Chicago Snowballs
Chicago Snowballs operates the nation's first professional co-ed sportstainment baseball franchise, touring Illinois and Indiana venues with a ticket, merchandise, group experience, and loyalty program model, founded in 2025 by Cherie Travis.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2025
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Chicago Snowballs does
Chicago Snowballs, LLC is a privately held professional sportstainment company founded in 2025 by Chicago attorney and real estate investor Cherie Travis, operating the nation's first professional co-ed baseball team. The product combines live athletic competition between a co-ed roster (the Snowballs, 19 players) and a rival team (the Rocket Squirrels, 16 players) with choreographed entertainment, live music, comedy, and audience participation, modeled on the Savannah Bananas' Banana Ball format. The company runs a multi-venue touring schedule across 7 stadiums in Illinois and Indiana, including Wintrust Field, The Corn Crib, Dozer Park, Ozinga Field, League Stadium, Kerry Wood Cubs Field, and The Dome at Parkway Bank Sports Complex, with the inaugural 2026 season launching in spring.
The business operates on a diversified consumer revenue model with four primary streams: ticket sales via Ticket Tailor (general admission, non-refundable, kids under 2 free), merchandise sales through a Shopify storefront (apparel, accessories, pet gear priced $10-$55), group experience packages for parties of 15 or more (including birthday and corporate packages with reserved seating, PA announcements, branded signage, and catering), and the free Snowball Society loyalty program with Fan/Pro/Legend tiers that awards 10 points per dollar spent. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer (online ticketing, online merch, venue box offices, direct group sales), with marketing driven by organic social (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok), community non-profit partnerships, and earned media (Chicago Tribune, GlobeNewsWire). A 7-coach staff (baseball, pitching, tumbling, dance, cheer) and a high-profile Frost Advisory board — including former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White and UIC Head Baseball Coach Mike Dee — support the on-field product and civic positioning.
Chicago Snowballs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chicago Snowballs
- Legal name
- Chicago Snowballs, LLC
- Website
- https://chicagosnowballs.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2025
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Chicago Snowballs operates the nation's first professional co-ed sportstainment baseball franchise, touring Illinois and Indiana venues with a ticket, merchandise, group experience, and loyalty program model, founded in 2025 by Cherie Travis.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chicago Snowballs industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- Spectator Sports (71121)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Winter Sports Teams/Clubs (Ski, Snowboard, Bobsleigh, etc.) (MPAKABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Individual Sports Events (Tennis, Golf, Boxing/MMA, Athletics) (MPAGAMAC)
Keywords
Where Chicago Snowballs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chicago Snowballs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: General admission tickets sold through Ticket Tailor platform for games at regional stadiums. Thousands on waitlist indicate strong demand. Gates open one hour before first pitch.
- Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store powered by Shopify offering apparel, accessories, and pet gear. All purchases earn Snowball Society loyalty points.
- Group Experiences: Group ticket packages (15+ people), birthday packages with reserved seating and PA announcements, and corporate packages with branding and catering options.
- Loyalty Program Membership: Free loyalty program membership with tiered benefits. Points earned on all purchases. 10 points per dollar spent on tickets and merchandise.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Short-Sleeve T-Shirts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hoodies and Outerwear |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Accessories and Drinkware |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Group Tickets |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Chicago Snowballs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chicago Snowballs operates co-ed sportstainment baseball games combining live athletic competition with choreographed entertainment, music, comedy, and audience participation at regional stadiums across Illinois and Indiana. The company sells general admission tickets, branded merchandise, and group experience packages (birthday and corporate events) to support the live event business.
Product overview
Chicago Snowballs operates a co-ed sportstainment baseball experience — a first-of-its-kind professional sports offering combining live athletic competition with choreographed entertainment, live music, comedy, and audience participation. The core product consists of regular season games featuring two competing co-ed teams (Chicago Snowballs and Rocket Squirrels) playing modified baseball rules at Chicago-area stadiums. Supporting products include General Admission ticket sales, an online merchandise store (powered by Shopify), group experience packages (birthday parties, corporate events), and the Snowball Society loyalty program. The organization also recruits talent through player auditions and offers internship programs in sports business disciplines.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rocket Squirrels: A rival co-ed sportstainment baseball team operated by Chicago Snowballs, featuring its own roster of players competing against the Snowballs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Thousands of fans on waitlist for tickets prior to debut
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Chicago Snowballs
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chicago Snowballs technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
Chicago Snowballs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Local Non-Profit OrganizationscoreCommunity partnerships with local non-profit organizations through ticket donations, fundraising nights, and community outreach. The Chicago Snowballs are committed to making a positive impact in every neighborhood they play in through these partnerships.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chicago Snowballs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Texas Tailgaters: Another touring sportstainment baseball team within the Banana Ball ecosystem. Direct competitor in entertainment baseball using similar game formats, choreographed entertainment, and fan engagement strategies as Chicago Snowballs.
- Party Animals: A touring sportstainment baseball team operating within the Banana Ball ecosystem. Compete using similar entertainment-first rules, fan engagement formats, and audience participation, making them a direct competitor in the sportstainment baseball space.
- Savannah Bananas: The original Banana Ball team and the explicit inspiration for Chicago Snowballs. Operates touring sportstainment baseball games with fan-first entertainment, music, and audience participation. The most direct comparable as the proven model being emulated by Chicago Snowballs.
Emerging players
- Athletes Unlimited: A professional sports league featuring rotating team formats and athlete empowerment across volleyball, softball, and lacrosse. Comparable as a newer professional sports model exploring innovative formats and gender-inclusive structures similar to Chicago Snowballs' co-ed approach.
- Premier Lacrosse League: A newer US professional sports league emphasizing tour-based format, fan experience, and modern media strategy. Comparable to Chicago Snowballs as a newer league/team leveraging entertainment and community engagement to differentiate from traditional major sports leagues.
Regional players
- Schaumburg Boomers: Independent professional baseball team that plays at Wintrust Field, one of the primary venues for Chicago Snowballs games. Comparable as a regional professional baseball team in the Chicago market with shared infrastructure and overlapping audience.
- Chicago Dogs: Independent professional baseball team based in Rosemont, IL, near where Chicago Snowballs also operates at Parkway Bank Sports Complex. Comparable as a regional Chicago-area pro baseball team competing for similar audience attention and entertainment dollars.
Broad incumbents
- Harlem Globetrotters: An iconic entertainment sports franchise combining athletic performance with comedy and audience engagement. Operates touring shows globally and represents the established playbook for entertainment-first sports franchises, conceptually adjacent to sportstainment baseball.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chicago Snowballs social profiles
Digital presenceChicago Snowballs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chicago Snowballs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Chicago Snowballs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chicago Snowballs 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 Chicago Snowballs
What does Chicago Snowballs do?
Chicago Snowballs operates co-ed sportstainment baseball games combining live athletic competition with choreographed entertainment, music, comedy, and audience participation at regional stadiums across Illinois and Indiana. The company sells general admission tickets, branded merchandise, and group experience packages (birthday and corporate events) to support the live event business.
Is Chicago Snowballs a public or private company?
Chicago Snowballs is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Chicago Snowballs founded?
Chicago Snowballs was founded in 2025. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Chicago Snowballs based?
Chicago Snowballs is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chicago Snowballs make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales, group Experiences and loyalty Program Membership.
Who are Chicago Snowballs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Texas Tailgaters, Party Animals and Savannah Bananas. Emerging players are Athletes Unlimited and Premier Lacrosse League. Regional players are Schaumburg Boomers and Chicago Dogs. Harlem Globetrotters is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Chicago Snowballs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chicago Snowballs.
What industry is Chicago Snowballs in?
Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKABAI, Winter Sports Teams/Clubs (Ski, Snowboard, Bobsleigh, etc.), with a secondary code of MPAGAMAC, Individual Sports Events (Tennis, Golf, Boxing/MMA, Athletics). Its NAICS code is 71121 and its SIC code is 7900.