What New Mexico Goatheads does

The New Mexico Goatheads are an expansion professional hockey franchise in the ECHL, based at the Rio Rancho Events Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Founded in 2026, the team is preparing for its inaugural 2026-27 season, scheduled to open on October 16, 2026, and will play a 72-game schedule with 36 home dates running through April 10, 2027. The franchise marks the return of professional hockey to New Mexico for the first time since 2009 and operates under a multi-year affiliation agreement with the NHL's Colorado Avalanche and their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, creating a formal player development pathway. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on standard ECHL franchise infrastructure managed by ECHL Properties, LLC, with ticketing through Ticketmaster, an e-commerce merchandise store at goatheads.shop, and email/SMS fan engagement tools.

The company monetizes through three primary revenue streams: (1) ticket sales — full season tickets starting at $518 across 36 home games with multi-year payment plans, group tickets for parties of 10 or more presented by Main Event, and single-game tickets to be released in summer 2026; (2) merchandise sales of team apparel through the online storefront; and (3) corporate sponsorships, including naming rights, venue signage, and promotional partnerships anchored by presenting sponsors such as Isleta Resort & Casino and Del Norte Credit Union. Customer segments are split between individual New Mexico and Albuquerque-metro hockey fans (the primary segment) and regional corporate partners seeking sports-marketing alignment. Distribution is single-geography and direct-to-consumer via the official website and Ticketmaster, with no disclosed mobile app, third-party reseller channels, or geographic expansion outside New Mexico.

Operationally the franchise is small (11-50 employees) and pre-revenue, led by General Manager Jared Johnson and first-ever Head Coach Zack Stortini (appointed June 2026). The team has already secured over 1,200 season ticket holders prior to playing a single game, indicating early demand validation. Ownership and equity structure are undisclosed beyond the ECHL Properties, LLC league umbrella, with no disclosed venture, private equity, or public capital.

Name

New Mexico Goatheads

Legal name

ECHL Properties, LLC

Website

https://nmgoatheads.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The New Mexico Goatheads are an expansion ECHL professional hockey franchise based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, set to begin their inaugural 2026-27 season at the Rio Rancho Events Center. They serve New Mexico hockey fans through live games, merchandise, and corporate sponsorships under an NHL affiliation with the Colorado Avalanche.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Shrewsbury

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: Revenue from selling tickets to home games including season tickets (36 home games), group tickets (10+ people with discounts), and single-game tickets. Season tickets start at $518 with multiple payment plans available.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store selling team apparel and merchandise through goatheads.shop.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Partnership opportunities for businesses to align their brand with the return of professional hockey to Rio Rancho Events Center. Includes naming rights, promotional partnerships, and venue signage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The New Mexico Goatheads is a professional ECHL minor league hockey franchise that sells live game attendance through season tickets, group tickets, and single-game tickets for 36 home games per season at the Rio Rancho Events Center. The franchise also generates revenue through team merchandise sales via an online store and corporate partnership/sponsorship programs. The team competes in the ECHL as the affiliate of the NHL's Colorado Avalanche and AHL's Colorado Eagles.

Product overview

The New Mexico Goatheads is a professional minor league hockey franchise operating as a single unified offering within the ECHL. The company provides live hockey entertainment through its core product: game attendance via tickets (season, group, and single-game formats), supplemented by merchandise sales and corporate partnership programs. The team competes at the Rio Rancho Events Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, marking the return of professional hockey to the state for the first time since 2009.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Season Tickets Full-season ticket packages granting access to all 36 home games at the Rio Rancho Events Center during the 2026-27 inaugural ECHL season, with exclusive member benefits, priority access, and payment plan options starting at $518.
• Single Game Tickets Individual game admission tickets for individual home games during the inaugural 2026-27 ECHL season at the Rio Rancho Events Center, sold through Ticketmaster.
• Group Tickets Discounted ticket packages for groups of 10 or more, presented by Main Event, designed for corporate outings, family gatherings, and group entertainment at home games.
• Team Store Merchandise Official team merchandise including apparel, gear, and branded items sold online through goatheads.shop to fans and supporters.
• Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships Custom corporate partnership and sponsorship programs that allow brands to align with the New Mexico Goatheads and reach hockey fans through arena signage, promotional activations, presenting sponsorships, and marketing opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,200+ season ticket holders secured before inaugural season
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Colorado AvalancheflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2026Multi-year NHL affiliation agreement establishing the New Mexico Goatheads as the ECHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. Creates formal player development pathway with shared resources, collaboration between hockey operations staff, and call-up opportunities. Avalanche Assistant GM Kevin McDonald stated the partnership supports the Avalanche-Eagles development system.
• Colorado EaglescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2026AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. Under the affiliation agreement, the Goatheads serve as the ECHL affiliate for both the Avalanche and the Eagles, supporting player development throughout the organization.
• Del Norte Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for Opening Weekend (October 16-18, 2026) at the Rio Rancho Events Center. Logo displayed on promotional materials for the inaugural opening games.
• Isleta Resort & CasinominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the inaugural 2026-27 season. Promotional partner with logo displayed throughout the venue and on game pages.
• Main EventminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for group tickets. Discounted group tickets available for groups of 10+ with Main Event branding on ticket category pages.
• REV EntertainmentminorOthersSponsor partner displayed in footer with logo linking to reventertainment.com.
• Rio Rancho Events CentercoreOthersHome arena venue at 3001 Civic Center Cir NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144. The Goatheads play all 36 home games at this venue, marking the return of professional hockey to New Mexico.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Allen Americans: ECHL franchise in Allen, Texas, scheduled to face the Goatheads 6 times in 2026-27. Directly comparable as a same-league peer with overlapping ticketing, merch, and sponsorship GTM.
• Tulsa Oilers: ECHL franchise in Tulsa, Oklahoma, scheduled to face the Goatheads 6 times in 2026-27. Directly comparable as a same-league, similar-market-size peer.
• Tahoe Knight Monsters: ECHL expansion-era franchise and the Goatheads' most frequent 2026-27 opponent (14 matchups). Highly comparable as a recently launched ECHL team building a regional fan base in a smaller market.
• Kalamazoo Wings: ECHL franchise in Kalamazoo, Michigan, scheduled to face the Goatheads 3 times in 2026-27. Comparable as a small-market ECHL team with a traditional hockey-territory fan base.
• Florida Everblades: ECHL franchise in Estero, Florida, scheduled to face the Goatheads 3 times in 2026-27. Comparable as an established ECHL team with a longer operating history than the Goatheads.
• Rapid City Rush: ECHL franchise in Rapid City, South Dakota, scheduled to face the Goatheads 8 times in 2026-27. Comparable as a small-market ECHL team operating in a geographically isolated region.
• Wichita Thunder: ECHL franchise in Wichita, Kansas, scheduled to face the Goatheads 9 times in the 2026-27 season. Comparable as a mid-market ECHL team with a similar ticket and sponsorship revenue mix.
• Adirondack Thunder: ECHL franchise in Glens Falls, New York, scheduled to face the Goatheads 6 times in 2026-27. Comparable as a small-market ECHL team with a similar operational footprint.
• Kansas City Mavericks: ECHL franchise in Independence, Missouri, scheduled to face the Goatheads 5 times in 2026-27. Directly comparable as a same-league peer with similar gameday revenue dynamics.
• Idaho Steelheads: ECHL franchise based in Boise, Idaho, and one of the Goatheads' most frequent 2026-27 opponents (12 scheduled matchups). Directly comparable as a small-to-mid-market ECHL team operating a similar ticket, merchandise, and sponsorship model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NMGoatheads
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nmgoatheads

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 New Mexico Goatheads