Leeds Knights

What Leeds Knights does

Leeds Knights is a semi-professional ice hockey club operating as part of Leeds Ice Hockey Ltd, a private limited company registered in England. Founded in 2021, the club competes in the NIHL National Division, the second tier of UK ice hockey, and plays its home games at Planet Ice Leeds (branded "The Castle") at Elland Road, Beeston. The club serves individual fans, families, and corporate partners across the Yorkshire region through live sports entertainment, with additional remote access delivered through a digital livestream channel.

The core product is live ice hockey entertainment across a 30-game home season, supported by a second-tier development team, Leeds Knights 2, competing in the North 1 (Moralee) division. Revenue is generated through a diversified event-driven model spanning individual match tickets (adult £21-22.50, concession, child and family tiers with a 12% booking fee), 30-game season tickets with 6- or 9-month spread-the-cost payment options, VIP hospitality packages at £600+VAT for 10 guests, corporate match-night sponsorship at £850+VAT, tiered group bookings (10-19 people at 10% off, 20+ at 20% off), TicketCo livestream tickets with unique 5-character access codes, and ancillary streams including 50/50 raffles, Chuck-A-Puck, Shirt Off The Back, own-and-loan jersey sponsorships and match-night mascot experiences.

The commercial model is anchored by a corporate sponsorship portfolio headed by main sponsor Morley Glass and multi-year partner Ward Hadaway (Penalty Box sponsor), alongside Leeds Trinity University, Bauer, Village Gym, Leeds Bradford Airport, North America Travel Service, Bailie Group, Weetwood, YorPower, IMS Robotics, Gryphon Oakwood and Uni Blinds. Venue operations, ticketing and payment processing are delivered through a core strategic partnership with Planet Ice, while digital livestream infrastructure is provided by TicketCo. The club claims the largest social media following in the NIHL National Division and recorded its highest-attended play-off campaign during the 2025/26 season, following back-to-back league titles in 2023/24 and 2024/25.

Name

Leeds Knights

Legal name

Leeds Ice Hockey Ltd

Website

https://leedsknights.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Leeds Knights is a semi-professional ice hockey club competing in the UK's NIHL National Division, playing at Planet Ice Leeds. Revenue is generated through match tickets, season passes, VIP hospitality, livestream access, and corporate sponsorships serving fans, families, and local businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Ice Hockey / Live Sports Entertainment

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ice Hockey Leagues (MPAKAAAE)

Keywords

• Professional ice hockey
• Live sports entertainment
• Season ticket packages
• Corporate sponsorship hospitality
• Match night ticketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Beeston

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual match tickets (adult, concession, child, family packages), season tickets (30-game pass), and livestream tickets sold via TicketCo platform.
2. Season Ticket Sales: Season tickets for 30 home games including league, cup, and potential playoff fixtures. Available with spread-the-cost payment options (6 or 9 months).
3. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship partnerships including main sponsor Morley Glass, match night sponsorship, VIP nights, player sponsorship, and coach sponsorship. Includes brand visibility at games, social media promotion, and hospitality benefits.
4. Match Night Sponsorship: Corporate packages at £850 + VAT for up to 10 guests including VIP hospitality, welcome drinks, pizzas, social media mentions, big screen branding, tannoy announcements, and man of the match award presentation.
5. VIP Nights Hospitality: VIP match night packages at £600 + VAT for 10 guests (additional guests £35 + VAT per person, max 20). Includes private viewing environment, complimentary welcome drink, pizzas served after face-off, and personalized tannoy announcement.
6. Group Bookings: Group bookings for 10+ people with automatic discounts: 10-19 people receive 10% discount, 20+ people receive 20% discount.
7. Livestream Tickets: Digital livestream tickets sold via TicketCo allowing fans to watch games remotely. Each ticket grants access to one stream with a unique 5-character code.
8. Match Night Competitions: Revenue from 50/50 raffle (50% to club), Shirt Off The Back competition (£2 per ticket), and Chuck-A-Puck (£1 per foam puck).
9. Own & Loan Jerseys: Fans can sponsor a player's game-worn jersey for the season, with their name displayed on the jersey. Jerseys presented to owners after regular season.
10. Matchnight Mascot Experience: Mascot experiences sold to fans, including free entry, dressing room visit, leading team onto ice, and post-game photo with team.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Leeds Knights operates a semi-professional ice hockey club that delivers live sports entertainment through home games at Planet Ice Leeds (The Castle) in the NIHL National Division. The commercial offering combines match tickets, 30-game season tickets, VIP hospitality nights, group bookings, livestream access, fan engagement experiences (mascot packages, own-and-loan jerseys, match-night competitions), and tiered corporate sponsorship packages for businesses.

Product overview

Leeds Knights is a semi-professional ice hockey organisation operating as a tiered sports entertainment platform. The core offering is the NIHL National Division team competing at Planet Ice Leeds (The Castle), supplemented by Leeds Knights 2 in the development division. The product portfolio centres on live sports entertainment with multiple ticket products (individual match tickets, season tickets covering 30 home games, and VIP/hospitality packages), digital streaming via TicketCo, fan engagement experiences (Own & Loan jersey sponsorship, player sponsorship, match night mascot), corporate sponsorship opportunities, and supporter community initiatives. The offering combines live sporting events with merchandise, hospitality services, and digital content to serve both individual fans and corporate partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Season Tickets 30-game season ticket packages covering home league games (typically 27 league games plus 3 play-offs) with seat guarantees, first refusal on additional cup and play-off games, merchandise discounts, and seat sell-back options. Available with 6 or 9 month spread-the-cost payment plans.
• Match Tickets Individual game tickets for home and away fixtures with categories including Adult, Concession (60+), Child (15 & Under), and Family packages. Early bird pricing is available before Monday of game week with prices rising to game-week rates thereafter.
• VIP Nights Hospitality package priced at £600 + VAT for 10 guests, including VIP entry, private viewing environment, complimentary welcome drinks, pizzas served after face-off, and personalised tannoy announcement. Additional guests can be added at £35 + VAT per person up to a maximum of 20.
• Group Bookings Group ticket packages with automatic discounts: groups of 10-19 receive a 10% discount and groups of 20+ receive a 20% discount. Includes a group shout-out during games and is handled via email inquiries to [email protected].
• Livestream Tickets Digital streaming service allowing fans to watch games remotely via the TicketCo platform. Streams begin 30 minutes prior to face-off and each ticket grants access to one stream with a unique 5-character access code.
• Own & Loan Jerseys Fan sponsorship programme allowing supporters to own a game-worn player jersey for the season with their name displayed on the back. Jerseys are presented to owners after the regular season in white, blue, and yellow colour options.
• Match Night Sponsorship Corporate sponsorship package priced at £850 + VAT for up to 10 guests, including VIP hospitality, welcome drinks, pizzas, social media promotion, branding on the big screen, tannoy announcements, and the opportunity to present the Man of the Match award. Additional guests can be added at £35 + VAT per person up to 20.
• Player Sponsorship Exclusive season-long sponsorship of individual players, including company logo on the player's jersey, social media mentions, home game announcements, website feature, and presentation of the player's jersey at season end.
• Match Night Competitions In-arena entertainment comprising the 50/50 Match Night Raffle (£1 per ticket, 50% to club and 50% to winner), Shirt Off The Player's Back competition (£2 per ticket for a chance to win a game-worn jersey), and Chuck-A-Puck (£1 per foam puck with merchandise voucher and cash prizes).
• Matchnight Mascot Experience Child mascot experience for supporters up to age 16, including free entry, dressing room visit, leading the team onto the ice, post-game photo with the team, and a printed team picture.
• Official Supporters Club Organised supporters club providing additional engagement opportunities and exclusive experiences for dedicated Leeds Knights fans.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record attendance with sold-out fixtures throughout 2025/26 season
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Morley GlasscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMain team sponsor operating under the name 'Morley Glass Leeds Knights'. Logo appears prominently on team jersey and sponsorship materials. Morley Glass and glazing company based in Leeds area.
• Ward HadawaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of the UK's Top 100 law firms, sponsor of the home Penalty Box for four consecutive years. Services local, national, and international clients from offices in Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Teesside, and Newcastle. Regular presence at The Castle on match nights.
• Leeds Trinity UniversitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor of Head Coach Ryan Aldridge. Higher education institution in Leeds supporting the club.
• BauercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEquipment sponsor providing hockey equipment and apparel for the team.
• Village GymminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGym chain sponsor with location in Leeds South. Part of sponsor logo display on website.
• Leeds Bradford AirportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional airport sponsor supporting the club. Part of sponsor logo display.
• North America Travel ServiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel services sponsor. Part of sponsor logo display on website.
• Bailie GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness group sponsor. Part of sponsor logo display on website.
• WeetwoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor. Part of sponsor logo display on website.
• YorPowerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPower-related business sponsor. Part of sponsor logo display on website.
• IMS RoboticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRobotics company sponsor. Part of sponsor logo display on website.
• Gryphon OakwoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness sponsor. Part of sponsor logo display on website.
• Uni BlindsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlinds and window treatment sponsor. Part of sponsor logo display on website.
• Nimbus DisabilitycoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership using Nimbus Disability's Access Card Scheme and Digital Access Pass system to provide accessible ticketing for disabled supporters. Enables essential companion (+1) tickets through verified disability documentation.
• Planet IcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue operator for home arena at Elland Road, Beeston. Manages ticket processing through IceAccount platform, parking, and facility operations. All ticket purchases and payment processing handled through their systems.
• TicketCocoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital ticketing and livestream platform used for selling livestream tickets to remote fans. Provides the streaming infrastructure and unique access codes for each game.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nottingham Panthers: Long-established EIHL club with mature corporate sponsorship and hospitality operations. Provides a benchmark for what a scaled UK ice hockey sponsorship and ticketing platform looks like at the top tier.
• Coventry Blaze: EIHL side operating out of the Coventry Skydome — the same venue scheduled to host the 2026/27 NIHL National Final 4. Useful comparator on arena economics and ticketing/membership structure.
• Manchester Storm: EIHL team in northern England. Operates a comparable arena-based ticketed ice hockey business with season tickets, hospitality packages and sponsorship; relevant benchmark for Leeds' potential step-up to the top tier.
• Cardiff Devils: EIHL team operating in a single-venue, arena-based model with season tickets, VIP packages and corporate sponsorship — comparable to Leeds Knights' product architecture but at the top tier and with national sponsors.
• Sheffield Steelers: EIHL (top-tier UK ice hockey) team based in the same Yorkshire region. Comparable product (live ice hockey, season tickets, sponsorship, hospitality) but at a higher commercial tier, defining the upside case for Leeds Knights' potential promotion.

Direct peers

• Sheffield Steeldogs: NIHL National Division rival and Yorkshire derby opponent (Leeds faced them in the 2025/26 play-off semi-final). Direct comparison point on ticket pricing, sponsorship mix and junior development within the same tier.
• Swindon Wildcats: NIHL National Division team with a similar semi-professional scale, fan-base profile and sponsorship mix. Closest like-for-like peer on tier, scale and revenue model outside of Yorkshire.
• Basingstoke Bison: Historic NIHL side operating a comparable ticket, sponsorship and junior pathway model. Useful peer for benchmarking second-tier UK ice hockey economics.
• Hull Seahawks: NIHL National Division side and recurring Yorkshire derby opponent (Leeds Knights opened the 2026/27 season vs Hull). Operates a similar ticket, sponsorship and livestream model in a neighbouring city, making it the closest comparable on tier and geography.

Regional players

• Fife Flyers: EIHL ice hockey team based in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. Comparable operating model (single arena, season tickets, sponsorship, community engagement) but serves a different UK region, providing a useful geographic counterpoint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Leedsknights
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/LeedsKnights
• Facebookm.facebook.com/TheLeedsKnights
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leedsknights
• Instagraminstagram.com/leedsknights

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Leeds Knights