The Schottenstein Center
The Schottenstein Center is a 20,000-capacity multi-purpose arena in Columbus, Ohio, operated by CASE under The Ohio State University Department of Athletics. It hosts Ohio State Buckeyes basketball and ice hockey, major touring concerts, family shows, OHSAA tournaments, and corporate events as a self-supporting venue.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersColumbus, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Schottenstein Center does
The Schottenstein Center is a 20,000-capacity multi-purpose arena located at 555 Borror Drive in Columbus, Ohio, adjacent to The Ohio State University campus. Opened on November 8, 1998, with a sold-out Neil Diamond concert after a $12.8 million lead gift from Jerome Schottenstein, the venue serves as the home arena for Ohio State Buckeyes men's and women's basketball and men's ice hockey, and operates as a touring stop for major concert productions (AC/DC, Olivia Rodrigo, Twenty One Pilots, Dan & Shay, Lionel Richie/Earth, Wind & Fire), family shows, comedy, OHSAA state high school championships, and corporate/private events.
The physical infrastructure is engineered for reconfigurability: an elaborate curtaining system allows lower-bowl seating to flex from 3,000 to 7,000 capacity, a Polar Floor and over 12 miles of embedded piping in the cement floor enable NHL-caliber ice installation at 1-inch thickness (reversible to basketball court via heated melt), and 52 luxury suites plus meeting rooms and outdoor plazas support premium and corporate event rentals. The facility holds LEED Silver certification (2014) reflecting a 20% energy savings versus baseline, and provides 5,000+ on-site parking spaces. A 251-500 person staff is managed.
The Schottenstein Center is privately operated by Columbus Arena Sports & Entertainment (CASE) under The Ohio State University Department of Athletics and is self-supporting, with no tax dollars, student fees, or University general funds used. Revenue is generated across six streams: ticket sales (via exclusive Tickemaster partnership using SafeTix mobile technology), premium seating/suite rentals, food and beverage (via exclusive caterer Levy Restaurants), official team merchandise, parking (via CampusParc/ParkMobile pre-paid platform), and meeting/venue rentals. Distribution combines direct box office, Ticketmaster digital channel, and digital marketing through website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and an Insider email newsletter.
The Schottenstein Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Schottenstein Center
- Legal name
- Columbus Arena Sports & Entertainment (CASE)
- Website
- https://schottensteincenter.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- The Schottenstein Center is a 20,000-capacity multi-purpose arena in Columbus, Ohio, operated by CASE under The Ohio State University Department of Athletics. It hosts Ohio State Buckeyes basketball and ice hockey, major touring concerts, family shows, OHSAA tournaments, and corporate events as a self-supporting venue.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Schottenstein Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Entertainment Venue Services
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Spectator Sports (7112)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arenas & Indoor Sports Centers (MPAKAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Arena & Stadium Operations (Large-Capacity Venues) (MPAGALAA), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Sports & Arena Event Venues (Stadiums, Arenas) (THAHAAAF)
Keywords
Where The Schottenstein Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Columbus
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Schottenstein Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from concert, family show, and sporting event ticket sales via Ticketmaster exclusive partnership and direct box office
- Premium Seating: Revenue from suite rentals and premium seating options for events
- Food and Beverage Concessions: Full in-house catering services via exclusive caterer Levy Restaurants including executive chef and liquor license
- Merchandise Sales: Official Team Shop at venue selling Ohio State merchandise and team gear
- Parking: Parking revenue via CampusParc ParkMobile partnership with pre-paid parking options
- Venue Booking and Meeting Spaces: Rental of meeting rooms and hospitality spaces for business and social functions; event production and marketing services
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Variable ticket pricing based on event and seat location |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Schottenstein Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Schottenstein Center is a 20,000-capacity multi-purpose entertainment arena that hosts touring concerts, family shows, comedy performances, and live entertainment events. It serves as the home venue for Ohio State Buckeyes men's and women's basketball and men's ice hockey, and also hosts OHSAA high school state championships and corporate/private events. The venue offers configurable seating from 3,000 to 20,000, premium suites, concessions, parking, and on-site merchandise sales.
Product overview
The Schottenstein Center is a multi-purpose entertainment venue at The Ohio State University offering event hosting, venue rentals, premium seating, concessions, and parking services. The venue accommodates events ranging from concerts and family shows to Ohio State Buckeyes athletics (men's and women's basketball, men's ice hockey) with flexible seating configurations from 3,000 to 20,000. Additional offerings include meeting room rentals, the Ohio State Team Shop for merchandise, and a sweeping group fundraising program for student organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Event Hosting and Venue Rentals
- Premium Seating and Luxury Suites 52 luxury suites and premium seating options available for purchase or rental for events, providing elevated hospitality experiences for individuals and corporate groups.
- Meeting and Event Spaces
- Concessions and Catering Services Food and beverage services provided by Levy Restaurants, including traditional concessions, elevated dining options, International Flavors cuisine, the Sear & Stack burger location, and full in-house catering with executive chef for events.
- Parking Services Pre-paid parking available through ParkMobile, with over 5,000 surface lot parking spaces on site and within a 10-minute walk of the venue, including ADA-accessible parking in Scarlet Lots.
- Ohio State Team Shop Official Team Shop of Buckeye Nation located on Borror Drive, selling Ohio State merchandise, apparel, and team gear to event attendees and fans.
- Sweeping Group Fundraising Program Fundraising program for Ohio State student organizations where groups clean the venue bowl after events for payment, with compensation levels varying by arena section and event type.
Companies that use The Schottenstein Center
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Schottenstein Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Schottenstein Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.
- The Ohio State UniversitycoreHome venue for Ohio State Buckeyes men's and women's basketball and men's ice hockey teams; part of Ohio State University Department of Athletics commitment to provide modern facilities for student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans
- Huntington BankminorNaming sponsor of Huntington Club at the venue; contributed to venue financing
- The Kroger CompanyminorCorporate contributor toward venue's terrazzo floorscapes
- Nationwide InsuranceminorCorporate contributor toward venue's terrazzo floorscapes
- TicketmastercoreExclusive partner for ticketing delivering Mobile Tickets as SafeTix code; handles all event ticket sales
- Levy RestaurantscoreExclusive caterer/concessionaire providing full in-house catering services including executive chef and liquor license; operates concessions, premium areas, and suites
- CampusParc (ParkMobile)supportingPre-paid parking partner via ParkMobile platform for advance parking permits and day-of parking at Schottenstein Center
- Columbus Arena Sports & Entertainment (CASE)coreManagement company operating the Schottenstein Center; uses cookies on website for user experience improvement
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Schottenstein Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Oak View Group: Major venue development and management firm building/operating new arenas across the U.S. Represents the next-generation competitor set and a potential partner/management alternative for legacy venues like Schottenstein.
Broad incumbents
- ASM Global: Largest global arena and stadium management company, operating venues comparable to the Schottenstein Center. Sets benchmarks for management fees, F&B (Levy-style) partnerships, and event booking strategy that Schottenstein operates within.
- United Center: Chicago's flagship multi-purpose arena (Bulls, Blackhawks, top-tier concerts). Larger incumbent in the same Midwest touring circuit; competes for premium acts and competes with Schottenstein for some Big Ten/regional bookings.
- Madison Square Garden Entertainment: Operator of Madison Square Garden and other live-entertainment venues, including the Beacon Theatre. Provides the publicly traded benchmark for arena economics, premium seating yield, and touring concert capture rates that inform Schottenstein's pricing.
Direct peers
- Nationwide Arena: Columbus's other major arena, home of the Blue Jackets (NHL) and host of competing touring concerts and family shows. Direct head-to-head competitor in the same Columbus metro for premium touring acts and corporate events.
- Gainbridge Fieldhouse: Indianapolis multi-purpose arena (Pacers, Fever) and Big Ten-adjacent market venue. Similar size, collegiate/professional mix, and touring concert economics make it a close operational comparable.
- PPG Paints Arena: Pittsburgh multi-purpose arena (Penguins) and comparable Big Ten regional touring competitor. Similar capacity profile, NHL ice-hockey infrastructure, and reliance on touring concert revenue.
- Pinnacle Bank Arena: Lincoln, Nebraska multi-purpose arena in another Big Ten university market (University of Nebraska). Comparable collegiate-anchor, multi-purpose operating model and Big Ten-adjacent touring circuit.
- Little Caesars Arena: Detroit multi-purpose arena housing the Pistons (NBA) and Red Wings (NHL), comparable in size, mix of NBA/NHL/concerts, and Big Ten regional market. Comparable operating model with premium seating, suites, and configurable configurations.
Regional players
- KFC Yum! Center: Louisville multi-purpose arena (U of L Cardinals basketball anchor) on the regional touring circuit. Similar size, collegiate anchor tenancy, and configurable concert/basketball setup.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Schottenstein Center social profiles
Digital presenceThe Schottenstein Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Schottenstein Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Schottenstein Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Schottenstein Center 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 The Schottenstein Center
What does The Schottenstein Center do?
The Schottenstein Center is a 20,000-capacity multi-purpose entertainment arena that hosts touring concerts, family shows, comedy performances, and live entertainment events. It serves as the home venue for Ohio State Buckeyes men's and women's basketball and men's ice hockey, and also hosts OHSAA high school state championships and corporate/private events. The venue offers configurable seating from 3,000 to 20,000, premium suites, concessions, parking, and on-site merchandise sales.
Is The Schottenstein Center a public or private company?
The Schottenstein Center is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was The Schottenstein Center founded?
The Schottenstein Center was founded in 1998. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is The Schottenstein Center based?
The Schottenstein Center is headquartered in Columbus, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Schottenstein Center make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are premium Seating, food and Beverage Concessions, merchandise Sales, parking and venue Booking and Meeting Spaces.
Who are The Schottenstein Center's main competitors?
Oak View Group is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are ASM Global, United Center and Madison Square Garden Entertainment. Direct peers are Nationwide Arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, PPG Paints Arena, Pinnacle Bank Arena and Little Caesars Arena. KFC Yum! Center is listed as a regional player.
Does The Schottenstein Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Schottenstein Center.
What industry is The Schottenstein Center in?
The Schottenstein Center's product category is Live Entertainment Venue Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAEAB, Arenas & Indoor Sports Centers, with a secondary code of MPAGALAA, Arena & Stadium Operations (Large-Capacity Venues). Its NAICS code is 71131 and its SIC code is 7900.