Chattanooga Football Club

What Chattanooga Football Club does

Chattanooga Football Club is a privately held, fan-owned professional soccer club founded in 2009 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It operates two competitive teams — a fully professional men's side in MLS NEXT Pro (the official developmental league of Major League Soccer) and a women's side in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) — both playing home matches at Finley Stadium (soccer capacity 11,157). In 2019 the club became the first soccer organization globally to offer true fan ownership, distributing equity to more than 3,200 investors across Chattanooga, all 50 U.S. states, and 31 countries; ownership is widely dispersed with no controlling shareholder or parent entity disclosed.

The club's product and platform stack is built primarily on third-party infrastructure: digital ticketing is delivered through Passage (gopassage.com) with email-only mobile tickets; live match distribution flows through MLSNEXTPro.com and OneFootball TV; CFC Women's home WPSL matches are broadcast on the club's own YouTube channel; merchandise is sold via a custom online storefront (shop.chattanoogafc.com), a permanent Northshore brick-and-mortar store at 191 River Street, and an in-stadium Ultra Club shop on matchdays. An integrated U4-to-professional player pathway — CFC Youth, MLS NEXT elite development, the MLS NEXT Pro men's team, and the WPSL women's team — creates a single-club development funnel that few lower-division U.S. rivals can match. Stadium operations use a clear-bag policy, mobile-pay parking (Park Mobile / Text2Park), and an SMS help line powered by partner Text Request.

Revenue is generated across five streams: recurring season-ticket and single-match ticket sales (19 MLS NEXT Pro home matches plus 3 WPSL women's home matches under the Club season-ticket bundle), sponsorship and partnership revenue from 25+ named regional and national brands (including adidas for kit/apparel, Ruby Falls for the Summer of Soccer presenting partnership, ModWash and HUTTON for the CFC Women kit, Erlanger, EPB, Food City, FirstBank, Coca-Cola United, and Opella), merchandise and retail, matchday concessions and parking, and crowd-sourced fan-ownership equity contributions. The club sells direct-to-consumer via its own digital storefront and through group-ticket and premium-hospitality direct sales, supported by a Cheers Collective watch-party program at local Chattanooga bars for away-match fan engagement. Headquartered at 436 Market St #204, Chattanooga, the club employs 51–100 staff and is led by Chief Business Officer Chad Emerson, Interim Head Coach (Men's) Richard Dixon, and Head Coach (Women's) Majo Harispuru.

Name

Chattanooga Football Club

Legal name

Chattanooga Football Club

Website

https://chattanoogafc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Chattanooga Football Club is a privately held, fan-owned American soccer club (founded 2009) operating a professional men's team in MLS NEXT Pro and a women's team in the WPSL, both based at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and funded by ticket sales, sponsorships, merchandise, and 3,200+ fan-owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Soccer Club

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Other Spectator Sports (711219), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Individual-Sport Clubs & Teams (Cycling Teams, Athletics/Track Clubs, Swimming Clubs, etc.) (MPAKABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE), Fan Apparel & Wearables Retail (Licensed) (CRAMAOAE), Team & League Branded Merchandise Retail (Non-Apparel) (CRAMAOAF), Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE), Team & School Athletic Uniforms Retail (CRAMACAJ), Team Sports Equipment & Apparel Distribution (CRAOAJAA), Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA), Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB), Rugby (Union & League) Leagues (MPAKAAAG)

Keywords

• Professional soccer club
• MLS NEXT Pro team
• Matchday ticket sales
• Soccer merchandise retail
• Youth soccer development

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Matchday ticket sales: Men's MLS NEXT Pro season tickets (19 regular-season home matches) and Club season tickets (22 matches covering men's MLS NEXT Pro home games plus women's WPSL home games); single-match digital tickets sold via Passage; group tickets and premium hospitality (Pitchside Patio, Ultra Club, Midfield Chairback, Grass Hill) bundled in. All tickets are digital and non-refundable except as provided.
2. Sponsorship and partnership revenue: Corporate partnerships including kit/apparel (adidas, ModWash front-of-kit and HUTTON back-of-shirt for CFC Women), presenting sponsorships (Ruby Falls for Summer of Soccer), venue partners (Erlanger, Food City, EPB, FirstBank, Coca-Cola, YMCA Chattanooga, Chattanooga Marriott Downtown, Opella, Passage, Text Request, Fidelity Trust Company, Tri-Star Beverage, Vibrant Meals, New Blue Construction, Leed Corporate Services, Clean Cult, Irrigreen, Crystal Air, NoFo Brew Co, Children's Dentistry of Chattanooga, TEREN).
3. Merchandise and retail: Merchandise sold through the online store (shop.chattanoogafc.com), at the official CFC Store inside the Ultra Club on matchdays, and at the brick-and-mortar Northshore location at 191 River Street, Chattanooga.
4. Matchday concessions and parking: Stadium concessions (credit/debit card only, no cash), alcohol sales cut off at the 75th minute, and paid parking through Park Mobile / Text2Park (EPB South Lot $12 cash or credit; Gold North and Pavilion Green Lots $8 via Text2Park/Park Mobile/Kiosk).
5. Fan-ownership equity contributions: Crowd-sourced ownership stake program launched in 2019 with 3,200+ investors from Chattanooga, all 50 states, and 31 countries, providing capital from the supporter base.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Chattanooga Football Club operates a professional men's soccer team competing in MLS NEXT Pro and a women's team in the WPSL, both playing home matches at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The club generates revenue through matchday tickets (single-match and season), premium hospitality packages, sponsorship and partnership deals, merchandise sold via online and brick-and-mortar stores, and matchday concessions and parking. It also runs an integrated U4-to-professional player development pathway (CFC Youth, MLS NEXT, MLS NEXT Pro, WPSL) and operates a fan-ownership equity program launched in 2019.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CFC Men: Men's professional first team competing in MLS NEXT Pro.
• CFC Women
• CFC Youth

Products and services

• CFC Men — MLS NEXT Pro Professional Soccer Team Men's professional soccer team competing in MLS NEXT Pro, playing home matches at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga for individual fans, sponsors, and the broader MLS NEXT Pro viewing audience via MLSNEXTPro.com and OneFootball TV.
• CFC Women — WPSL Soccer Team Women's semi-professional soccer team competing in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), playing home matches at Finley Stadium and broadcasting fixtures on the club's YouTube channel.
• CFC MLS NEXT — Elite Youth Player Development Program Elite youth player development program operating under the MLS NEXT professional pathway, preparing selected youth athletes to progress into the men's MLS NEXT Pro team.
• CFC Youth — Youth Soccer Development Program Club's youth soccer development program with recreational and competitive pathways running from U4 through to MLS NEXT elite development, for youth players and their parents in the Chattanooga region.
• Single-Match Digital Tickets Single-match digital tickets for CFC home games, delivered via email through Passage, for individual spectators and walk-up fans.
• Men's MLS NEXT Pro Season Tickets (19-match package) Season-ticket package for the men's MLS NEXT Pro team covering 19 regular-season home matches, sold via the Passage-powered ticketing storefront with pricing available on request.
• Club Season Tickets (22-match package — men + women) Combined Club season-ticket package covering 22 home matches across the men's MLS NEXT Pro and women's WPSL teams, sold via the Passage ticketing platform for fans who want to attend both men's and women's fixtures.
• Group Tickets Group-ticket packages sold through a dedicated portal on the MLS NEXT Pro platform for organized groups attending matches together at Finley Stadium.
• Premium Hospitality Packages (Pitchside Patio, Ultra Club, Midfield Chairback, Grass Hill) Premium-seating and hospitality bundles including Pitchside Patio with all-inclusive F&B, Ultra Club climate-controlled hospitality add-on, Midfield Chairback with seatback/cupholder, and Grass Hill standing-room with youth pricing, sold via direct outreach by the Manager of Ticket Sales.
• Fan Ownership Equity Program Equity-style fan-ownership investment program launched in 2019, the first such program in U.S. soccer, open to individual supporters worldwide who acquire an ownership stake in the club.
• CFC Merchandise Store Official CFC merchandise sold through the online storefront, the in-stadium Ultra Club store at Finley Stadium, and the brick-and-mortar Northshore store at 191 River Street, including adidas apparel and co-branded items.

Quantifiable outcome

• MLS NEXT Pro Team of Matchweek 14 (June 2026) after 4-0 shutout of defending champions Red Bull New York II
• +3 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• ModWash & HUTTONflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 May 2026ModWash (front-of-kit) and HUTTON (back-of-shirt) jointly became the kit partners of Chattanooga FC Women for the 2026 WPSL season. Both are Chattanooga-based companies founded/operated by Karen Hutton; ModWash operates 131 express car-wash locations across 12 states.
• Ruby FallsflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 May 2026Ruby Falls, a Lookout Mountain-based attraction (operating since 1929), is the presenting partner of the CFC Summer of Soccer. The partnership includes cross-promotion between the attraction and CFC home matches, kicked off with the June 6 Run Scenic City and Margaritaville Night match vs Red Bull New York II. Ruby Falls is the first U.S. attraction to earn Green Globe certification.
• adidasflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partneradidas is CFC's official kit/apparel partner (logo featured in the club's footer partner row and on the official partners page). The club's official merch store sells adidas-supplied gear including the CFC x Margaritaville co-branded shirts.
• Passage (gopassage.com)coreTechnology or IntegrationPassage is CFC's official ticketing provider, powering season tickets, single-match tickets, group tickets, and digital-ticket delivery for the club. All CFC tickets are digital and delivered via email from Go Passage.
• Erlanger Health SystemflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerErlanger is a featured partner of CFC with presence on the homepage partner row and naming rights for in-stadium facilities including the Erlanger First Aid Room, Erlanger Calming Corner, Erlanger Mother's Room, and the new Erlanger Park, where CFC will play on July 4th with a post-match fireworks show.
• EPBcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEPB is a sponsor of CFC with branding on the EPB Blue South Lot at Finley Stadium. Fans are directed to park in the EPB South lot ($12 cash or credit). EPB is a Chattanooga-based electric power and communications company.
• Food CityflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerFood City is a CFC partner and naming-rights sponsor of the Food City Grass Hill, the family-friendly standing-room area on the east side of Finley Stadium parallel to Chestnut Street.
• Fidelity Trust CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFidelity Trust Company is a featured CFC partner, listed on the official partners page and in the homepage partner footer. Chattanooga-based.
• OpellacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOpella is a CFC partner featured in the homepage partner footer (Opella Workmark negative logo). Opella is a consumer healthcare company (the Opella brand is at opella.com).
• Coca-Cola (Coca-Cola United)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCoca-Cola United is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page, supporting concessions and stadium beverage service.
• YMCA ChattanoogacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerYMCA Chattanooga is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page. The partnership supports the club's youth-development and community-health mission.
• Chattanooga Marriott DowntownminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChattanooga Marriott Downtown is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page, likely serving as an official hotel for visiting teams and event guests.
• Text RequestcoreTechnology or IntegrationText Request is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page, supporting SMS-based fan communications and the stadium help line.
• TERENminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTEREN (terendesigns.com) is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page.
• IrrigreenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIrrigreen is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page (irrigreen.com).
• Clean CultminorGTM or Marketing PartnerClean Cult is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page (cleancult.com).
• Children's Dentistry of ChattanoogaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChildren's Dentistry of Chattanooga is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page (greatstarthealthysmiles.com).
• Crystal AirminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrystal Air is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page (flycrystalair.com).
• Leed Corporate ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLeed Corporate Services is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page (leedcorp.com).
• New Blue ConstructionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNew Blue Construction is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page (newblueconstruction.com).
• NoFo Brew CominorGTM or Marketing PartnerNoFo Brew Co is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page (nofobrew.co).
• Tri-Star BeveragecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTri-Star Beverage (part of the Hand Family Companies) is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page, supporting stadium beverage service.
• Vibrant MealsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVibrant Meals is a CFC partner featured on the official partners page (myvibrantmeals.com).
• MLS NEXT Pro (NEXT Pro, L.L.C.)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFC's men's first team competes in MLS NEXT Pro, the official men's developmental league of Major League Soccer. CFC is featured alongside 30+ peer clubs in the league's Club Sites directory. The partnership governs competition, streaming (MLSNEXTPro.com), and league-wide policies.
• Clever AlehouseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClever Alehouse is an official Cheers Collective member and the club's designated away-match watch-party venue, hosting CFC fan gatherings during road matches.
• Tremont TavernminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTremont Tavern is an official Cheers Collective member and host of CFC watch parties, including the May 31 watch party for the Orlando City B match.
• Morning Pointe Senior LivingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMorning Pointe Senior Living provides a six-seater passenger golf-cart ADA shuttle at Finley Stadium on matchdays, available one hour before and after each match. Fans can text (423) 830-2583 to request pickup or drop-off.
• OneFootball TVcoreTechnology or IntegrationOneFootball TV is a streaming distribution partner for CFC MLS NEXT Pro home matches; live streams are linked from CFC match previews and articles.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Greenville Triumph SC: USL League One club in the Carolinas/Southeast with comparable lower-division operational scale and community-owned identity; useful regional benchmark for non-MLS-affiliated community-rooted soccer clubs.

Others

• AFC Wimbledon: Fan-owned English football club and globally recognized pioneer of supporter ownership in professional soccer; relevant aspirational peer for CFC's pioneering U.S. fan-ownership model and governance experimentation.

Direct peers

• Chicago Fire FC II: MLS NEXT Pro affiliate of the Chicago Fire; upcoming June 27, 2026 opponent of CFC with directly comparable operational structure and developmental mandate.
• Carolina Core FC: MLS NEXT Pro expansion club and fellow Southeast competitor in 2026; comparable as another new U.S. soccer club with similar developmental positioning, fan-base-building challenges, and stadium economics.
• Red Bull New York II: MLS NEXT Pro club and defending 2025 league champions; a direct competitor on the field (CFC beat them 4-0 in June 2026) with the same MLS-affiliated developmental structure.
• Crown Legacy FC (Charlotte): MLS NEXT Pro club serving as Charlotte FC's developmental affiliate; offers a directly comparable operating model — MLS-affiliated men's developmental team with similar revenue mix and youth-pathway structure.
• Huntsville City FC: MLS NEXT Pro club in the same Southeast/Eastern Conference competitive group as CFC; operates the same developmental model with MLS affiliation and is directly head-to-head on the 2026 schedule.
• Atlanta United 2: MLS NEXT Pro affiliate of Atlanta United in the same Eastern Conference as CFC; the league's most-comparable regional peer given proximity, shared Southeast supporter base, and identical league economics.
• NYCFC II: MLS NEXT Pro club sharing the same broadcast platform (MLSNEXTPro.com, OneFootball TV) and developmental league as CFC; one of the Eastern Conference opponents on CFC's 2026 schedule.

Broad incumbents

• Indy Eleven: USL Championship club operating in a similar lower-division professional tier with comparable matchday, sponsorship, and merchandise economics; relevant as a non-MLS-affiliated alternative developmental-pathway benchmark.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chattanoogafc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ChattanoogaFootballClub
• Facebookfacebook.com/chattanoogafc
• Instagraminstagram.com/chattanoogafc_women
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chattanooga-football-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Chattanooga Football Club