What Florida Everblades does

Florida Everblades is a professional minor league hockey team competing in the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League), based at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida. Founded in 1998 and operated under ECHL Properties, LLC, the franchise is the most decorated in ECHL history with five Kelly Cup championships (1998, 2001, 2012, 2023, 2026). The team serves Southwest Florida consumers (individual fans, families, youth) and corporate partners, generating revenue through ticket sales (single-game, Blades 365 season memberships, group packages, luxury suites), merchandise, sponsorships, and premium fan experiences.

The core product surface is event-driven: 70+ regular-season home games plus playoffs at Hertz Arena, supplemented by themed game nights (Star Wars Night, Pink in the Rink, Circus Night, Canadian Night, First Responder Night), youth programs (Junior Everblades, Kids Club), and community initiatives (Blades Backers, Everbabes, donation requests). Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the team website and on-site box office, with Ticketmaster serving as the primary ticketing platform and FloHockey/FloSports providing streaming broadcast reach. Supporting technology is limited to a fan-facing mobile app and an e-commerce merchandise shop; there is no proprietary technology platform or disclosed AI capability.

The business model combines transactional ticket revenue, recurring subscription-style season memberships, advertising/sponsorship income from a concentrated regional sponsor roster (Lexus, Hertz, Hoffmann Family of Companies, Fifth Third Bank, Publix), and unit-priced premium fan experiences priced up to $585. Pricing is segmented across budget ($18 single-game tickets), group ($10+), subscription (annual Blades 365), and premium (luxury suites, Fanboni, VIP Private Row) tiers. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; headcount is reported at 251-500 employees.

Name

Florida Everblades

Legal name

ECHL Properties, LLC

Website

https://floridaeverblades.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Florida Everblades is a professional ECHL hockey team based in Estero, Florida, that generates revenue from tickets, merchandise, regional sponsorships, and premium fan experiences for Southwest Florida consumers and corporate partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports & Live Entertainment

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Hockey Leagues (MPAKAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports Venue Operations for Live Games (Stadiums/Arenas) (MPAGAMAG), Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB)

Keywords

• Professional hockey team
• Minor league sports entertainment
• Sports ticketing services
• Team merchandise sales
• Sports sponsorship marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Estero

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from single game tickets, season memberships (Blades 365), group tickets, premium seating, and luxury suites sold directly to fans attending games at Hertz Arena.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling team merchandise including jerseys, apparel, and championship memorabilia through the team's e-commerce storefront.
3. Sponsorships and Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsors pay for branding, advertising space on the website, arena signage, and promotional partnerships. Sponsors include Lexus, Hertz, Hoffmann, Crowther Roofing, HSS at NCH, Fifth Third Bank, Dunkins Diamonds, and others.
4. Fan Experiences: Premium fan experience packages including bench access, VIP private rows, fanboni experiences, and specialty food/beverage packages at games.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Florida Everblades operate a professional ECHL (Tier I minor-league) ice hockey franchise that sells live game entertainment through ticketing products — single game tickets, Blades 365 season memberships, group tickets (10+), and premium/luxury suites — and surrounding revenue streams including team merchandise, fan experience packages, and corporate sponsorship/arena advertising. Home games are played at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida, with content also distributed via ECHL.TV and FloHockey streaming broadcasts.

Product overview

Florida Everblades is a professional hockey team in the ECHL that offers ticketing and fan experience products. The core products include Single Game Tickets sold through Ticketmaster, Blades 365 Memberships (season ticket packages), Group Fun (group tickets for 10+), and Premium Seating (luxury suites). Additional offerings include Fan Experiences packages (Fanboni, VIP Private Row, Nutrl Seats), the Everblades App for mobile fan engagement, and a Shop for merchandise and championship merchandise. The team plays home games at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Single Game Tickets Individual game tickets for Florida Everblades home games at Hertz Arena, sold directly and through Ticketmaster starting at $18.
• Blades 365 Memberships Annual season ticket memberships offering savings and benefits for the full season, sold as recurring annual subscriptions.
• Group Fun Group ticket package product for parties of 10 or more, offering reserved seating at discounted group rates at Hertz Arena.
• Premium Seating (Luxury Suites) Premium seating product including private luxury suites accommodating 12 guests, plus hospitality areas such as the Fifth Third Bank Terrace for 12-200 guests.
• Fan Experiences Premium fan experience packages including Everblades Fanboni (from $336), VIP Private Row ($585), and Nutrl Seats Experience ($510), bundling bench access or specialty seating with food/beverage.
• Team Merchandise Shop Online merchandise storefront selling Florida Everblades apparel, jerseys, gear, and championship memorabilia including Kelly Cup championship merchandise.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5th Kelly Cup Championship won in 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• Lexus Dealers of Southwest FloridaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLexus Dealers of Southwest Florida served as the presenting sponsor for the 2026 Kelly Cup Finals, providing championship-level sponsorship visibility and branding at the championship games.
• Hertz ArenacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHertz Arena is the home venue for the Florida Everblades, providing the physical arena for all home games and associated facilities including the Hertz #1 Club and Breakaway Sports Pub.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicketmaster serves as the primary ticketing platform for Florida Everblades single game tickets, handling ticket distribution and sales for home games.
• Hoffmann Family of CompaniesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor and partner with branding on the team's official website and arena signage.
• ECHLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Florida Everblades are a member team of the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League), the premier Tier I professional hockey league. The ECHL provides league operations, championship playoffs, broadcasting (ECHL.TV), and official game reporting.
• PublixminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSaturday Tailgate presented by Publix, a grocery retailer sponsoring pre-game tailgate events.
• FloHockey / FloSportsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFloHockey provides streaming broadcast coverage of ECHL games including Florida Everblades matchups through ECHL.TV platform.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Jacksonville Icemen: Jacksonville Icemen are an ECHL franchise in northeast Florida. As a same-state ECHL peer, they directly compete for Florida hockey fan attention, regional sponsorship dollars, and ECHL-affiliated media exposure.
• South Carolina Stingrays: South Carolina Stingrays are a long-established ECHL franchise in North Charleston. They offer direct comparison as fellow Tier I minor-league hockey operators in the Southeast with established corporate and ticketing revenue programs.
• Kansas City Mavericks: Kansas City Mavericks are the ECHL opponent Florida Everblades defeated in the 2026 Kelly Cup Finals. As a direct finals rival, they are an immediately comparable ECHL franchise for benchmark valuation purposes.
• Toledo Walleye: Toledo Walleye are an ECHL franchise widely regarded as one of the most successful in the league on attendance and sponsorship metrics. They offer a directly comparable benchmark for minor-league hockey operational excellence and revenue per game.
• Cincinnati Cyclones: Cincinnati Cyclones are a long-established ECHL franchise with a similar mid-size market footprint and community-anchored revenue model. They are a directly comparable peer for benchmarking sponsorship, ticketing, and community program economics.
• Atlanta Gladiators: Atlanta Gladiators are an ECHL franchise operating in a large Southeast US market. They compete in the same league division as Florida Everblades and offer directly comparable minor-league hockey economics.
• Orlando Solar Bears: Orlando Solar Bears are an ECHL franchise in central Florida — the closest geographic peer to Florida Everblades and a fellow Sun Belt hockey operator with similar ticketing, sponsorship, and minor-league operational model.
• Greenville Swamp Rabbits: Greenville Swamp Rabbits are an ECHL franchise in the same league and division. They are a directly comparable mid-size market ECHL operator with similar ticketing, sponsorship, and arena economics.

Broad incumbents

• Tampa Bay Lightning: Tampa Bay Lightning are the NHL franchise regionally affiliated with the Everblades' hockey ecosystem. As the dominant hockey brand in the same Florida/I-75 corridor, they shape the local hockey fan engagement environment in which the Everblades operate.
• Charlotte Checkers: Charlotte Checkers are an AHL (one tier above ECHL) franchise in the Carolinas. They represent a comparable operator in a similar regional market, illustrating the step-up in economics and broadcast value one tier above the Everblades' ECHL positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fl_everblades
• Facebookfacebook.com/floridaeverblades
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/florida-everblades-professional-hockey-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Florida Everblades