The Schottenstein Center

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.

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

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

• Live entertainment venue
• Arena event hosting
• Premium seating suites
• Sports venue rental
• Concession catering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from concert, family show, and sporting event ticket sales via Ticketmaster exclusive partnership and direct box office
2. Premium Seating: Revenue from suite rentals and premium seating options for events
3. Food and Beverage Concessions: Full in-house catering services via exclusive caterer Levy Restaurants including executive chef and liquor license
4. Merchandise Sales: Official Team Shop at venue selling Ohio State merchandise and team gear
5. Parking: Parking revenue via CampusParc ParkMobile partnership with pre-paid parking options
6. Venue Booking and Meeting Spaces: Rental of meeting rooms and hospitality spaces for business and social functions; event production and marketing services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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.

Named customers2 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.

• The Ohio State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Home 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 BankminorOthers · 1 January 1998Naming sponsor of Huntington Club at the venue; contributed to venue financing
• The Kroger CompanyminorOthers · 1 January 1998Corporate contributor toward venue's terrazzo floorscapes
• Nationwide InsuranceminorOthers · 1 January 1998Corporate contributor toward venue's terrazzo floorscapes
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive partner for ticketing delivering Mobile Tickets as SafeTix code; handles all event ticket sales
• Levy RestaurantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive caterer/concessionaire providing full in-house catering services including executive chef and liquor license; operates concessions, premium areas, and suites
• CampusParc (ParkMobile)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPre-paid parking partner via ParkMobile platform for advance parking permits and day-of parking at Schottenstein Center
• Columbus Arena Sports & Entertainment (CASE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManagement company operating the Schottenstein Center; uses cookies on website for user experience improvement

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging 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

• Xx.com/theschott
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxRjxM9fAL6WhdfhBcUwyPQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheSchott
• Instagraminstagram.com/theschott
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-schottenstein-center

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 Schottenstein Center