Knoxville Ice Bears

What Knoxville Ice Bears does

The Knoxville Ice Bears are a privately held professional minor-league ice hockey franchise that competes in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), an inaugural charter member of the league in 2004, and the exclusive professional hockey tenant of the Knoxville Civic Coliseum. The organization plays a 30-game home schedule each regular season (plus exhibition and President's Cup playoff games), supported by a diversified ticketing ecosystem consisting of MemBEARship season subscriptions (tiered from $29/month South End Zone to $135/month private Box), Flex Ticket packs (Silver, Gold, VIP), group ticket packages for 20-plus attendees, and partial season plans. The franchise is a four-time SPHL President's Cup champion (2006, 2008, 2009, 2015) and a five-time regular-season champion, entering its 25th anniversary season in 2026-27.

The underlying technology stack is conventional for live sports entertainment: Ticketmaster for mobile-only digital ticketing with rotating barcodes, a proprietary iOS/Android fan engagement app (game-day trivia, Chuck-A-Puck, auctions, news), the DASH platform for specialty jersey auctions, a Shopify-powered team store, and FloHockey/FloSports for streaming of away and selected home games. The team monetizes through ticketing, concessions at the Coliseum, merchandise sales, local and event sponsorships (Sugarlands Shine, WBIR, Bassmaster, UT Athletics), community fundraising, and the Knoxville Ice Bears Charitable Foundation.

The go-to-market motion is event-driven, anchored by 40-plus themed promotional nights per season (Disney Night, Star Wars Night, Realtree Night, Wiener Dog Races, All Vol Night, etc.), inside/field sales for group and MemBEARship accounts, a telephone ticket office, and on-site box office. Customer segments center on East Tennessee families seeking affordable entertainment, dedicated hockey fans and MemBEARship holders, and corporate/community groups using Spirit Night fundraisers and group outings. The franchise is owned by a closely held group led by President/CEO/Owner Mike Murray, with co-owners Dr. John Langley, Doug Yoakley, Kendra Dyer, and Robert Dyer, and operates with 1-10 employees and no disclosed institutional capital.

Name

Knoxville Ice Bears

Legal name

Knoxville Ice Bears

Website

https://knoxvilleicebears.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Knoxville Ice Bears are a privately held, four-time SPHL President's Cup champion professional ice hockey franchise and the exclusive professional hockey tenant of the Knoxville Civic Coliseum, serving East Tennessee families, group buyers, and corporate partners through MemBEARship subscriptions, flex and group tickets, themed promotional nights, merchandise, and community programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Minor League Professional Hockey Entertainment

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Hockey Leagues (MPAKAAAE)

Keywords

• Professional hockey team
• Minor league hockey
• Live sports entertainment
• Season ticket subscriptions
• Game day experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. MemBEARship Season Subscriptions: Monthly or multi-month subscription tiers for season ticket packages. Prices range from $29/month for South End Zone to $135/month for a private Box. Additional per-game partial season plans ($22-$32/game). Revenue is recurring on a 12-month payment schedule.
2. Group Ticket Sales: Bulk ticket sales to groups of 20 or more, with tiered perks including merchandise discounts, signed pucks, warmup bench experiences, mystery jerseys, and puck drop ceremonies. Revenue realized per-ticket with group leader perks scaling by group size.
3. Flex Tickets: Individual and multi-pack ticket vouchers (30-pack, 50-pack) sold at Silver/Gold/VIP price tiers ($18-$28 per ticket single; $540-$1,400 for 50-pack). Redeemable for any regular season game, providing revenue certainty with flexible redemption.
4. Team Merchandise Sales: Revenue from official team store merchandise sales via shop.knoxvilleicebears.com and on-site gameday sales, including specialty jersey auctions and promotional merchandise drops.
5. Concessions and Gameday Ancillary Revenue: Food, beverage, and novelty concessions revenue at Knoxville Civic Coliseum games. MemBEARship holders receive discounted concessions as a membership perk.
6. Fundraising and Spirit Night Programs: Community fundraising program where groups sell tickets and receive $7 per ticket sold. No upfront cost to the group, generating ticket revenue and community goodwill.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Knoxville Ice Bears operate a professional ice hockey franchise in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), delivering live home games at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum. Core revenue offerings include full-season MemBEARship subscriptions, individual and group ticket sales, flex-ticket bundles, branded merchandise, premium on-ice experiences (Fanboni ride, birthday parties), concessions, and themed promotional nights. The franchise sells tickets, merchandise, and ancillary game-day experiences directly to fans and community groups in the Knoxville, Tennessee market.

Product overview

The Knoxville Ice Bears are a professional hockey team competing in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). Their product portfolio centers on live professional hockey entertainment at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum, supported by a multi-tiered ticketing ecosystem that includes MemBEARships (full-season packages with premium perks), Flex Tickets (flexible bundle options in Silver, Gold, and VIP tiers), and Group Tickets. The organization extends the fan experience through a mobile app for tickets, news, and merchandise; a merchandise e-commerce store; special event experiences including the Fanboni ride, birthday parties, and Chilly's Cub Club for kids; and community engagement via the Knoxville Ice Bears Charitable Foundation. The team also offers sponsorship and partnership opportunities for businesses seeking arena visibility and fan engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chilly Bear: Official mascot of the Knoxville Ice Bears, native to the Great Smoky Mountains near Knoxville, Tennessee.

Products and services

• MemBEARship Season Tickets Full-season ticket subscription offering reserved seating for all 30 regular season home games plus playoff tickets, with tiered perks including merchandise discounts, concession discounts, buddy passes, meet-and-greets, and member-only promotions. Available in South End Zone, Silver, Silver Premium, Gold, VIP, and Box tiers at monthly billing from $29 to $135.
• Flex Tickets Flexible ticket vouchers redeemable for any regular season game, sold as single tickets ($18-$28) or in 30-pack ($540-$840) and 50-pack ($900-$1,400) bundles across Silver, Gold, and VIP seating tiers. Targeted at flexible schedules, corporate rewards, and holiday gifting.
• Group Tickets

Quantifiable outcome

• Tim Kent scored a hat trick in game 3 of the 2026 President's Cup semifinals, helping the Ice Bears take a 2-1 series lead over Peoria
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TicketmastercoreTechnology or IntegrationTicketmaster provides the digital ticketing infrastructure for all Knoxville Ice Bears home games. The partnership enables mobile-only entry with rotating barcodes, ticket transfers, and mobile wallet integration. All season tickets, individual game tickets, group tickets, and flex tickets are sold and managed through the Ticketmaster platform. The Ticketmaster app (iOS/Android) is required for mobile entry at the Civic Coliseum.
• FloSports / FloHockeycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFloSports serves as the official live streaming partner of the Knoxville Ice Bears, providing coverage of away games and selected home games via FloHockey. The partnership extends the team's reach to a national and international audience beyond the Knoxville market. All Ice Bears live games are accessible via FloHockey.tv signup.
• WBIR (NBC 10.1)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWBIR NBC 10.1 Knoxville serves as sponsor of the Game Day Weather feature through the WBIR Mini Meteorologist program. The team provides a young weather presenter featured on WBIR broadcasts, generating local TV media coverage and cross-promotional visibility for the Ice Bears brand in the Knoxville media market.
• Sugarlands Shine Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSugarlands Shine Co. is the presenting sponsor of the annual Realtree Night at the Civic Coliseum, featuring appearances from Mark and Digger from the Discovery Channel show 'Moonshiners.' The partnership combines Tennessee outdoor lifestyle branding with Ice Bears hockey entertainment.
• BassmasterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBassmaster Classic returning to Knoxville prompted a Bassmaster Night partnership at the Civic Coliseum. Specialty Bassmaster jerseys were auctioned off after the game and on DASH, tying Knoxville's major bass fishing event with Ice Bears hockey for a crossover audience.
• Knoxville Jr. Ice BearscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Knoxville Jr. Ice Bears (knoxvillejricebears.com) is the youth hockey development affiliate of the franchise. The organization supports youth hockey player development and serves as a feeder pathway for future Ice Bears players and fans. Bryan Hince (Pillar of Champions inductee) founded Pro Vision Hockey Academy and serves as President of the Knoxville Jr. Ice Bears.
• CASA for Children of the Tennessee HeartlandminorOthersThe Knoxville Ice Bears Charitable Foundation (icebearsfoundation.org) is now partnering with CASA for Children of the Tennessee Heartland, supporting the organization's mission to advocate for children in the foster care system in East Tennessee.
• UT AthleticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual All Vol Night partnership with University of Tennessee Athletics unites Vols and Ice Bears fans. Knoxville Ice Bears host Birmingham while featuring UT athletes in attendance and encouraging fans to wear orange and white gear, creating cross-sport community engagement.
• Knoxville Sled BearsminorOthersThe Knoxville Sled Bears sled hockey team is featured during Military Appreciation Night at Ice Bears games. The partnership supports adaptive sports and honors military veterans and service members, demonstrating the team's community commitment beyond able-bodied hockey.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pensacola Ice Flyers: SPHL franchise with a similar championship pedigree (multiple President's Cup titles) and Florida/SE United States market profile. Comparable on revenue mix, sponsorship depth, and on-ice brand strength.
• Fayetteville Marksmen: SPHL franchise that shares military-community programming and Group Sales/military appreciation night tactics similar to the Ice Bears' Military Appreciation Night with the Knoxville Sled Bears.
• Macon Mayhem: SPHL franchise located in a mid-sized southeastern market. Comparable in arena capacity, ticket pricing structure, and reliance on themed promotional nights to drive attendance.
• Huntsville Havoc: Another SPHL charter member (founded 2004) competing in the same league as the Knoxville Ice Bears. Direct comparable on league economics, market size, ticket pricing structure, and arena-based operations.
• Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs: SPHL franchise sharing the same southeastern regional footprint and single-arena operating model. Useful comparable for community-fundraising programming and themed-event ticketing strategy.
• Birmingham Bulls: SPHL franchise directly matched against the Ice Bears in cross-division play. Comparable on league economics, regional sponsorship pool, and youth-hockey community engagement strategy.
• Peoria Rivermen: SPHL franchise and direct league competitor; the two teams met in the 2026 President's Cup semifinals. Closest comparable on competitive results, regular-season attendance scale, and mid-tier SPHL market economics.

Broad incumbents

• Jacksonville Icemen: ECHL franchise operating one tier above the SPHL in the same Florida/SE region. Useful proxy for the next competitive and economic step if the Ice Bears were to pursue upward mobility.

Regional players

• Tennessee Smokies: Minor league baseball franchise in Kodak, TN serving the broader Knoxville region. Comparable mid-sized Southern US professional sports operation competing for summer-season family entertainment spend.
• One Knoxville SC: Professional soccer club based in Knoxville sharing the same local market and competing for sports entertainment dollars and corporate sponsorships. Direct competition for date nights, group outings, and family entertainment budgets in the Knoxville DMA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KnoxvilleIceBears
• Instagraminstagram.com/knoxvilleicebears
• TikToktiktok.com/@knoxicebears
• Xx.com/icebears
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knoxvilleicebears

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Knoxville Ice Bears