Saipa

What Saipa does

SaiPa (legal entity Liiga-Saipa Oy) is a Finnish professional ice hockey club founded in 1948 and based in Lappeenranta, operating in the country's top-tier Liiga league. The club plays home matches at the Kisapuisto arena and has recently entered the Champions Hockey League (CHL) for the 2026-2027 season, expanding its competitive footprint into European club competition against opponents including Frölunda, HC Dynamo Pardubice, and Graz99ers.

The business operates a diversified sports-entertainment model with multiple revenue streams: per-event and season ticket sales (32 regular season home games plus CHL matches, distributed via elippu.net and arena box office); merchandise sales across the SaiPa Shop (online and at Maakuntagalleria, Kauppakatu 40D) and K-retail partner network across Lappeenranta and Imatra; corporate partnerships including LED side-board advertising (€1,200/meter), match sponsorship, VIP boxes (€1,400-€2,500 per game), VIP hospitality packages at Lalli Club (€110/person), and the Kultakortti Club premium membership (€2,318/year, 32 enterprise members); and food and beverage operations through Restaurant Lalli at Kisapuisto. The supporting technology stack includes a mobile application (iOS/Android) for season-ticket management, ticket lending, and in-arena mobile games, with all Liiga matches broadcast nationally on MTV Katsomo.

SaiPa reaches customers through a hybrid go-to-market approach: direct-to-consumer ticket and merchandise sales, dedicated enterprise sales team (three corporate sales representatives plus a Yritysverkosto coordinator), and the Yritysverkosto partner network of over 600 companies — described as South Karelia's largest business network. The customer base spans individual fans, families and youth segments, corporate partners, and a youth development pipeline (U20-U15) that has produced 14 NHL draftees, most recently Vertti Svensk (Los Angeles Kings, 5th round, June 2026). The organization is privately held by Liiga-Saipa Oy under CEO Jani Valkeapää, with a board chaired by Jussi Turunen, and operates as an independent sports entity with no parent company or private equity backing identified in the available data.

Name

Saipa

Legal name

Liiga-Saipa Oy

Website

https://saipa.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SaiPa (Liiga-Saipa Oy) is a Finnish professional ice hockey club founded in 1948 in Lappeenranta, competing in Liiga and the 2026-2027 Champions Hockey League. It generates revenue from tickets, season subscriptions, merchandise, corporate hospitality, and a 600+ partner Yritysverkosto network serving fans and regional businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Ice Hockey / Sports Entertainment

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (7112)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Hockey Leagues (MPAKAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB)

Keywords

• Professional ice hockey
• Sports entertainment
• Corporate hospitality
• Fan merchandise
• Season ticket sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Lappeenranta

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual match tickets for Liiga games, CHL games, and playoff matches. Tickets sold online through elippu.net and at the door.
2. Season Tickets: Annual season ticket packages for 32 regular season games plus CHL matches. Includes benefits like 10% discount at SaiPa Shop and restaurant Lalli.
3. Merchandise Sales: Fan merchandise including apparel sold through SaiPa Shop (online at saipashop.selosella.fi and physical store at Kisapuisto), K-retail partner locations across Lappeenranta region.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Partnership packages including visibility in arena (LED side ads, banners), VIP boxes, VIP packages, social media marketing slots, match sponsorship, and Kultakortti Club membership.
5. VIP and Hospitality Services: Revenue from luxury boxes (aitiot) priced from €1,400-€2,500 per game, VIP restaurant packages at €110/person including buffet dinner and premium seating.
6. Food and Beverage: Restaurant Lalli at Kisapuisto serving lunch (for groups) and match-day dining, plus summer terrace Lalli.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SaiPa (Liiga-Saipa Oy) operates a professional ice hockey team based in Lappeenranta, Finland, competing in the Finnish Liiga and the Champions Hockey League. The club sells match tickets and season tickets for home games at Kisapuisto arena, runs a fan merchandise retail operation through SaiPa Shop, and generates significant revenue from corporate hospitality, VIP boxes, LED advertising, match sponsorships, and the premium Kultakortti Club membership. Supporting the business are a mobile application for season ticket management and in-arena games, restaurant Lalli at the arena, and a partner network of more than 600 businesses in South Karelia.

Product overview

SaiPa (Lappeenrannan SaiPa) is a professional ice hockey club competing in Finland's Liiga, operating primarily as a sports entertainment and hospitality business rather than a technology product company. Its product portfolio centers on live sports event access — selling match tickets and season tickets (Kausikortit) for Liiga and CHL home games at Kisapuisto arena — supplemented by a merchandise retail operation (SaiPa Shop). The commercial offering is organized around corporate hospitality and sponsorship tiers: arena VIP suites (Aitiopalvelut), VIP packages at the Lalli Club restaurant, match sponsorships (Otteluisännyys), corporate games (Yrityspeli), the premium Kultakortti Club membership, social media advertising packages, LED side-board advertising, and a broad corporate partner network (Yritysverkosto) of over 600 companies. Supporting these is a digital SaiPa mobile application for season ticket management and in-arena mobile games. The organization generates revenue through ticket sales, corporate partnerships, merchandise, and food & beverage operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SaiPa Shop: Official fan merchandise store of SaiPa
• Liiga-SaiPa
• Kultakortti Club
• Lalli Club

Products and services

• Otteluliput (Match Tickets) Individual match tickets for Liiga games at Kisapuisto arena, available through the elippu.net online ticketing platform. Targeted at individual fans and families attending single games.
• Kausikortit (Season Tickets) Annual season ticket packages for the Liiga 2026-2027 regular season, including 32 home games plus CHL matches, with various seat categories and discount groups for children, seniors, students, and military personnel.
• CHL-ottelut (Champions Hockey League Matches) SaiPa's participation in the European Champions Hockey League (CHL), with 6 group stage games in the 2026-2027 season. CHL home matches are included in season ticket pricing.
• SaiPa Shop Official fan merchandise store offering textiles, fan products, and game-worn items. Operates at Kisapuisto during home games, at the new Maakuntagalleria (Kauppakatu 40D) location, and via the selosella.fi online shop.
• SaiPa-mobiilisovellus (SaiPa Mobile Application) Official SaiPa mobile app for iOS and Android enabling mobile season ticket access, ticket lending to friends, customer profile registration, and in-game mobile competitions at home matches.
• Aitiopalvelut (Arena VIP Boxes) Premium arena suites and VIP boxes at Kisapuisto arena for home games, suitable for corporate meetings and entertaining, with capacities from 10 to 24 persons and pricing from €1,400 to €2,500 (excluding VAT).
• VIP-paketit (Lalli Club VIP Packages) VIP hospitality packages at the Lalli Club restaurant, including a buffet dinner before the game, dessert and coffee during intermission, reserved seating in the C2 section, and entry 1.5 hours before puck drop, priced at €110/person (incl. VAT).
• Otteluisännyys (Match Sponsorship) Corporate match sponsorship package providing brand visibility through arena banners and audio announcements during home games, combined with hospitality for clients and business contacts.
• Yrityspeli (Corporate Game Event) Corporate team-building event where customers play ice hockey at Kisapuisto, followed by a meal and interaction with SaiPa representatives, for groups of 20-40 persons over approximately 4 hours.
• Kultakortti Club Premium corporate membership club founded in 2011, offering season tickets on premium seats, exclusive sauna club facilities at home games, domestic and international away trips, VIP parking, and shared LED rink signage. Annual membership priced at €2,318 (incl. VAT) for 2026-2027.
• Sosiaalisen median näkyvyyspalvelut (Social Media Visibility Packages) Social media advertising options including roster posts, press conference highlights, match result posts, game previews, and highlight video content across Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube channels reaching 100,000+ combined weekly followers.
• LED-laitamainokset (LED Side-Board Advertising) LED side-board advertising displayed throughout the arena and visible to TV viewers, priced at €1,200 per linear meter, with the ad rotating to the opposite side of the rink every other display cycle.
• Yritysverkosto (Corporate Partner Network) Partner network program for businesses to support SaiPa, providing benefits such as visibility, networking opportunities, and match tickets, with over 600 partner companies forming the largest corporate network in South Karelia.
• Lounasravintola Lalli (Lalli Restaurant) Restaurant operating at Kisapuisto arena, open on match days and serving lunch on weekdays, with A-liquor rights and available for private events.
• Aitioiden tarjoilut (Suite Catering) Catering services for arena suites, ordered separately from suite rental, with menu options and beverage lists available via the SaiPa website.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 million+ individual views per month on social media
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kultakortti Club (32 member companies)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Premium corporate partnership club founded in 2011. Members include CM Works Oy, Mäkinen Liikennekoulu Oy, Bonum Oy, Data Group Saimaa Oy, and 28 others. Membership at €2,318/year includes season tickets, LED advertising, sauna club access, and travel trips. Serves as one of SaiPa's main corporate partners.
• BauerminorOthersEquipment partner providing hockey gear for players.
• Koff (Olvi)minorOthersBeer and beverage partner.
• Lappeenranta CitycoreOthersMunicipal partnership for regional sports and entertainment. City supports multi-purpose arena development at Armila site.
• LUT UniversityminorOthersAcademic partnership with Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology for student engagement and campus transportation.
• CHL (Champions Hockey League)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaiPa participates in Champions Hockey League 2026-2027 season, playing against Frölunda (Sweden), Herning Blue Fox (Denmark), HC Dynamo Pardubice (Czech), HK Nitra (Slovakia), Graz99ers (Austria), and HC Plzeň (Czech).
• TerveystalominorOthersHealthcare provider partnership for player health services.
• Hyundai FinlandminorOthersAutomotive partner.
• K-Ruoka Retail NetworkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional retail network including K-citymarket, K-supermarket, and K-market stores selling SaiPa merchandise across Lappeenranta and Imatra areas.
• MTV KatsomominorOthersBroadcasting partner streaming all Liiga matches nationally.
• Saimaan Keltamustat ryminorOthersOfficial supporters association for fan community engagement.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pelicans Lahti: Pelicans is a Lahti-based Liiga ice hockey club. Comparable as a regional-city Liiga franchise with overlapping ticketing, VIP, and sponsorship product offerings.
• KalPa: KalPa is a Kuopio-based Liiga ice hockey club. Shares SaiPa's regional-city franchise model with similar revenue mix (tickets, corporate suites, merchandise, junior development pathway to NHL).
• Jokerit Helsinki: Jokerit is a Helsinki-based ice hockey club that competes in Liiga and has KHL history. Operates the same core product portfolio (match tickets, season tickets, corporate partnerships, merchandise) as SaiPa.
• Ilves: Ilves is a Tampere-based Liiga ice hockey club operating with the same franchise model: ticket sales, season tickets, corporate network, and arena-based hospitality. Directly comparable as a peer Liiga club.
• Sport Vaasa: Sport is a Vaasa-based Liiga ice hockey club. Comparable to SaiPa as a smaller-market Liiga franchise with similar revenue mix from season tickets, corporate sponsorships, and merchandise.
• Tappara: Tappara is a Tampere-based Liiga ice hockey club and one of the most successful in Finnish hockey history. Directly comparable as a fellow Liiga franchise selling season tickets, corporate hospitality suites, and merchandise to a regional fan base.
• Lukko Rauma: Lukko is a Rauma-based Liiga ice hockey club with similar regional franchise structure, season ticket model, and corporate partnership-driven revenue.
• HPK Hämeenlinna: HPK is a Hämeenlinna-based Liiga ice hockey club with similar regional franchise economics to SaiPa: ticket sales, corporate hospitality, merchandise, and youth development.
• HIFK (Helsingfors IFK): HIFK is a Helsinki-based Liiga ice hockey club competing in the same league with overlapping revenue streams (season tickets, VIP boxes, corporate partnerships, merchandise). Comparable in league structure, marketing channels, and NHL development focus.
• JYP Jyväskylä: JYP is a Jyväskylä-based Liiga ice hockey club. Comparable as a mid-sized Finnish city Liiga franchise with similar on-ice product, corporate network, and season ticket-based GTM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/liiga_saipa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SaiPaLappeenranta
• Facebookfacebook.com/SaiPaofficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/liiga_saipa
• TikToktiktok.com/@pantsuwiltsu_liigasaipa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liiga-saipa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Saipa