Ballard Football Club

What Ballard Football Club does

Ballard Football Club is a community-owned, pre-professional men's soccer club based in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, competing in USL League Two since its 2021 launch. The club operates as Ballard Football Club, LLC, a Washington-state LLC that has funded operations through two SEC Rule 506(b) exempt equity offerings totaling $410,000 across 2021 ($195,000) and 2024 ($215,000). Ballard FC runs a portfolio of soccer and community products anchored by a competitive men's team that plays home matches at Interbay Stadium (naming-sponsored as Pagliacci Pitch) and has won three consecutive USL League Two Northwest Division titles (2023-2025), the 2025 Western Conference Championship, and reached both the 2023 National Championship and the 2025 National Final (lost 2-1 to Vermont Green FC). A sister women's team, Salmon Bay FC, shares Interbay Stadium, front-office resources, and kit partnerships, operating in the USL W League.

The club monetizes through matchday ticketing across three tiers (Standing Room Only, General Admission Seated including 267 new bleacher seats added in 2026 phase-one expansion, and Field Level), direct-to-consumer merchandise sales including a five-year annual limited artist collaboration kit series (the 2026 Meléndez Kit features the first-ever dual-badge lenticular crest shared with Salmon Bay FC), and a six-week youth summer soccer camp program for ages 5-13 priced at $275-$410 per week. Sponsorship and concession revenue is generated through approximately 30 partners across beverage (Stoup Brewing as Official Brewery, Athletic Brewing NA, Orgullo Ajeno Tequila, Incline Cider), media (Red Bull as live-stream presenting sponsor via Four to Score, KEXP, Seattle Times), healthcare (UW Medicine), enterprise (Weyerhaeuser), and local SMB verticals. The technology stack is entirely composed of third-party SaaS: SportsEngine's Sports Relationship Management (SRM) platform for web operations, SportsEngine Play and YouTube for live streaming, Shopify (goballardfc.shop) for e-commerce, PlayMetrics for camp registration, and the proprietary upthebridges.shop ticketing storefront.

Ballard FC's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging seven recurring themed match nights (Home Opener, Nordic Night, Music Night, USA v. Australia Night, Artist Night, Pride Night, Fan Appreciation Day), a Homestay Program that places visiting collegiate players with local Seattle families, and a non-profit Bridges United Foundation that operates the Beer Garden and runs youth outreach. The club's talent pipeline has produced five 2026 MLS SuperDraft picks headlined by Zach Ramsey (1st round, Vancouver Whitecaps) and Stockton Short (3rd round, Seattle Sounders), and the club was selected for Common Goal's 2024 Play Proud cohort with a 100-hour LGBTQ+ inclusion training commitment.

Name

Ballard Football Club

Legal name

Ballard Football Club, LLC

Website

https://goballardfc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ballard Football Club is a community-owned, pre-professional men's soccer club in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, competing in USL League Two and operating a sister women's team (Salmon Bay FC), youth camps, themed match nights, and direct-to-consumer merchandise from Interbay Stadium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pre-Professional Soccer Club

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Other Spectator Sports (711219), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE), Club Sports Programs (EDALAIAB)

Keywords

• Pre-professional soccer
• Community soccer club
• Matchday ticketing
• Team merchandise sales
• Youth soccer camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Matchday Ticket Sales: Three ticket tiers per match — Standing Room Only, General Admission Seated (including 267 new bleacher seats added in 2026 phase-one expansion), and Field Level — plus season tickets and group packages, sold direct via upthebridges.shop.
2. Merchandise Sales: Direct e-commerce via goballardfc.shop (Shopify) and an on-site Team Store, including annual artist collaboration kits, scarves, supporter gear, and the Victor Meléndez Kit bundle with custom 3-D glasses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ballard Football Club operates a competitive men's USL League Two soccer team (with a sister women's USL W League team, Salmon Bay FC) playing home matches at Interbay Stadium in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, selling tiered match tickets, season tickets, and group packages. Surrounding the team product, the club sells apparel and limited-edition annual artist collaboration kits through a Shopify storefront and an on-site Team Store, and runs an annual six-week Youth Summer Soccer Camp program for ages 5–13.

Product overview

Ballard FC operates a portfolio of soccer and community products built around a single core asset — a competitive men's USL League Two soccer team based at Interbay Stadium in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. The core men's team (Ballard FC) is paired with a sister women's team (Salmon Bay FC in the USL W League), which together form the central product. Around this core the club runs complementary products: an annual Youth Summer Soccer Camp (ages 5-13), a Team Store selling kits and artist collaboration merchandise, a Match Ticket and Season Ticket program (including the new 267-seat bleacher expansion), a Live Stream service delivered via SportsEngine Play, the Bridges United Foundation Beer Garden hospitality experience, and a Homestay Program that places visiting international players with local host families. Artist collaboration kits (the Henry, Dozfy, Stevie Shao, Sarah Robbins, and Meléndez kits) tie the merchandise and ticketed match-day products together as annual limited-edition drops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Salmon Bay FC: Sister women's soccer brand competing in the USL W League and sharing Interbay Stadium, staff, and operations with Ballard FC.

Products and services

• Ballard FC Men's Soccer Team (USL League Two) Flagship competitive men's soccer team competing in USL League Two, a pre-professional development league under the United Soccer League. The team plays home matches at Interbay Stadium (Pagliacci Pitch) in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood and is sold to local soccer fans as a ticketed live entertainment product.
• Salmon Bay FC Women's Soccer Team (USL W League) Sister women's pre-professional soccer team competing in the USL W League, sharing Interbay Stadium, crest, kit designer (hummel), and front-office resources with Ballard FC; the two clubs jointly release artist collaboration kits with a dual lenticular badge.
• Ballard FC & Salmon Bay FC Youth Summer Soccer Camps Annual summer soccer camps for ages 5–13, run by Ballard FC and Salmon Bay FC coaches and players at Seattle parks (Loyal Heights, Magnolia, Queen Anne Bowl, Lower Woodland, Soundview); six week-long sessions from July through mid-August with full-day, half-day, and aftercare options.
• Ballard FC Team Store / Merchandise Official online and physical Team Store selling Ballard FC kits, annual artist collaboration kits (e.g., the Meléndez Kit and Meléndez scarf), training wear, and supporter merchandise.
• Ballard FC Match Tickets and Season Ticket Holder Program Ticketed live match-day experience at Interbay Stadium with Standing Room Only, General Admission Seated (including 267 new bleacher seats added in the 2026 phase-one expansion), and Field Level tiers, plus Season Ticket Holder Benefits.
• Ballard FC Live Stream (via SportsEngine Play) Live streaming of all Ballard FC home matches on the official website and on SportsEngine Play, presented by Red Bull Four to Score, extending the club's reach beyond in-stadium capacity.
• Bridges United Foundation Beer Garden at Interbay Stadium Match-day beer, wine, cider, tequila, and non-alcoholic beer service at Interbay Stadium run through the Bridges United Foundation, with Stoup Brewing as official brewery, Orgullo Ajeno Tequila, Incline Cider, Athletic Brewing N/A beer, and Vino FC.
• Ballard FC Homestay Program Program that places visiting Ballard FC players (May 1 – August 4) with local Seattle host families, providing housing, an ORCA bus card, and a grocery stipend, in exchange for host perks including four season tickets, scarves, and merchandise discounts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached 2025 USL League Two National Final (lost 2-1 to Vermont Green FC)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Victor MeléndezcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 April 2026Local Seattle-based art director, graphic designer and illustrator (originally from Mexico City) selected as the 2026 artist collaboration partner. Designed the Meléndez Kit featuring Día de los Muertos skull and Latin American symbols in an anaglyph 3-D design with bundled 3-D glasses. Featured artist at the June 24, 2026 Artist Night doubleheader.
• HummelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Technical kit and apparel partner for Ballard FC and Salmon Bay FC. Co-developed the 2026 'Nordic Kits' (Away Kit and Goalkeeper Kit) with prominent Nordic design elements. Kit partnership spans all on-pitch apparel including the annual artist collaboration kits.
• Stoup BrewingflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 January 2026Official Brewery Partner of Ballard FC and Salmon Bay FC. Exclusive beer poured in the Bridges United Foundation Beer Garden at every home match and named in the 2026 expanded liquor license coverage.
• Red BullcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Ballard FC live stream through the Red Bull Four to Score national program; all home matches stream live on YouTube and SportsEngine Play under Red Bull branding.
• WombicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial bike-parking partner at every Ballard FC home match. The Wombi Bike Parking area is promoted in match-day transportation guides and on the homepage.
• Pagliacci PizzacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFood partner offering a BOGO (buy-one-get-one) slice deal on match days at all Pagliacci locations (except UW) when fans show their match ticket. Pagliacci Pitch is also the naming sponsor of the home venue at Interbay Stadium.
• Greenwood Heating and Home ServicescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProud sponsor of the 2026 Ballard FC & Salmon Bay FC Youth Soccer Camps program. Logo featured on camp page and the club's annual camp pricing/registration material.
• Bridges United FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent non-profit affiliated with Ballard FC. Runs the Beer Garden at every home match, hosts youth soccer programs across Seattle, and is co-led by club leadership including Mutanda Kwesele. The Foundation underpins the club's volunteer pipeline and DEI programming.
• Salmon Bay FCflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister women's pre-professional soccer club (USL W League) sharing the Ballard FC crest, front office (Tiffany Mallick serves as Vice President), stadium (Interbay), kit designer (hummel), and 2026 Meléndez Kit with a dual-badge lenticular crest — the first such kit in the sport.
• Common Goal / Play ProudcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected for the 2024 cohort of Common Goal's Play Proud initiative, committing 100 hours of dedicated LGBTQ+ inclusion training with leading industry professionals and clubs around the country.
• United Soccer League (USL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeague membership as a USL League Two club; the league governs competition (NW Division), broadcast rights, and licensing. The website runs under USL privacy policy and branding standards.
• SportsEnginecoreTechnology or IntegrationPlatform provider powering the club's website via Sports Relationship Management (SRM) software and the SportsEngine Play live-stream service used for home matches.
• Athletic BrewingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured non-alcoholic beer partner poured in the Beer Garden at every home match.
• Orgullo Ajeno TequilaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTequila partner with a dedicated Orgullo Ajeno Tequila Zone inside the Beer Garden; tequila must remain inside the Beer Garden area.
• Incline Cider HouseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCider partner pouring at the Beer Garden at every home match.
• Ballard Food BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPer-match community donation drive partner. The club teams with the Ballard Food Bank from its 2021 founding and collects requested food items at every home match.
• Rain City Soccer ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal grassroots partner for LGBTQ+ inclusive coaching training and community programming.
• America SCORES SeattleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal grassroots partner aligned with the club's youth development and community DEI work.
• WA Youth SoccerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level governing body partner for youth soccer programming.
• Family First Community Center (Renton)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Renton-based community partner for the club's DEI and youth outreach work.
• National Nordic MuseumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural partner for the annual Nordic Night match, celebrating the Nordic heritage of the Ballard neighborhood.
• KEXP (Seattle public radio)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic programming partner featured on Music Night doubleheader programming with the Ballard High School marching band at halftime.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AFC Ann Arbor: USL League Two club with a community-owned ethos comparable to Ballard FC, operating in a similarly sized mid-sized U.S. city with a strong volunteer and supporter culture.
• Vermont Green FC: USL League Two National Champion that defeated Ballard FC 2-1 in the 2025 National Final. Direct peer in the same tier and the benchmark USL 2 club on-field.
• FC Olympia: USL League Two club scheduled as Ballard FC's May 15, 2026 home opener. Direct divisional peer in the pre-professional Pacific Northwest ecosystem.
• Bigfoot FC: USL League Two Northwest Division rival that Ballard FC plays regularly (e.g., 2026 6-1 and 2-0 wins). Same league tier, same regional competition, comparable small-stadium scale.
• Corvallis FC: USL League Two club in the Northwest Division; direct divisional competitor to Ballard FC in the same pre-professional tier with a similar community-rooted small-market operating model.
• West Seattle Junction FC: USL League Two rival in the NW Division that Ballard FC faced in 2026 (2-1 comeback win). Same league, same metropolitan area, same tier — closest like-for-like local competitor.
• Salmon Bay FC: Sister women's USL W League club sharing Interbay Stadium, crest, and front office with Ballard FC. Operates as a co-located women's counterpart — same brand family, comparable scale, complementary season calendar.

Broad incumbents

• Detroit City FC: Larger community-owned soccer club now in USL Championship. Highly comparable grassroots, supporter-led DNA but operating at a higher professional tier — useful benchmark for Ballard FC's potential ascension path.
• Forward Madison FC: USL League One club with a comparable hyper-local, community-rooted brand identity in a mid-sized city. Operates one tier above Ballard FC and represents a plausible growth trajectory.
• Oakland Roots SC: USL Championship club with a strong community-first, social-impact identity parallel to Ballard FC's Bridges United Foundation model. Broader incumbent in the same lower-division soccer ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ballard-fc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

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 Ballard Football Club