ZSC Lions
ZSC Lions is a Zurich-based professional ice hockey club competing in the Swiss National League, serving fans, corporate sponsors, and youth athletes through tickets, merchandise, hospitality, and a multi-tier youth development program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1930
- HeadquartersZürich, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ZSC Lions does
ZSC Lions is a professional ice hockey club headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, founded in 1930 and operating as a private Swiss corporation (ZSC Lions AG). The club fields the men's first team in the Swiss National League, the country's top-tier ice hockey competition, and plays home games at the Swiss Life Arena, a 12,000-capacity venue held under a naming rights agreement with Swiss Life. The organization is broader than a single team: it operates the GCK Lions farm team, the women's team (Lions Frauen, including GCK Lions SWHL B and Lions Girls SWHL C), and a wholly-owned youth development subsidiary (GCK/ZSC Lions Nachwuchs AG) that runs a full age-group pyramid from U9 through U21 plus the Lions Hockeyschule.
The club's revenue model is a diversified sports entertainment stack built on four primary streams: ticket sales (single game, season, family, and hospitality), merchandise (operated through the Ochsner Hockey-powered online fanshop at shop.zsclions.ch with international shipping), corporate sponsorship across main, general, and partner tiers (Swiss Life, Subaru, Stadler, CarMarket, ewz, HRS, Swissquote), and hospitality/Business Club memberships including loge rentals and packages such as the Turicum Package and Eichhof Corner. Ticketing is fulfilled through Ticketcorner, while fan engagement is delivered via the MyLions personalized portal (built on Yawave), Lions TV, the Lions Jackpot, and the Lion Kids children's program. Distribution is primarily domestic (Zurich market) with international merchandise reach through the online shop.
Following back-to-back National League championships (2024, 2025) and a Champions Hockey League title in 2025, the club is at the peak of its competitive cycle. A significant leadership transition occurred at the end of 2025: Walter Frey stepped down as long-time president with Lorenz Frey succeeding him, ending a multi-decade era that built the club's modern dominance. Capital structure, ownership composition, and full financial statements are not publicly disclosed, and the club is not publicly traded.
ZSC Lions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ZSC Lions
- Legal name
- ZSC Lions AG
- Website
- https://zsclions.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1930
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- ZSC Lions is a Zurich-based professional ice hockey club competing in the Swiss National League, serving fans, corporate sponsors, and youth athletes through tickets, merchandise, hospitality, and a multi-tier youth development program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ZSC Lions industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Ice Hockey Club
- NAICS
- Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Sporting Goods Retailers (459110), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Winter Sports Teams/Clubs (Ski, Snowboard, Bobsleigh, etc.) (MPAKABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB), Licensing, Merchandising & Co-Branded Products (Sponsored Merchandise, Collabs) (MPAKALAE), Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE), Team & League Branded Merchandise Retail (Non-Apparel) (CRAMAOAF), Event & Tournament Sponsorship (Title/Presenting Sponsors, Official Suppliers) (MPAKALAB)
Keywords
Where ZSC Lions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zürich
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
ZSC Lions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from single game tickets, season tickets, family tickets, and hospitality packages at the Swiss Life Arena
- Merchandise Sales: Online and stadium merchandise sales including jerseys, accessories, and fan articles through the official fanshop
- Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship arrangements including general sponsors, main sponsors, and partner sponsors across multiple industries
- Hospitality and Business Services: Business Club memberships, loge rentals, and hospitality packages for corporate clients
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Original Jersey with name and number |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Original Jersey without name and number |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Replica Jersey with name and number |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Replica Jersey without name and number |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Replacement season card fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
ZSC Lions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ZSC Lions operates as a professional ice hockey club, selling single-game and season match tickets, family tickets, and hospitality packages for home games at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich. The club also sells official merchandise (jerseys and accessories) through its online fanshop, and offers corporate hospitality through Business Club memberships, loge rentals, and tailored sponsorship packages.
Product overview
ZSC Lions operates a sports entertainment ecosystem centered on its professional ice hockey team. The core offerings include match attendance (tickets and season cards) and merchandise sales through the official fanshop. Fan engagement is delivered via MyLions (personalized portal with exclusive content and mobile ordering), Lions TV (video content including playoff documentaries and player features), and community programs like Lion Kids and the Business Club networking platform. The organization also maintains junior teams, women's hockey, and the GCK Lions farm team, all under the unified Lions brand. The Swiss Life Arena serves as the primary venue.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Single game tickets Individual tickets for attendance at home ice hockey games played by ZSC Lions at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich. Sold directly and through Ticketcorner to individual fans and spectators.
- Season tickets (Saisonkarten) Annual season cards granting admission to all ZSC Lions home games at the Swiss Life Arena, with replacement fee of CHF 40 for lost/damaged cards and processing fee of CHF 10 for forgotten tickets on match day.
- Family tickets (Familytickets) Discounted ticket packages targeted at families attending ZSC Lions home games together at the Swiss Life Arena.
- Hospitality Packages (Turicum Package, Eichhof Corner) Premium hospitality experiences at Swiss Life Arena home games, including the Turicum Package and Eichhof Corner offerings, designed for corporate entertainment and client hosting.
- Loge rentals (luxury boxes) Private luxury suite (loge) rentals at the Swiss Life Arena for corporate clients seeking premium viewing and hosting environments during ZSC Lions home games.
- Business Club membership Membership-based corporate networking platform positioned as the largest business network in Zürich, granting access to hospitality, networking events, and ZSC Lions corporate engagement opportunities.
- Official merchandise (jerseys and fan articles) Official ZSC Lions jerseys (original CHF 259 with name/number, CHF 199 without; replica CHF 189 senior with name/number, CHF 149 without; CHF 99/CHF 79 junior replicas), accessories, and fan articles sold through the official online fanshop with international shipping.
- Gift vouchers (Gutscheine) ZSC Lions gift vouchers that can be redeemed against tickets, merchandise, and other club offerings.
- Lions Hockeyschule (hockey school) Youth hockey training and development program for children and teenagers, operated as part of the ZSC Lions youth development pipeline through GCK/ZSC Lions Nachwuchs AG.
- Corporate sponsorship packages Multi-tier corporate sponsorship offerings (general, main, and partner) available to companies seeking brand visibility, marketing activations, and association with ZSC Lions, with named partners including Swiss Life, Subaru, Stadler, CarMarket, ewz, HRS, and Swissquote.
Companies that use ZSC Lions
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ZSC Lions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ZSC Lions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Swiss LifecoreSwiss Life serves as the naming sponsor for the Swiss Life Arena, the home venue of ZSC Lions. Additionally, Swiss Life is a general sponsor of the club. The arena hosts all home games and serves as the central venue for the organization's operations.
- SubarucoreSubaru is listed as a general sponsor of ZSC Lions. The partnership provides automotive sponsorship and brand visibility at games.
- StadlercoreStadler (rail manufacturer) is a general sponsor of ZSC Lions, providing visibility at the stadium and in club communications.
- CarMarketcoreCarMarket is a main sponsor of ZSC Lions, appearing prominently in the sponsorship hierarchy on the club's communications.
- ewz (Elektrizitätswerk Zürich)coreewz is a main sponsor, representing the local Zurich utility company as a key partner for the club.
- HRScoreHRS (Swiss hotel booking platform) is a main sponsor of ZSC Lions.
- SwissquotecoreSwissquote is a main sponsor, providing financial services sponsorship to the club.
- Ochsner HockeycoreOchsner Hockey operates the official ZSC Lions fanshop (shop.zsclions.ch), providing the e-commerce platform and merchandise fulfillment for the club's official merchandise line.
- YawavecoreYawave provides the content management and distribution platform for ZSC Lions, powering the MyLions fan portal, newsletter distribution, and website content management. Swiss software company specializing in fan engagement.
- TicketcornercoreTicketcorner serves as the ticket operator for ZSC Lions games, processing online ticket purchases through their platform.
- NORQAINminorNORQAIN collaborated with ZSC Lions to create a limited edition Wild ONE watch collection (Wild ONE ZSC Lions Limited Edition - One Of 100), combining watchmaking and hockey branding.
- GCK/ZSC Lions Nachwuchs AGcoreThe youth development organization of the Lions, handling all youth and junior team operations, hockey school programs, and youth registrations.
- Mode BayardminorZSC Lions Fashion Night event collaboration with fashion retailer Mode Bayard, featuring players in off-ice fashion presentations.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights9 records
ZSC Lions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EV Zug: EV Zug is a Swiss National League competitor with a strong sponsor-driven commercial model (e.g., Bossard Arena naming rights) and an active youth program — directly comparable to ZSC Lions' revenue mix.
- Skellefteå AIK: Skellefteå AIK is a Swedish Hockey League club known for a strong youth academy and arena-led commercial model, comparable to ZSC Lions' pyramid structure and family-driven fanbase.
- Frölunda HC: Frölunda HC is a Swedish Hockey League club with a strong Champions Hockey League pedigree, comparable to ZSC Lions in on-ice success profile and European hockey sponsorship economics.
- Lausanne HC: Lausanne HC competes in the Swiss National League and operates a modern arena (Vaudoise Arena) with similar ticket, sponsorship, and digital fan engagement practices to ZSC Lions.
- HC Davos: HC Davos is a long-established Swiss National League club with a strong brand, premium hospitality operations, and a similar mix of ticket, sponsorship, and merchandise revenue — a direct comparable for ZSC Lions' commercial model.
- Genève-Servette HC: Genève-Servette HC is a fellow Swiss National League competitor with comparable ticketing, sponsorship, and arena economics in the French-speaking market; useful as a regional peer for sponsorship benchmarking.
- SC Bern: SC Bern is a direct Swiss National League ice hockey peer and historically the dominant Swiss club in attendance and brand size, providing the most relevant benchmark for ZSC Lions on ticketing, sponsorship, and arena economics in Switzerland.
- HC Fribourg-Gottéron: HC Fribourg-Gottéron plays in the Swiss National League and operates a similar mid-size arena commercial model, providing another direct benchmark for ZSC Lions' matchday and sponsorship economics.
Broad incumbents
- Adler Mannheim: Adler Mannheim is a historic German DEL club with a large SAP Arena footprint; relevant peer for European arena-driven revenue mix and corporate hospitality monetization similar to ZSC Lions.
- EHC Red Bull München: EHC Red Bull München is a top German DEL club backed by a global sports sponsor; comparable to ZSC Lions as a large-budget, sponsorship-heavy European pro hockey operation with arena-driven matchday revenue.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ZSC Lions social profiles
Digital presenceZSC Lions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ZSC Lions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ZSC Lions subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
ZSC Lions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ZSC Lions M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ZSC Lions
What does ZSC Lions do?
ZSC Lions operates as a professional ice hockey club, selling single-game and season match tickets, family tickets, and hospitality packages for home games at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich. The club also sells official merchandise (jerseys and accessories) through its online fanshop, and offers corporate hospitality through Business Club memberships, loge rentals, and tailored sponsorship packages.
Is ZSC Lions a public or private company?
ZSC Lions is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was ZSC Lions founded?
ZSC Lions was founded in 1930. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is ZSC Lions based?
ZSC Lions is headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does ZSC Lions make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales, sponsorship and hospitality and Business Services.
Who are ZSC Lions's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EV Zug, Skellefteå AIK, Frölunda HC, Lausanne HC, HC Davos, Genève-Servette HC, SC Bern and HC Fribourg-Gottéron. Broad incumbents are Adler Mannheim and EHC Red Bull München.
Does ZSC Lions have an API?
No public API is recorded for ZSC Lions.
What industry is ZSC Lions in?
ZSC Lions's product category is Professional Ice Hockey Club. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKABAI, Winter Sports Teams/Clubs (Ski, Snowboard, Bobsleigh, etc.), with a secondary code of MPAGAMAB, Team Sports Matches (Club & National). Its NAICS code is 711211 and its SIC code is 7900.