The Comedy Catch

What The Comedy Catch does

The Comedy Catch is a privately-held live comedy club venue founded in 1985 and operating from a single location at 29 Station St within the historic Choo Choo complex in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The business hosts live stand-up comedy performances every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 PM and 9:45 PM, with additional weeknight Special Engagement shows tied to performer bookings, and a long-running Open Mic Night on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. Programming spans family-friendly clean comedy (PG/G), rated-R shows, and premium Special Engagement headliners at $21 or higher per ticket, including nationally touring comedians such as Claude Stuart and Josh Pray. The venue co-locates with the BackStage Bar (open 5 PM Wed-Sat) and enforces a $5 per person food and beverage minimum on show nights.

The company's revenue model combines three streams: (1) per-transaction ticket sales processed via the Seat Engine third-party ticketing platform integrated into the website, with service and convenience fees layered on; (2) on-site food and beverage sales subject to the per-person minimum; and (3) gift certificates sold online in $25 increments from $25 to $200, redeemable only in person. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through online ticket sales (Seat Engine), in-person box office/door sales on show nights, and physical gift certificate fulfillment, with an email club providing retention and birthday free-ticket offers. Group discounts are available for parties of 20 or more (excluding Special Engagements and anticipated sellouts). The Comedy Catch also co-presents the Southeastern City Slam, a regional comedy competition drawing talent from Nashville, Knoxville, Birmingham, and Huntsville in partnership with Comedian Discovery and Lookout Comedy.

The business is owner-operated with 10 employees and no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or funding rounds. Its customer base is the general adult public aged 18+ in the Chattanooga metropolitan area, with secondary segments including families with accompanied teenagers 14+, group buyers, and aspiring comedians using open mic nights as a performance platform. Marketing relies on the website, an email newsletter, a Facebook page (Comedy Catch Open Mic), comedian name recognition, and word-of-mouth referrals from the local audience.

Name

The Comedy Catch

Legal name

The Comedy Catch

Website

https://thecomedycatch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Comedy Catch is a privately-held live comedy club in Chattanooga, Tennessee, founded in 1985, that hosts weekend stand-up shows, Special Engagement headliners, and open mic nights. It sells tickets, food and beverages, and gift certificates to adult consumers in the Southeast US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Comedy Entertainment / Comedy Club Venue

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Dance Companies (711120)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Comedy Clubs (Nightlife Venues) (MPAGAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stand-Up Comedy Shows (MPAGACAA), Comedy Club & Showcase Nights (MPAGACAE), Comedy Festivals (MPAGACAD)

Keywords

• Live comedy entertainment
• Comedy club venue
• Stand-up comedy shows
• Open mic night
• Live event ticketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling tickets to live comedy shows. Ticket prices vary by comedian and show type. Online sales processed through Seat Engine with service and convenience fees added.
2. Food and Beverage Sales: On-site food and beverage sales at the venue. $5 per person minimum purchase requirement for all shows.
3. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates sold in increments of $25, ranging from $25 to $200. Redeemable in person for tickets, food, beverages, or merchandise. Cannot be used for online purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Comedy Catch operates a live comedy club venue in Chattanooga, Tennessee, hosting weekly stand-up comedy performances featuring nationally touring comedians, regional talent, and special engagements. The venue runs regular Friday and Saturday shows (7:30 PM and 9:45 PM), weeknight special engagements, an open mic night on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, and the Southeastern City Slam regional competition. Supporting offerings include on-site food and beverage service via the co-located BackStage Bar, gift certificates, and an email club membership program.

Product overview

The Comedy Catch is a comedy club venue in Chattanooga, TN operating since 1985, offering live stand-up comedy shows as its core product featuring nationally touring comedians, regional talent, and special engagement shows. The venue operates regular shows every Friday and Saturday with additional weeknight performances based on performer bookings. Supporting products include Open Mic Night (Chattanooga's longest-running, held 1st and 3rd Wednesdays monthly), the Southeastern City Slam regional competition, gift certificates in various denominations, email club membership with free ticket offers, group discounts for 20+ guests, and food/beverage service with a minimum purchase requirement. The venue uses Seat Engine as its ticketing platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Comedy Shows Live stand-up comedy performances featuring nationally touring comedians, regional talent, and special engagements held every Friday, Saturday, and select weeknights at the Chattanooga venue for adult audiences.
• Open Mic Night Stand-up comedy showcase for regional and local talent held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month, hosted and produced by Courtney Cholovich.
• Southeastern City Slam Regional comedy competition presented in partnership with Comedian Discovery & Lookout Comedy that brings together rising comedians from Southeastern cities (Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Birmingham, Huntsville) in a competitive battle format.
• Food and Beverage Service On-site food and beverage service offered via the co-located BackStage Bar (open 5 PM Wednesday–Saturday), with a $5 per person purchase minimum required for all show attendees.
• Gift Certificates Physical gift certificates available in $25 increments from $25 to $200, redeemable in person at the venue for tickets, food, beverages, or merchandise, but not valid for online purchases.
• Email Club Membership Free email newsletter subscription providing show announcements, exclusive offers, and free admission tickets (including a birthday free ticket) to enrolled members.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Seat EnginecoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party ticketing platform used for all online ticket sales. Powers the event calendar, seat assignment, email ticket delivery, and service/convenience fee processing.
• BackStage BarminorOthersCo-located bar operation within the venue complex. Opens at 5 PM Wednesday through Saturday, providing food and beverage service for comedy show attendees.
• Comedian Discovery & Lookout ComedycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenters of the Southeastern City Slam comedy competition series. Combines regional talent from multiple Southeastern cities (Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Birmingham, Huntsville) in a competitive comedy battle format.
• Facebook (Comedy Catch Open Mic)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial media platform used for Open Mic Night promotion, information sharing, and performer signups. Facebook page 'comedycatchopenmic' is primary channel for open mic communications.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Punchline: Long-running comedy club operating in San Francisco and Atlanta with a similar regional-anchor strategy. Direct peer: comparable single-room comedy club format, food and beverage service, two-show weekend programming, and nationally touring headliner model.
• Helium Comedy Club: Comedy club chain with locations in Portland, Indianapolis, and St. Louis. Direct peer: comparable comedy club model with restaurant-grade food service, two-drink minimum, and a mix of touring headliners plus local showcase programming.
• Side Splitters Comedy Club: Comedy club operating in Tampa, Florida with a similar regional comedy venue positioning. Direct peer: comparable stand-up-only club with two-drink minimum, table seating, and touring headliner programming serving as the premier comedy venue in its regional market.
• Zanies Comedy Night Club: Multi-city comedy club chain with locations in Nashville, Rosemont, and Indianapolis. Direct peer: similar stand-up-only comedy club format with table seating, full bar service, and nationally touring comedian bookings serving as the premier regional comedy venue in its market.
• Cap City Comedy Club: Austin-based stand-up comedy club with table service, food menu, and touring headliner programming. Direct peer: same club-with-F&B comedy venue format, regional entertainment hub positioning, and ticketed weekend show cadence.
• McCurdy's Comedy Theatre: Sarasota, Florida-based stand-up comedy club with dinner service and touring headliner programming. Direct peer: similar small-market comedy club venue model with food service, two-show weekend format, and regional entertainment positioning.

Broad incumbents

• The Laugh Factory: Iconic comedy club chain founded in Hollywood with multiple locations. Broad incumbent: same core stand-up comedy club concept with two-drink minimum and touring headliner programming, but operates at celebrity-scale brand recognition in major metro markets.
• The Comedy Store: Legendary West Hollywood comedy club with multiple performance rooms. Broad incumbent: same stand-up comedy venue model but significantly larger scale, three-stage format, and industry-defining brand positioning.
• Improv Comedy Club: National comedy club chain (formerly Hollywood Improv, Levity Live) operating multiple venues across the US. Broad incumbent: same stand-up comedy format and touring headliner model, but operates at larger scale with multiple rooms per market and standardized food and beverage programs.
• Comedy Cellar: Iconic New York City comedy club in Greenwich Village. Broad incumbent: comparable small-room, top-tier touring comedian format but with international brand recognition and significantly higher per-show revenue density in a major metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-comedy-catch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 The Comedy Catch