Jaap Eden IJsbaan

What Jaap Eden IJsbaan does

Jaap Eden IJsbaan operates the oldest existing ice rink in the world, founded in December 1961 in Amsterdam's Watergraafsmeer district under the legal entity Stichting IJscomplex Jaap Eden (an independent Dutch foundation). The facility consists of two core ice surfaces: an outdoor 400-meter speed skating track—the third such track built globally and the first to use a "direct" ice production system—and an indoor ice hall (IJshal) of approximately 1,800 m² with 1,200 bleacher seats, opened in 1973. The venue attracts over 500,000 visitors during the winter skating season, plus additional summer and event-season traffic.

The company monetizes through eight distinct revenue streams: public skating tickets (e-tickets and 10/25-ride rittenkaart passes), group and private skating lessons (including the JESS skating school), venue rentals across multiple hospitality spaces (Café JAAP, Panoramabar, Buffelbar, Ron Berteling Lounge, Chalet), catering and hospitality, school programs (Schoolschaatsen targeting Amsterdam municipality primary school groups 5–7), children's birthday parties, corporate event packages (Gold/Silver/Bronze tiers), sponsorship (boarding, anniversary packages), and gift cards. The facility serves five primary customer segments: Amsterdam primary schools, skating associations (speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey, shorttrack, G-skating), corporate groups for outings and events, individual/family recreational visitors, and wedding couples. Go-to-market combines a direct-to-consumer webshop (webshop.jaapeden.nl), a dedicated corporate/school sales team, and seasonal event-driven marketing across social media, email, and SEO.

Operating governance is via an unpaid volunteer board (chaired by Paul Wevers with finance and strategy portfolios) delegating daily management to a professional director (Joris Wouters), with a wholly-owned operating subsidiary Sportkantines Jaap Eden IJsbanen B.V. handling hospitality. The organization operates exclusively in Amsterdam/North Holland, with no evidence of external investment, acquisitions, or multi-site expansion.

Name

Jaap Eden IJsbaan

Legal name

Stichting IJscomplex Jaap Eden

Website

https://jaapeden.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jaap Eden IJsbaan is Amsterdam's historic 1961 outdoor 400-meter speed skating rink and indoor ice hall, operated by a foundation, serving recreational skaters, schools, sports associations, corporate groups, and event clients with tickets, lessons, and venue rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ice Skating and Sports Venue

NAICS

Skiing Facilities (713920), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Rinks & Winter Sports Facilities (MPAKAEAG)

Keywords

• Ice skating facility
• Speed skating rink
• Skating instruction
• Event venue rental
• Winter sports venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Skating Tickets: Entry fees for public skating sessions including e-tickets and multi-entry passes (rittenkaarten) for adults, students, youth, and seniors.
2. Skating Lessons: Group lessons (weekly courses, vacation courses), private lessons (30 and 60 minutes), and SchaatsFit summer training programs.
3. Venue and Facility Rentals: Rental of various venues including Café JAAP, JAAP's Panoramabar, JAAP's Buffelbar, Ron Berteling Lounge, Chalet, outdoor area, and ice hall for corporate events, weddings, parties, and meetings.
4. Catering and Hospitality: Food and beverage sales through Café JAAP, Koek & Zopie stand, event catering for corporate outings and weddings, and beverage package deals.
5. School Programs: Schoolschaatsen program for Amsterdam primary schools with 4-lesson packages including optional bus transport.
6. Children's Birthday Parties: Complete party packages including skating instruction, equipment rental, helmet, and gift for the birthday child.
7. Sponsorship: Boarding sponsorship, anniversary sponsorships for 65th jubilee celebration, and general advertising opportunities visible to 500,000+ annual visitors.
8. Gift Cards: Gift vouchers (cadeaubonnen) in denominations of €10, €20, €25, €30, €40, €50, and €100, valid for 2 years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jaap Eden IJsbaan operates Amsterdam's historic 400-meter outdoor speed skating track and an indoor ice hall as the core ice sports facility, complemented by a skating school (JESS), multiple hospitality venues, and event-hosting services. The venue sells public skating access, multi-entry passes, group and private skating lessons, summer fitness programs, café and event catering, corporate event packages, school skating programs, children's birthday parties, weddings, and gift cards. Operating as a foundation since 1961, it is the oldest existing ice rink in the world.

Product overview

Jaap Eden IJsbaan operates as an integrated ice sports and event venue complex in Amsterdam. The core offering centers on two ice facilities: the historic outdoor 400-meter speed skating track (the oldest existing ice rink in the world, operational since 1961) and an indoor ice arena suitable for various events. Supporting the ice operations, the venue operates Café JAAP as its public restaurant and manages the Jaap Eden Schaatsschool (JESS), which provides skating lessons for all ages and levels. The venue offers multiple rentable spaces including JAAP's Panoramabar, JAAP's Buffelbar, the Ron Berteling Lounge, Ron Berteling Zaal, and JAAP's Chalet for corporate events, weddings, and private gatherings. Summer operations feature outdoor activity packages including festival events and tiered activity packages (Goud/Zilver/Brons). Additional services include children's birthday parties, school skating programs, gift cards, SchaatsFit summer fitness training, and specialized tour preparation courses for natural ice skating.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jaap Eden Schaatsschool (JESS): The skating school offering lessons for youth and adults, including private lessons, group courses, and specialized training programs.
• Café JAAP
• JAAP's Panoramabar
• JAAP's Buffelbar
• Ron Berteling Lounge
• JAAP's Chalet

Products and services

• Outdoor 400-meter Speed Skating Track The historic outdoor 400-meter long-track speed skating facility, the third such track in the world when it opened in 1961 and the only one in Amsterdam, used for public skating, club training and national competitions.
• Indoor Ice Hall (IJshal) An indoor ice arena of approximately 1,800 m² with around 1,200 bleacher seats, used for figure skating, short track, ice hockey, G-skating, competitions, conferences, markets and events for up to 2,000 people.
• Jaap Eden Schaatsschool (Skating School) Group lessons (weekly courses, vacation courses), private lessons (30 and 60 minutes), tour-skating preparation and SchaatsFit summer training, for all ages and levels including children, adults, students and seniors.
• Café JAAP The public restaurant and skating café of the ice rink, serving as the hub for food, beverages, and socializing during the skating season and available for exclusive hire in summer.
• JAAP's Panoramabar A panoramic bar overlooking the 400-meter outdoor rink, suitable for winter outings combined with curling activities, with direct views of the outdoor ice.
• JAAP's Buffelbar A large venue space accommodating up to 200 people for parties or 150 for dinner, with views of the ice rink, used for corporate events and private celebrations.
• Ron Berteling Lounge An intimate multifunctional space suitable for meetings (up to 30), receptions (60), and parties (60), featuring a small ice hockey museum dedicated to Ron Berteling.
• Ron Berteling Zaal A multifunctional hall with views of both outdoor and indoor rinks, used for presentations, meetings, and parties with theatre capacity of 100 and dinner capacity of 120.
• JAAP's Chalet A versatile space with a winter après-ski atmosphere, suitable for intimate gatherings, parties up to 75 people, and romantic weddings.
• Outdoor Terrain (Buitenterrein) The outdoor grounds available for festivals, sporting events, and large gatherings, featuring multiple toilet facilities, power connections, and a large lawn.
• Corporate and Summer Festival Packages Modular event packages for groups of 20-350 persons, including Gold, Silver and Bronze activity tiers with dinners and drink packages, plus bespoke summer festival offerings.
• Children's Birthday Parties (Kinderfeestje) Organized birthday parties for children aged 5-12, including skating instruction, skate and helmet rental, and party activities for 8-14 children at €19.50 per child.
• School Skating Program (Schoolschaatsen) A structured 4-lesson program for Amsterdam elementary school students in groups 5, 6 and 7 at €6.75 per student (or €25.15 including bus transport), with medals and skate rental included.
• Wedding Services (Trouwen op Jaap Eden) Official wedding venue services including ceremony, reception, dinner, and party in various venues, with catering by Café JAAP and customizable packages, seasonally priced from €1,500 to €2,500.
• Multi-Ride Passes (Rittenkaarten) Multi-entry ticket bundles for free public skating available as 10-ride and 25-ride passes for adults, youth (up to 15), students, seniors (65+), and special parent passes, purchased via the webshop.
• SchaatsFit Summer Training Off-season fitness training program combining ab, leg, and glute exercises with conditioning and flexibility work from March to October, suitable for skaters and non-skaters alike.
• Tour Course (Toertochtcursus) A 10-week preparation course for natural ice skating tours (e.g. Weissensee, Luleå) including group lessons on Tuesdays or Thursdays plus 15 self-training entries for €340.20.
• Gift Cards (Cadeaubonnen) Gift vouchers available in denominations of €10, €20, €25, €30, €40, €50, and €100, valid for 2 years and redeemable in the Jaap Eden webshop.
• Vacation Skating Courses Multi-day skating courses held during school holidays; youth (4-15) €132.90 for a 5-day course and adults €148.75, including instruction and on-ice time.
• Catch-up Lessons (Inhaallessen) Supplementary lessons offered to students who missed a regular session, allowing them to join other students who also missed lessons to complete their course.
• Boarding Sponsorship Annual advertising on the rink boarding (5 m x 1 m) at €1,595 per year with 10 free tickets, or a three-year package at €1,295 per year with 25 free tickets annually, including 65th anniversary sponsorship options.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500,000 visitors annually during winter season
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Waterman SportcoreOthers · 1 October 2025Skate rental service operating on the Jaap Eden grounds. Handles group skate rental bookings for school visits and public skating sessions through their service portal.
• Woest ZuidminorOthersSports-based after-school care (BSO) operating at the Jaap Eden rink, serving children from groups 4-8 in Amsterdam Oost district.
• Sponsoring PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious sponsors advertising on the rink through boarding, special anniversary packages for 65th jubilee, and general sponsorship opportunities visible to 500,000+ annual visitors.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• De Uithof: Ice and indoor sports complex in The Hague offering a 400m outdoor speed skating track, indoor ice hall, public skating, lessons, school programs and corporate events — near-identical operating model to Jaap Eden in a different Dutch city.
• IJsbaan Twente: Outdoor 400m ice rink in Enschede/Twente region with associated indoor hall, skating school, public skating sessions and association usage. Comparable regional Dutch outdoor 400m operator with similar association-and-school mix.
• Thialf: National speed skating stadium in Heerenveen, Netherlands, hosting long-track speed skating, short track, figure skating and ice hockey at a similar 400m-plus scale. Direct comparison as a Dutch elite/community ice venue with association tenancy, public skating and corporate event revenue.
• Vikingskipet (Hamar Olympic Hall): Olympic-scale speed skating arena in Hamar, Norway, hosting long-track speed skating, public skating and association training. International comparator of similar 400m-track scale, association tenancy and event-hosting profile.
• Olympic Oval (Calgary): World-renowned 400m Olympic speed skating oval in Calgary with public skating, lessons, training programs and corporate events. International 400m-track comparator with comparable instruction, public access and association-driven utilization.
• Utah Olympic Oval: Olympic 400m speed skating oval in Salt Lake City hosting elite training, public skating, lessons and community programming. International peer for an iconic 400m venue that combines elite use with broad public recreation.
• Elfstedenhal: Indoor ice arena in Leeuwarden (Friesland) hosting figure skating, short track, ice hockey and public skating, with school and association programming. Comparable Dutch regional ice facility with similar skating-association ecosystem.

Emerging players

• SnowWorld: Largest indoor ski and snow sports operator in Europe, listed in the Netherlands, with multi-site facilities combining slope operations, lessons, F&B and corporate events. Comparable indoor winter-sports venue model with similar lessons/events/hospitality revenue mix, but on snow rather than ice.

Others

• KNSB (Royal Dutch Skating Federation): National governing body for skating in the Netherlands, which allocates competition dates, association affiliations and ice-time coordination across Dutch rinks. Ecosystem counterpart that directly influences utilization and event revenue at venues like Jaap Eden.

Regional players

• Museumplein / IJsvermaak: Smaller Dutch seasonal/mobile outdoor ice rinks (e.g., regional IJsbanen operators) that compete for casual public-skating traffic and corporate holiday events. Adjacent comparator showing the smaller end of the same Dutch public-skating market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jaapeden
• Instagraminstagram.com/jaapedenijsbaan
• Xx.com/jaapeden
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jaap-eden-ijsbaan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Jaap Eden IJsbaan