scheels arena

What scheels arena does

SCHEELS Arena is a Fargo, North Dakota multi-purpose indoor arena operated by Metro Sports Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Opened in 2008, it serves local and regional audiences with USHL hockey, concerts, family shows, trade shows, graduations, corporate functions, and other ticketed or private events. The Fargo Force junior hockey team has used the venue as its home since 2008, and the arena's operating portfolio also includes Cullen Force Academy, Force Sports Performance, and charitable gaming activities tied to youth programs.

The arena's event-driven model generates revenue through ticket sales, on-site food and beverage and concessions, advertising and sponsorships, premium suites and lounges, building and ice rentals, catering, and charitable gaming. Tickets are distributed mainly through Ticketmaster and the on-site box office, with annual season-ticket packages, group sales, suites, loge boxes, club seating, and event-based lounge rentals. Season tickets range from $199 to $1,000 per seat, while named lounge rentals are generally $1,000-$2,000 per event; free parking for most events and cashless payments are additional customer-facing terms.

The underlying asset is a flexible arena with an ice rink, portable insulated deck covering, convertible event spaces, a 2,000-square-foot High Point Lounge, and separate premium hospitality areas. Its event-production stack includes a center-hung video board, three professional broadcast cameras, a 12-input video switcher, multimedia servers, four-channel replay machines, QSC and JBL VRX speakers, LED sports lighting reaching 1,500 lux, and black-out-capable bowl lighting. These components support both sports and concert configurations, while no AI capability is disclosed.

Name

scheels arena

Legal name

Metro Sports Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://scheelsarena.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

SCHEELS Arena is a Fargo nonprofit multi-purpose venue serving regional sports, concert, family, community and corporate-event audiences through hockey, ticketed programming, premium seating, rentals, catering and food and beverage sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Venue / Multi-Purpose Arena

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arenas & Indoor Sports Centers (MPAKAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB), Sports Hospitality & Premium Experiences (VIP, Suites, Fan Zones) (MPAGAMAJ), Concession & Stadium / Arena Catering (THAFAIAG)

Keywords

• Multi-purpose arena
• Live entertainment venue
• Hockey arena operations
• Event hosting services
• Premium hospitality suites

Headquarters

HQ city

Fargo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for Fargo Force hockey games, concerts, family shows, trade shows, and other events through Ticketmaster and box office. Season ticket packages and group tickets also available.
2. Concessions and Food & Beverage: On-site food and beverage sales including Express, Tacos, East & Westside Hotdog stands, Burgers, plus third-party vendors (Lil Orbits, Dippin Dots, Brewtus Pizza, Perfectly Nuts, Corn dog and Cheesecurd Stand). Full catering services for events.
3. Advertising and Sponsorship: Digital signage advertising, arena branding (concourse banners, rink boards), and promotional activations. Sponsorship opportunities for events.
4. Premium Experiences (Suites and Lounges): Luxury suites rented for the season including tickets to all Fargo Force home games and playoffs. Various lounge rentals including Bud Light Lounge ($1000), Eide Bailly Loft ($1000), Ice Garden ($1000-$2000), and Great States Club membership.
5. Charitable Gaming: Facilitates charitable gaming (blackjack, pull-tabs, pigwheel, e-tab machines, 50/50 raffle, bingo, meat raffles) at various locations in Fargo-Moorhead area to support youth activities at SCHEELS Arena.
6. Building and Ice Rentals: Ice rentals for hockey training, curling, and other ice events. Building rentals for corporate meetings, weddings, and other private events. High Point Lounge (2,000 sq ft) available for events up to 125 capacity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SCHEELS Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Fargo, North Dakota that hosts home games for the Fargo Force USHL junior hockey team, concerts, family shows, trade shows, graduations, and corporate events. Operated by the Metro Sports Foundation (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit), the venue generates revenue through ticket sales, premium hospitality experiences (luxury suites, loge boxes, club row, branded lounges), concessions and catering, advertising and sponsorships, ice and building rentals, and charitable gaming operations.

Product overview

SCHEELS Arena is a multi-purpose entertainment venue in Fargo, North Dakota operated by the Metro Sports Foundation. The venue offers a comprehensive portfolio centered around live events and hockey. Core offerings include the Fargo Force junior hockey team (USHL), premium seating experiences (Luxury Suites, Loge Boxes, Club Row, Force Season Tickets, Eide Bailly Loft, Bud Light Lounge, Ice Garden, Great States Club), and event hosting services (Ice Rentals, Building Rentals, High Point Lounge, Catering). Supporting services include youth hockey development through Cullen Force Academy and Force Sports Performance, plus charitable gaming operations. The venue hosts concerts, family shows, trade shows, graduations, and corporate functions across its flexible arena configurations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fargo Force Hockey Team
• Luxury Suites
• Loge Boxes
• Club Row
• Force Season Tickets
• Eide Bailly Loft
• Bud Light Lounge
• Ice Garden
• Great States Club
• Ice Rentals
• Building Rentals
• High Point Lounge
• Catering Services
• Cullen Force Academy
• Force Sports Performance
• Charitable Gaming

Quantifiable outcome

• Attracts thousands of visitors each year to diverse events
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bell BankcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 June 2026Bell Bank partnered with SCHEELS Arena to ensure the NEEDTOBREATHE Long Surrender Tour concert could continue as scheduled after the closure of Jade Presents. Bell Bank provided financial support enabling the relocation of the concert from Bluestem Amphitheatre to SCHEELS Arena, preserving the fan experience for the originally scheduled date.
• Valley News LiveminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 June 2026Valley News Live provided proactive marketing support and assisted in communicating concert relocation updates to the public following the NEEDTOBREATHE venue change.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary ticketing platform for SCHEELS Arena events. Handles online ticket sales, transfers, and distribution. Existing Etix tickets for relocated events are being transferred to Ticketmaster.
• Mega EventscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMega Events collaborated with SCHEELS Arena to relocate The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight concert from Bluestem Amphitheater to SCHEELS Arena, ensuring the show continued with the originally scheduled date.
• Fargo ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFargo Force is a member of the United States Hockey League (USHL) based at SCHEELS Arena since 2008. The affiliation provides unique opportunities for Cullen Force Academy players to observe and interact with elite athletes, attend Force games, and potentially advance to play for the team.
• Space Age SyntheticsminorOthersProvides portable, insulated arena deck covering for converting ice floor to event/concert configurations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fargodome: Same-market multi-purpose venue hosting sports, concerts, trade shows, and community events. Its overlapping event calendar and customer base make it a close geographic peer, despite its larger capacity and broader convention offering.
• Bismarck Event Center: Regional multi-purpose complex with arena, convention, and meeting space. It is comparable through sports, concerts, corporate bookings, and community events in a similar Upper Midwest market.
• Denny Sanford PREMIER Center: Regional multi-purpose arena hosting sports, concerts, and community events. It overlaps with SCHEELS Arena through year-round arena utilization, premium seating, and event-driven revenue.
• Sanford Center: Multi-purpose indoor venue supporting ice events, concerts, family entertainment, and meetings. Its similar scale and event format make it a direct regional operating peer.
• Tyson Events Center: Sioux City multi-purpose arena for hockey, concerts, family shows, and conventions. It overlaps with SCHEELS Arena in sports tenancy, live entertainment, event rentals, and premium hospitality.
• Xtream Arena: Multi-purpose arena hosting the Iowa Heartlanders hockey team along with concerts, family events, and community programming. Its comparable arena format, event mix, and hospitality inventory make it a relevant direct peer.

Broad incumbents

• VenuWorks: Provider of management, operations, marketing, and food-service capabilities for entertainment and convention venues. It is comparable in event programming, venue sales, and facility operations, but serves multiple properties.
• ASM Global: Global operator of arenas, stadiums, convention centers, and entertainment venues. It overlaps with SCHEELS Arena in facility operations, event booking, ticketing integrations, food and beverage, and premium spaces.
• Oak View Group: Sports and entertainment venue development and management platform. It is comparable through arena operations, premium hospitality, event-content relationships, and sponsorship monetization.
• AEG: Global owner and operator of sports and entertainment venues with live-content capabilities. It overlaps in arena operations, concert capture, premium hospitality, ticketing, and sponsorship monetization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries3 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 scheels arena