Des Moines Buccaneers
The Des Moines Buccaneers operate a USHL Tier I junior hockey franchise in West Des Moines, Iowa, fielding draft-age players (16-20) for fans, families, NCAA/NHL development pathways, and regional corporate sponsors via tickets, memberships, sponsorships, merchandise, and arena events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersWest Des Moines, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Des Moines Buccaneers does
The Des Moines Buccaneers are a private, not-for-profit Tier I junior hockey franchise competing in the United States Hockey League (USHL), founded on February 15, 1980, on the recommendation of Olympic coach Herb Brooks. The team plays 29 home games per season out of the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex in West Des Moines, Iowa, having relocated from the historic Buccaneer Arena in Urbandale in 2026 after over four decades. As the third-oldest USHL franchise, the organization has compiled 4 Clark Cup championships, 4 Anderson Cups, 2 Gold Cups, 800+ all-time regular-season victories, and 54 alumni drafted to the NHL (including Stanley Cup champions Kyle Okposo, Alex Chiasson, Trevor Lewis, and Erik Cole), positioning the program as a credible development pipeline for players aged 16-20 pursuing NCAA Division I and professional hockey careers.
Des Moines Buccaneers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Des Moines Buccaneers
- Legal name
- Des Moines Buccaneers
- Website
- https://bucshockey.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Des Moines Buccaneers operate a USHL Tier I junior hockey franchise in West Des Moines, Iowa, fielding draft-age players (16-20) for fans, families, NCAA/NHL development pathways, and regional corporate sponsors via tickets, memberships, sponsorships, merchandise, and arena events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Des Moines Buccaneers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Junior Ice Hockey (USHL Tier I)
- NAICS
- Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Winter Sports Teams/Clubs (Ski, Snowboard, Bobsleigh, etc.) (MPAKABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Ice Hockey Leagues (MPAKAAAE)
Keywords
Where Des Moines Buccaneers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West Des Moines
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Des Moines Buccaneers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from full season tickets, mini plans, group tickets, premium seating (suites, party deck), birthday packages, and individual game admissions.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Partnership agreements with corporate sponsors for arena naming rights, in-arena signage, hospitality, digital and social integrations, community initiatives, and game night moments.
- Media Rights / Streaming: FloHockey streaming platform provides video broadcast of all games - both home and away.
- Merchandise Sales: Team store (Bucs Shop) sells Buccaneers merchandise on game days.
- Arena Rentals: Buccaneer Arena and MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex available for company outings, tournaments, figure skating, and other ice events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Full Season Tickets - Most exclusive club for fans with comprehensive benefits |
| Subscription | Annual | Mini Plans - 10 or 20-game packages |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Group Tickets - Discounted tickets for groups of various sizes |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Seating - Fire and Ice Suites and Coors Party Deck |
| Other | Annual | Sponsorship Packages - Custom partnership opportunities |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Des Moines Buccaneers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Des Moines Buccaneers are a Tier I United States Hockey League (USHL) junior ice hockey franchise fielding a competitive team of draft-eligible amateur players, primarily aged 16–20, through a 60-game regular-season schedule plus playoffs. The franchise sells live game attendance, season tickets, group tickets, suites, branded merchandise, concessions, and corporate sponsorship packages to fans, families, and local Iowa businesses. [Inferred from company name and USHL franchise model — no source content provided] They also operate youth hockey development infrastructure (billet families, camps, clinics) in partnership with USA Hockey.
Product overview
The Des Moines Buccaneers operate as a United States Hockey League (USHL) Tier I junior hockey franchise offering a portfolio of fan engagement products and experiences. The core product is the junior hockey team itself, supplemented by ticket and seating packages (Buccaneers Crew full-season memberships, Mini Plans, Group Tickets, Premium Seating), youth fan programs (Kids Crew), premium game day experiences, special events (Birthday Packages, Frozen Fairways golf event), player billet/housing services, and merchandise sales. The organization also provides community engagement through player appearances and mascot Winger activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- USHL Regular-Season Game Tickets Single-game admission to regular-season home games at the team's arena, available to consumers and families in the Des Moines market. Sold individually by section; subject to themed-night promotions.
- Season Ticket Memberships Reserved-seat packages covering all home regular-season games; targeted at dedicated Des Moines fans and family plan holders. Includes priority seating for playoffs.
- Group Hospitality and Suite Leases Suites, loge boxes, and group-party-deck packages priced for corporate entertainment and large family gatherings.
- Game-Day Concessions Food, beverage, and concession-stand sales inside the arena on home game days.
- Team Merchandise (Pro Shop) Branded apparel, novelty items, jerseys, hats, and souvenirs sold at the arena pro shop and online to fans. Includes player-specific items and limited-edition drops.
- Corporate Sponsorship Packages In-arena signage, presenting-sponsor nights, program ads, digital placements, and on-ice assets sold to local and regional businesses.
- Youth Hockey Development and Billet Programs Billet family housing, youth clinics, learn-to-skate/play initiatives, and community outreach operated in support of USHL player development and growing the sport locally. Tied to USA Hockey and USHL-mandated community programming.
Quantifiable outcome
- 54 NHL Draft picks produced by the program
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Des Moines Buccaneers
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Des Moines Buccaneers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Des Moines Buccaneers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Dupaco Community Credit UnionflagshipDupaco Community Credit Union sponsors the Dupaco Cowbell Cup, a 15-season rivalry series featuring four eastern Iowa USHL teams (Des Moines Buccaneers, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Dubuque Fighting Saints, Waterloo Black Hawks). The credit union provides community engagement through game-night giveaways, Dollar Dog appearances, and t-shirt throws.
- The Iowa CliniccorePresenting sponsor of the annual Bucs Fight Cancer night, supporting community awareness and fundraising initiatives during select home games.
- Raising Cane's Chicken FingerscorePresenting sponsor of the annual Des Moines Barkaneers night (dogs welcome at game), co-presented with Tito's Handmade Vodka.
- Tito's Handmade VodkacoreCo-presenting sponsor of the annual Des Moines Barkaneers night (dogs welcome at game), co-presented with Raising Cane's.
- AMP ElectricminorPresenting sponsor of the annual Veterans Appreciation jersey night, recognizing military service members and veterans.
- IAWA (Iowa Association of Business and Industry)minorPresenting sponsor of the annual Farmers Appreciation night, recognizing agricultural community members.
- DMYHA (Des Moines Youth Hockey Association)minorPresenting sponsor of Youth Sports Night, supporting local youth hockey development and engagement.
- Thrivent FinancialminorAdvertising sponsor displayed on the donation requests page, indicating a marketing partnership for community outreach.
- NHL (National Hockey League)flagshipProud partner of USHL; Buccaneers are affiliated with NHL through player development pathway. The league connection provides credibility and pathway to professional hockey for Buccaneers alumni.
- USA HockeyflagshipProud partner of USHL; USA Hockey provides governance, development programs, and connects junior hockey to national team and Olympic programs.
- USHLflagshipThe Des Moines Buccaneers are a founding member of the United States Hockey League, the nation's premier junior hockey league. The team participates in league competitions including the Clark Cup playoffs, Anderson Cup regular season title, and Dupaco Cowbell Cup rivalry series.
- Launch IT MSPcoreOfficial IT Partner of the Des Moines Buccaneers, providing technology infrastructure support for the organization.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Des Moines Buccaneers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Omaha Lancers: USHL franchise based in Omaha, a larger Midwest market comparable in regional sponsor base and junior hockey fan culture. Direct peer in league operations and community-driven revenue model.
- Dubuque Fighting Saints: Fellow Iowa-based USHL franchise and Cowbell Cup rivalry partner. Operates a similar community-driven junior hockey business with comparable ticketing, sponsorship, and youth-clinic revenue mix in a similar Midwest mid-market.
- Cedar Rapids RoughRiders: USHL Western/Eastern Conference rival based in Iowa. Directly comparable USHL junior hockey franchise sharing the Dupaco Cowbell Cup rivalry series and operating a similar ticketing, sponsorship, and youth development model.
- Lincoln Stars: USHL franchise with comparable market size and Midwest college-town demographic profile. Direct peer across junior hockey operations, sponsorship sales, and ticket packaging strategy.
- Green Bay Gamblers: USHL franchise in a comparable mid-size Midwest market with similar community-driven ticketing and sponsor structures. Direct peer for benchmarking junior hockey operations and NHL development outcomes.
- Waterloo Black Hawks: Iowa-based USHL franchise and Cowbell Cup rival. Direct peer in league competition, community sponsorship structure, and NHL development pipeline positioning in a comparable Midwest market.
- Fargo Force: USHL Western Conference franchise operating in a similar mid-size Midwest market. Direct peer in ticketing, sponsorship packaging, and youth hockey development approach.
- Chicago Steel: USHL franchise operating in a major Midwest media market. Direct peer in league competition with a meaningfully larger sponsorship base and attendance scale that sets an upper-bound benchmark.
- Madison Capitols: USHL franchise operating in a comparable Midwest college-town market. Direct peer for ticketing tiering, corporate sponsorship approach, and youth-hockey community engagement.
- Sioux Falls Stampede: Long-standing USHL franchise with comparable 1990s championship heritage and Midwest market profile. Directly comparable in business model, ticketing tiering, and junior hockey development reputation.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Des Moines Buccaneers social profiles
Digital presenceDes Moines Buccaneers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Des Moines Buccaneers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Des Moines Buccaneers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Des Moines Buccaneers 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 Des Moines Buccaneers
What does Des Moines Buccaneers do?
The Des Moines Buccaneers are a Tier I United States Hockey League (USHL) junior ice hockey franchise fielding a competitive team of draft-eligible amateur players, primarily aged 16–20, through a 60-game regular-season schedule plus playoffs. The franchise sells live game attendance, season tickets, group tickets, suites, branded merchandise, concessions, and corporate sponsorship packages to fans, families, and local Iowa businesses. [Inferred from company name and USHL franchise model — no source content provided] They also operate youth hockey development infrastructure (billet families, camps, clinics) in partnership with USA Hockey.
Is Des Moines Buccaneers a public or private company?
Des Moines Buccaneers is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Des Moines Buccaneers founded?
Des Moines Buccaneers was founded in 1980. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Des Moines Buccaneers based?
Des Moines Buccaneers is headquartered in West Des Moines, United States, in the North America region.
How does Des Moines Buccaneers make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, media Rights / Streaming, merchandise Sales and arena Rentals.
Who are Des Moines Buccaneers's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Omaha Lancers, Dubuque Fighting Saints, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Lincoln Stars, Green Bay Gamblers, Waterloo Black Hawks, Fargo Force, Chicago Steel, Madison Capitols and Sioux Falls Stampede.
Does Des Moines Buccaneers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Des Moines Buccaneers.
What industry is Des Moines Buccaneers in?
Des Moines Buccaneers's product category is Junior Ice Hockey (USHL Tier I). Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKABAI, Winter Sports Teams/Clubs (Ski, Snowboard, Bobsleigh, etc.), with a secondary code of MPAKAAAE, Ice Hockey Leagues. Its NAICS code is 711211 and its SIC code is 7997.