ZSC Lions

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.

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

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

• Professional ice hockey
• Sports entertainment
• Match ticketing
• Team merchandise
• Corporate hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from single game tickets, season tickets, family tickets, and hospitality packages at the Swiss Life Arena
2. Merchandise Sales: Online and stadium merchandise sales including jerseys, accessories, and fan articles through the official fanshop
3. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship arrangements including general sponsors, main sponsors, and partner sponsors across multiple industries
4. Hospitality and Business Services: Business Club memberships, loge rentals, and hospitality packages for corporate clients

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core 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.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swiss LifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss 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.
• SubarucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubaru is listed as a general sponsor of ZSC Lions. The partnership provides automotive sponsorship and brand visibility at games.
• StadlercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStadler (rail manufacturer) is a general sponsor of ZSC Lions, providing visibility at the stadium and in club communications.
• CarMarketcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarMarket is a main sponsor of ZSC Lions, appearing prominently in the sponsorship hierarchy on the club's communications.
• ewz (Elektrizitätswerk Zürich)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerewz is a main sponsor, representing the local Zurich utility company as a key partner for the club.
• HRScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRS (Swiss hotel booking platform) is a main sponsor of ZSC Lions.
• SwissquotecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwissquote is a main sponsor, providing financial services sponsorship to the club.
• Ochsner HockeycoreTechnology or IntegrationOchsner 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.
• YawavecoreTechnology or IntegrationYawave 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.
• TicketcornercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicketcorner serves as the ticket operator for ZSC Lions games, processing online ticket purchases through their platform.
• NORQAINminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNORQAIN 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 AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe youth development organization of the Lions, handling all youth and junior team operations, hockey school programs, and youth registrations.
• Mode BayardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZSC 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/zsclions
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/zsclionstv
• Facebookfacebook.com/zsclions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zsclions
• Instagraminstagram.com/zsclions
• TikToktiktok.com/@zsclions?

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 ZSC Lions