What Chicago Steel does

Chicago Steel is a USHL (United States Hockey League) Tier 1 junior hockey team founded in 2000, operating as a private, for-profit organization owned by the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks. The team is structured as a developmental pipeline, recruiting and training elite teenage hockey players with the goal of advancing them to NCAA Division I programs and professional careers. Since 2000, the Steel have produced 62 NHL Draft picks, nearly 400 NCAA Division I alumni, 27 NHL debuts since 2015, and the only consecutive Hobey Baker Award winners in USHL history (Adam Fantilli in 2023, Macklin Celebrini in 2024). Larry Robbins is identified as the founder in available records. The team's headcount is 11-50 employees.

The Steel's core products are its competitive USHL season, the Chicago Steel Broadcast Network (CSBN) which distributes all games live on FloHockey and Mixlr Radio across Roku, Apple TV, iOS, and Google Play, and the new USG Arena at Blackhawks Ice Center (1801 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago) which opens for the 2026-2027 season with stadium-style seating for 2,000, a state-of-the-art scoreboard, video ribbon boards, party decks, and premium dining (Rocky's Table & Tap, Raise the Cup Café). For the 2025-2026 season, the team continues to play at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, Illinois, and the rebrand (new logo, patch, wordmark) debuts in tandem with the venue move.

The Steel's business model is event-driven, monetized through season ticket memberships, mini-plans and individual game tickets, group and youth experience packages (birthday parties, color guard performances), corporate partnerships, and merchandise sales through the cbhshop.com online store. Pricing for the new arena is being released in early 2026. Distribution relies on direct-to-consumer ticketing, group sales, a proprietary digital broadcast network, and PR/earned media through affiliations with the USHL, NHL, and USA Hockey. The primary customer cohort is elite youth hockey players and their families, with the broader Chicago-area fan base, group/corporate buyers, and alumni network forming adjacent segments.

Name

Chicago Steel

Legal name

Chicago Steel

Website

https://chicagosteelhockeyteam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago Steel is a USHL Tier 1 junior hockey team founded in 2000, developing elite teenage players for NCAA Division I and NHL careers, with relocation to USG Arena at Chicago Blackhawks Ice Center planned for 2026-2027.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Junior Ice Hockey

akta.pro primary industry

Winter Sports Teams/Clubs (Ski, Snowboard, Bobsleigh, etc.) (MPAKABAI)

Keywords

• Junior ice hockey
• Player development
• Sports entertainment
• Game broadcasts
• Team merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales and Season Memberships: Revenue generated from individual game tickets, season ticket memberships, and mini-plan packages for fans attending games at Fox Valley Ice Arena and future USG Arena at Blackhawks Ice Center.
2. Youth Hockey Experiences and Group Packages: Group experiences including Youth Hockey Experience packages, birthday packages, presentation of colors performances, and national anthem performances offered to fans and families.
3. Merchandise and Apparel: Online store sales through cbhshop.com offering Chicago Steel branded merchandise and apparel.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chicago Steel is a USHL Tier 1 junior ice hockey team that fields a competitive roster of draft-eligible players and develops them for advancement to NCAA Division I and professional hockey. The team sells season ticket memberships and individual game tickets, offers youth hockey experiences and group packages, and operates a branded merchandise store. All games are broadcast live globally through the Chicago Steel Broadcast Network on FloHockey and Mixlr Radio.

Product overview

Chicago Steel is a USHL junior hockey team that serves as a developmental pathway for players advancing to NCAA Division I hockey and NHL. The team's primary offerings include live hockey game broadcasts through the Chicago Steel Broadcast Network (via FloHockey and Mixlr Radio), and tickets/memberships for attending games. Starting in 2026-2027, the team will relocate from Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva to USG Arena inside Blackhawks Ice Center in Chicago. The venue features modern amenities including stadium seating for 2,000 spectators, video boards, dining options (Rocky's Table & Tap and Raise the Cup Café), and premium hospitality areas. The team also provides access to game schedules, statistics, and standings through the USHL Game Center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chicago Steel Broadcast Network (CSBN): The team's own broadcast network providing live coverage of all Chicago Steel games on FloHockey and Mixlr Radio.

Products and services

• Chicago Steel Hockey Team USHL (United States Hockey League) Tier 1 junior hockey team based in Geneva, Illinois, serving as a developmental pathway for players advancing to NCAA Division I hockey and the NHL. The team has advanced nearly 400 players to NCAA Division I since 2000.
• Chicago Steel Broadcast Network (CSBN)
• 2026-2027 Season Ticket Memberships Season ticket packages for the 2026-2027 season when the team relocates to USG Arena at Blackhawks Ice Center. Current Steel season ticket and mini-plan holders receive priority seat selection; ticket pricing to be released in early 2026.
• Chicago Steel Merchandise and Apparel
• Youth Hockey Experiences and Group Packages
• USHL Game Center Access

Quantifiable outcome

• 62 players selected in NHL Draft since 2000, including 2021 #1 (Owen Power), 2023 #3 (Adam Fantilli), and 2024 #1 (Macklin Celebrini)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• Chicago BlackhawksflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Chicago Blackhawks are the NHL franchise that owns and operates the Chicago Steel as their junior hockey affiliate. The Steel will relocate to USG Arena at Blackhawks Ice Center starting in the 2026-2027 season. Blackhawks Ice Center is the official training home of the Chicago Blackhawks and a premier multi-purpose sports and entertainment destination. The arena will feature 2,000 spectator seats with a state-of-the-art center scoreboard, video ribbon boards, and exclusive party decks. This relocation marks a major facilities and brand upgrade for the Steel.
• USHL (United States Hockey League)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Chicago Steel competes in the USHL, the top Tier 1 junior hockey league in the United States, as a member of the Eastern Conference alongside teams including Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Dubuque Fighting Saints, Green Bay Gamblers, Madison Capitols, Muskegon Lumberjacks, Team USA, and Youngstown Phantoms. The Western Conference includes teams from Des Moines, Fargo, Lincoln, Omaha, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, Tri-City, and Waterloo.
• NHLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Chicago Steel is a proud partner of the NHL. The NHL affiliation connects the Steel to the broader North American professional hockey ecosystem and provides visibility and credibility for the junior hockey development pathway.
• USA HockeycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Chicago Steel is a proud partner of USA Hockey, the national governing body for ice hockey in the United States. This affiliation supports the development pipeline from youth hockey through junior and collegiate levels to professional and national team play.
• FloHockeycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFloHockey is the primary broadcast platform for the Chicago Steel, streaming all games live (home and away) through the Chicago Steel Broadcast Network (CSBN). Available via web, Roku, Apple TV, iOS App Store, and Google Play platforms.
• Mixlr RadiosecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMixlr Radio serves as an additional audio broadcast platform for Chicago Steel games, complementing the FloHockey video broadcasts. Available via web, iOS, and Android.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ChicagoSteel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Chicago Steel