Ford Center

What Ford Center does

Ford Center is a multi-purpose arena located at 1 SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd in downtown Evansville, Indiana, with a stated capacity above 9,000 seats. Founded in 2011 and currently staffed by approximately 140 employees, the facility operates under a management agreement with Venuworks, a venue management and hospitality company. The arena is built to NHL-regulation specifications — including a 100x250-foot ice floor (85x200 with retractable seating) and 180,000 lbs of rigging capacity — enabling it to host ice hockey, college and minor-league basketball, concerts, family shows, and community events, and it includes 114 wheelchair spaces, 114 companion seats, and 10 family restrooms across three levels.

The venue monetizes through five core revenue streams: ticket sales (via Ticketmaster online and the Main Street ticket office), premium seating and suites (sixteen 20-person suites, one 40-person suite, two 8- and two 10-person mini-suites, and 95 main-concourse loge seats, sold on multi-year contracts), food and beverage concessions (multiple stands, bars, and an exclusive Pepsi beverage deal), corporate sponsorships (Ford as the flagship naming sponsor, plus Old National Bank, Working Distributors, German American, YMCA, Hyatt Place, Performance Food Group, and others), and paid parking in city-owned garages. Distribution is concentrated through Ticketmaster as the exclusive ticketing platform, with Live Nation promoting major tours and a dedicated in-house premium-seating sales team handling corporate clients.

Ford Center serves three primary customer segments: individual event attendees (concerts, sports, family entertainment), corporate clients purchasing premium seating and suites for hospitality, and university/educational groups (notably the home tenants University of Evansville Purple Aces basketball and Evansville Thunderbolts SPHL hockey). The venue also operates the adjacent Victory Theatre as a sub-brand for smaller-format and historic programming. Marketing runs through the company website, an Insider Club email program, and active social channels on X/Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Name

Ford Center

Legal name

Ford Center

Website

https://thefordcenter.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ford Center is a 9,000+ capacity multi-purpose arena in downtown Evansville, Indiana, managed by Venuworks and hosting concerts, hockey (Evansville Thunderbolts), college basketball (UE Purple Aces), and community events for the tri-state region, with revenue from ticketing, premium seating, F&B, sponsorships, and parking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Venue & Arena Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports & Arena Event Venues (Stadiums, Arenas) (THAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arenas & Indoor Sports Centers (MPAKAEAB)

Keywords

• Multi-purpose arena venue
• Live entertainment hosting
• Event ticketing services
• Premium seating and suites
• Arena food and beverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Evansville

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, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from ticket sales for concerts, sporting events, and community gatherings through Ticketmaster and the Ford Center Ticket Office.
2. Premium Seating and Suites: Revenue from 16 twenty-person suites, one forty-person suite, two eight-person mini suites, two ten-person mini suites, and 95 main concourse loge seats.
3. Food and Beverage Concessions: On-site food and beverage sales through multiple concession stands including Grill Stands 106, 116, 120, loaded nacho cart, popcorn cart, Dippin' Dots, Main Street Bar, MLK & 6th Street Bars, and Corner Club Bar.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships from Ford, Old National Bank, Working Distributors, German American, YMCA, Pepsi, Hyatt Place, and other regional businesses displayed throughout the venue.
5. Parking: Paid parking in city-owned garages and surface lots during events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ford Center operates a 9,000+ seat multi-purpose arena in downtown Evansville, Indiana, hosting concerts, sporting events (basketball and hockey), family entertainment, and community gatherings. It sells standard event tickets through Ticketmaster and its on-site ticket office, premium seating and suites directly to corporate and premium customers, and on-site food and beverage concessions. The venue is professionally managed by Venuworks.

Product overview

Ford Center is a multi-purpose arena venue in Evansville, Indiana, operated by Venuworks. The facility offers a unified venue management and event hosting service with multiple product lines: the core Ford Center Arena hosting concerts, sports, and entertainment events; Premium Seating & Suites providing luxury event experiences with various suite configurations; Arena Food & Beverage concessions across multiple stands; Ticketing Services through Ticketmaster integration; and Victory Theatre as a sub-brand historic performance venue. The venue features NHL-regulation ice floor capabilities, wheelchair-accessible seating on four levels, and comprehensive guest services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ford Center Arena Event Hosting Multi-purpose arena in downtown Evansville, IN hosting concerts, basketball games, hockey games, family shows, and community events with capacity for 9,000+ attendees and NHL-regulation ice floor capabilities.
• Premium Seating and Suites Premium seating product including 16 twenty-person suites, one 40-person suite, two 8-person mini suites, two 10-person mini suites, and 95 main concourse loge seats sold directly to corporate clients for premium event experiences.
• Arena Food and Beverage Concessions On-site food and beverage service offered through multiple concession stands including Grill Stands 106, 116, 120, loaded nacho cart, popcorn cart, Dippin' Dots, Main Street Bar, MLK & 6th Street Bars, and Corner Club Bar. Pepsi products are exclusively available.
• Ticketing Services Ticket office services for event admission, will call, group tickets, and accessible seating options, with primary sales handled through Ticketmaster and on-site at the Ford Center Ticket Office on Main Street.
• Victory Theatre Historic theatre venue operated alongside Ford Center, offering live performances and entertainment events as a sub-brand.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hosts major touring acts including Brooks & Dunn, Thomas Rhett, and Parker McCollum
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• VenuworkscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVenuworks is the venue management company that operates Ford Center. The executive offices are located at 1 SE MLK Jr. Blvd. Venuworks manages day-to-day operations including staffing, event coordination, and facility management.
• TicketmastercoreTechnology or IntegrationTicketmaster is the official ticketing provider for Ford Center, handling all online ticket sales, seating charts, and will call services. The ticket office phone is (812) 422-1515.
• Ford Motor CompanyflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerFord logo appears on venue branding and is the venue's namesake sponsor. Tri-State Ford Dealers are acknowledged as sponsors on the website.
• Old National BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the River City Classic basketball event between University of Evansville and University of Southern Indiana. Displayed on sponsor page.
• PepsicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBeverage sponsor for Ford Center. Pepsi products are exclusively sold at concession stands throughout the venue.
• Live NationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConcert promoter for major events at Ford Center including Thomas Rhett: The Soundtrack to Life Tour and Brooks & Dunn: Neon Moon Tour.
• Compassion InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the TobyMac, Chris Tomlin, and Third Day tour date at Ford Center.
• Evansville ThunderboltscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome hockey team of Ford Center. The Thunderbolts are a tenant at the venue, with specific camera policies for their games (professional cameras not permitted, digital cameras allowed without flash).
• University of EvansvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome basketball team (Purple Aces) plays at Ford Center. Ford Center is the home venue for UE men's and women's basketball programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Old National Events Plaza: Convention and events complex located in downtown Evansville, IN, directly competing with Ford Center for concerts, trade shows, and community events in the same metro — the most relevant head-to-head competitor in the local market.
• Resch Center: Multi-purpose arena in Green Bay, WI operated by PMI Entertainment Group, hosting concerts, hockey, and family events at a comparable mid-market scale and Midwestern draw area.
• Hertz Arena (Suncoast Credit Union Arena): Multi-purpose arena in Estero, FL hosting ECHL hockey, concerts, and family entertainment at comparable capacity — a strong functional peer for tenant-anchored arena economics.
• Grossinger Motors Arena: Multi-purpose arena in Bloomington, IL, also managed by Venuworks, hosting hockey, concerts, and community events of comparable size and Midwestern market profile to Ford Center.
• Chaifetz Arena: Mid-sized arena on the Saint Louis University campus hosting concerts, college basketball, and touring acts of comparable scale and Midwestern market positioning to Ford Center.
• Tyson Events Center: Multi-purpose arena in Sioux City, IA, also managed by Venuworks, hosting concerts, hockey (Musketeers USHL), and family shows at a similar mid-market scale — directly comparable in operating model, content mix, and management structure.
• TaxSlayer Center: Mid-sized multi-purpose arena in Moline, IL (Quad Cities), hosting concerts, hockey, and family entertainment with a comparable capacity and Midwestern catchment — a strong functional analog for touring routing and tenant economics.
• UPMC Events Center: Multi-purpose events venue in Moon Township, PA hosting concerts, sports, and family shows at similar capacity and program mix — directly comparable in event-driven revenue model and corporate hospitality emphasis.

Broad incumbents

• Bridgestone Arena: NHL-caliber arena in Nashville, TN operated by ASM Global, hosting Predators hockey and the largest touring acts — a broader incumbent that competes with Ford Center for promoter routing decisions in the broader regional touring market.

Others

• Live Nation (Venue division): Major concert promoter and venue operator that supplies touring content to Ford Center (e.g., Thomas Rhett, Brooks & Dunn tours) and competes for promoter relationships — a critical channel partner and ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheFordCenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/FordCenterEvansville
• Instagraminstagram.com/thefordcenter/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ford-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Ford Center