Chicago Hounds Rugby

Name

Chicago Hounds Rugby

Legal name

Chicago Hounds Rugby

Website

https://chicagohounds.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Entertainment

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports Event Promotion & Tournament Operations (MPAKAKAC), Fan Apparel & Wearables Retail (Licensed) (CRAMAOAE), Licensing, Merchandising & Co-Branded Products (Sponsored Merchandise, Collabs) (MPAKALAE)

Keywords

• Professional rugby team
• Major league rugby
• Live sports entertainment
• Rugby match broadcasts
• Sports merchandise retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from season ticket packages, single-game tickets, group season tickets, and suite rentals sold directly via the team's ticketing platform and at SeatGeek Stadium gameday merchandise counters.
2. Broadcast Rights: Television broadcast partnership with Marquee Sports Network and Marquee Plus for airing regular season matches. Additional national broadcast coverage on ESPN2, Fox Chicago+, and ESPN+ for selected games.
3. Sponsorship and Merchandise: Corporate sponsorship (e.g., pro-bono front-of-jersey placement for PAWS Chicago), merchandise sales via Shopify storefront (chicago-hounds.myshopify.com), and gameday merchandise discounts for season ticket holders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Chicago Hounds field a professional Major League Rugby team that competes in a regular season and playoff championship, playing home matches at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois. The franchise sells tickets (season packages, single-game, group, suites), team merchandise via an online Shopify storefront, and distributes match broadcasts through Marquee Sports Network and national partners, while running a free youth rugby development Roadshow program. Revenue is generated primarily through ticket sales, broadcast rights, corporate sponsorship, and merchandise.

Product overview

Chicago Hounds Rugby is a professional sports organization offering a unified product portfolio centered on its Major League Rugby team. The core offering consists of the professional rugby team competing in MLR, supported by ticket products (season tickets and single game tickets), a merchandise store, match broadcasts through broadcast partners, and community engagement via the Roadshow Program. The organization generates revenue through ticket sales, broadcast rights, merchandise, and corporate sponsorships while building community engagement through its charity partnerships and youth development programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Season Tickets Annual subscription season ticket packages for all Chicago Hounds home matches at SeatGeek Stadium, priced per MLR season. Includes kick-off party invitation, merchandise discounts, buddy passes, and discounted single-game tickets. Sold directly to individual fans.
• Single Game Tickets Individual match tickets available for purchase for specific Chicago Hounds home games throughout the Major League Rugby season, sold via the team's own ticketing platform.
• Chicago Hounds Merchandise Online retail store selling Chicago Hounds branded apparel, accessories, and collectibles via Shopify. Also available at SeatGeek Stadium on gamedays with a 10% discount for season ticket holders.
• Match Broadcasts Television and streaming coverage of Chicago Hounds matches through Marquee Sports Network, Marquee Plus, ESPN2, ESPN+, and Fox Chicago+, providing regional and national audience reach.
• Chicago Hounds x Rugby Illinois Roadshow Free youth rugby training and Try Rugby sessions run by Hounds players and coaching staff at local clubs across the Chicago metro area (Yorkville, Chicago, Arlington Heights, Palatine), targeting K-12 players from rookies through high school.
• Professional Rugby Team (MLR Franchise) The professional Major League Rugby team itself, fielding a 23-man matchday squad of capped internationals from the USA Eagles, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, Germany, and England, competing in the regular season and MLR Championship.

Quantifiable outcome

• First team in MLR history to go undefeated through the regular season (10-0)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PAWS ChicagocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 May 2026PAWS Chicago named 'Charity Partner of the Chicago Hounds' for the remainder of the 2026 MLR season. The PAWS Chicago logo appears on the front of both home and away jerseys for all remaining 2026 matches, including nationally televised broadcasts on ESPN2 and road contests. The partnership is offered pro bono by the Hounds — front-of-jersey placement is traditionally reserved for paid corporate sponsors. Includes social media campaigns, on-field activations featuring adoptable animals, fundraising initiatives at SeatGeek Stadium, and volunteer service days.
• Marquee Sports NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 February 2023Broadcast partnership for airing Chicago Hounds matches on Marquee Sports Network and Marquee Plus (streaming channel). The Hounds' inaugural match on February 18, 2023 was televised live on Marquee. 13 of 16 regular season games are carried live on these channels. The partnership provides national reach through DirecTV and fuboTV, and local availability on 65+ cable and streaming providers. The alignment with a premier regional sports brand helps make rugby accessible to Midwest fans.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Houston SaberCats: Another MLR franchise operating under the same league, broadcast, and sponsorship economics. Provides comparable franchise-level performance metrics across ticketing, attendance, and on-field results.
• Seattle Seawolves: Another MLR franchise competing directly with the Chicago Hounds in the same Major League Rugby league. Both teams share the same competition structure, broadcast ecosystem, and target audience of US professional rugby fans, making them the closest comparable franchise.
• Miami Sharks: Direct MLR peer operating in the same professional rugby competition. Shares the same sport product, similar fan base dynamics, and same league-wide revenue constraints.
• California Legion: Direct MLR peer formed via the recent merger of San Diego Legion and RFCLA. The Hounds defeated the California Legion in the 2026 MLR Championship, making them the most directly comparable on-field competitor.
• New England Free Jacks: Direct MLR competitor and one of the league's marquee franchises. Competes in the same league with similar business model (ticket sales, broadcast, sponsorship, merchandise) and serves as a benchmark for Hounds' on-field performance and commercial growth.
• Dallas Jackals: Direct MLR franchise peer competing in the same league. Provides comparison points for franchise-level economics, attendance, sponsorship, and broadcast visibility in US professional rugby.
• Anthem RC: Direct MLR competitor and league counterpart. Shares the same product (professional rugby), same customer base (US rugby fans), and same revenue model — making it a directly comparable franchise for benchmarking.
• Old Glory DC: Direct MLR peer competing in the same league. Plays the Hounds multiple times per season and shares the same operational economics around ticketing, broadcast, and sponsorship in the North American rugby market.
• Utah Warriors: Direct MLR peer operating in a similar US professional rugby market context. Competes for limited US rugby fan attention and sponsorships and shares the same operational fundamentals.
• NOLA Gold: Direct MLR franchise peer with similar revenue model, broadcast distribution, and on-field competition. Useful comparable for franchise valuation and operational benchmarking in US professional rugby.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-hounds
• Xx.com/HoundsChicago
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChicagoHoundsRugby

Compliance3 records

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 Chicago Hounds Rugby