing. The portfolio includes Prime Hockey as an elite sub-brand for top 11-15 year old players, and nine distinct event series (World Selects Invitational, Female Force Series, International Cup, HHOF Series, International Summer Series, Performance & Development, Hometown Series, Future Gen Prospects, and Takeover Series) that span development, showcase, and elite competition formats across North America and Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Prime Hockey: Elite youth hockey program featuring invite-only Spring hockey teams for players ages 11-15, with rosters comprised of top AAA youth hockey players from across North America. Leadership has over 23 years of experience working with top youth hockey players.

Products and services

• PLAY Hockey Tournaments Youth hockey tournaments across North America offering male and female divisions ranging from Open/Recreational to AAA/Elite levels. Events include 4-game guarantees, playoff brackets, and championship experiences for organized youth hockey teams.
• PLAY Hockey App Official mobile application for youth hockey fans, coaches, athletes, friends, and family. Provides real-time event updates, schedules, stats, standings, playoffs, rosters, live streaming access, and PLAY Highlights for sharing game footage.
• European Tours International hockey experiences including the WSI Series, International Summer Series, and International Cup that unite elite teams and players from across the globe for competitive play and cultural exchange.
• Camps & Showcases Development camps and showcases for individual players seeking skill development, exposure to scouts, and competition opportunities outside of team tournament formats.
• Prime Hockey Elite invite-only spring hockey program for top youth players aged 11-15. Features rosters of AAA players from across North America, coached by hockey professionals. Leadership has 23+ years experience working with top youth players, with over 500 players drafted to the NHL.
• World Selects Invitational (WSI) Flagship event series bringing together elite international teams and players for world-class competition under the PLAY Hockey European Tours portfolio.
• Female Force Series Female-specific hockey event series providing elite competition opportunities for female hockey players across multiple age divisions.
• International Cup Series International tournament series uniting elite teams and players from across the globe for high-level competition.
• HHOF Series Event series in partnership with the Hockey Hall of Fame providing unique hockey experiences and competitive opportunities for youth players.
• International Summer Series Summer event series featuring elite international competition across multiple locations, part of the European Tours portfolio.
• Performance & Development Series Development-focused event series designed to help players elevate their game and skills through structured competition and coaching.
• Hometown Series Event series connecting players to hometown hockey experiences and local competitive opportunities.
• Future Gen Prospects Series Development series focused on emerging young talent and future hockey prospects at the grassroots level.
• Takeover Series PLAY Hockey's largest tournament series featuring events that takeover entire cities' arenas, hotels, and restaurants. Includes hundreds of local and travel teams competing in multiple skill levels and gender divisions.
• PLAY Hockey Marketplace E-commerce shop offering team merchandise and hockey-related products to participants and fans.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ players drafted to the NHL through Prime Hockey programming since 2007
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Motel 6 and Studio 6flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 November 2025Motel 6 and Studio 6 are the official hotel partners for PLAY Hockey youth hockey events in Canada. The partnership includes advertising and on-site event activations to promote their brands among hockey travelers across Canada. This is a cross-promotional arrangement targeting youth hockey families traveling for tournaments.
• LiveBarncoreTechnology or IntegrationLiveBarn is the official live streaming partner for PLAY Hockey events, enabling families, scouts, and fans to watch games live and on-demand. PLAY Hockey event pages prominently feature LiveBarn branding and watch links.
• EventConnectcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEventConnect is the designated hotel booking platform for PLAY Hockey's Stay to Play events. All traveling teams and parents are required to book accommodations through EventConnect partner hotels to participate in tournaments.
• RegystracoreTechnology or IntegrationRegystra is the sports registration and tournament management software powering the my.playhockey.com registration portal, handling player and team registrations, payments, waivers, and housing coordination.
• K1minorGTM or Marketing PartnerK1 is listed as an official sponsor on the Prime Hockey website, appearing in the footer alongside PLAY Hockey branding.
• TPI Hospitality (ReserveTravel)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTPI Hospitality operates ReserveTravel as the hotel booking platform for the Twin City Throwdown Stay to Play event, providing room blocks and booking assistance for traveling teams.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• USA Hockey: The national governing body for amateur hockey in the United States and the primary organiser of sanctioned youth national championships and development pipelines — directly relevant as a youth hockey programming and event authority operating alongside Play Hockey's tournament portfolio.
• Hockey Canada: Canada's national sport governing body for hockey, operating sanctioned amateur and development programs across the country — comparable as the institutional backbone of the Canadian youth hockey event ecosystem in which Play Hockey Canada operates.
• North American Hockey League (NAHL): USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II junior league that runs its own showcase and event calendar across North America — comparable because it operates scheduled competitive events and showcases for elite-level youth and junior hockey talent, partially overlapping Play Hockey's Prime Hockey and WSI Series.
• USHL (United States Hockey League): The only Tier I junior hockey league in the United States, hosting its own combine, draft, and showcase events — comparable as an elite-tier event and exposure platform that competes for the same NHL-scouting audience Play Hockey serves through Prime Hockey.

Direct peers

• MyHockey Rankings: A tournament-management and ranking platform serving youth hockey teams across North America — directly comparable because it aggregates event data, rankings, and team profiles in the same youth hockey ecosystem Play Hockey operates in.
• Exposure Hockey: Operator of youth hockey showcase and tournament events focused on giving players exposure to junior, college, and NHL scouts — closely comparable to Play Hockey's showcase and Prime Hockey programming targeting the same elite exposure use case.
• HoneyBaked Hockey: Elite Midwest-based youth hockey organization running AAA teams, tournaments, and showcases — comparable because it competes for elite youth hockey players, offers a similar team-tournament-and-development stack, and has produced significant NHL-drafted talent.
• Compuware Hockey: Michigan-based elite youth hockey program operating AAA teams and tournaments — comparable as a long-standing AAA youth hockey brand with similar tournament/showcase/event programming for elite players in the U.S. Midwest.

Others

• Bauer Hockey: Major ice hockey equipment manufacturer and prominent youth hockey sponsor — adjacent peer via overlapping audience and sponsorship/activation presence at youth hockey events, but not a direct tournament operator.
• CCM Hockey: Leading ice hockey equipment brand with deep involvement in youth hockey development and event sponsorship — comparable as an adjacent ecosystem player that monetises the same youth hockey participant base through equipment sales and event partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/playhockeyna
• Facebookfacebook.com/PlayHockeyNA
• Instagraminstagram.com/playhockeyna/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@playhockey.na
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/play-hockey

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Play Hockey