North Carolina Courage

What North Carolina Courage does

North Carolina Courage is a privately held professional women's soccer franchise competing in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), founded in 2017 and headquartered in Cary, North Carolina. The club plays its home matches at WakeMed Soccer Park and operates a multi-product commercial platform anchored by ticketed match attendance, corporate sponsorships, and merchandise. Its core "product" is the 2026 professional roster, supported by a portfolio of ticketing products including single-game tickets, season memberships, the Courage Flex Pass, group tickets, premium seating, and the "Courageously Cool" experience tier.

The club generates revenue across four primary streams: direct ticket sales (single-game, season, flex, group, premium), corporate sponsorships with named partners including Nike (apparel), WakeMed (venue naming rights), Lenovo, Merz Aesthetics, BCBSNC, First Horizon Bank, Inmar Intelligence, United Way of North Carolina, and Delta Dental; merchandise through an online storefront at store.northcarolinafc.com (including Venus FlyTrap and Become kit jerseys); and community-driven partnerships. Distribution is fully direct-to-consumer via the official website, matchday box office, and digital channels, with active social media engagement on TikTok, Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn, plus a weekly email newsletter ("The Star Weekly"). The club has built an ecosystem of community programs including Roary's Academy, NCFC Youth, the NCFC Academy girls' program, Lenovo Community Heroes, the Merz Aesthetics Woman of the Match program, and a United Way partnership.

In 2026, the franchise received a $40 million growth investment from Avenue Sports Fund (led by Marc Lasry) at a $155 million valuation, adding Jackie Tattersall to its executive team in February 2026, and signing a two-year Delta Dental of North Carolina partnership in March 2026. On-field performance reached a 100th NWSL regular-season victory in May 2026, and player Ashley Sanchez was named NWSL Player of the Month for April 2026. Ownership is anchored by Chairman Steve Malik and the Merrill Family alongside other local investors, with Avenue Sports Fund now a meaningful minority stakeholder.

Name

North Carolina Courage

Legal name

North Carolina Courage

Website

https://NCCourage.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

North Carolina Courage is a privately held professional women's soccer franchise in the NWSL, founded in 2017 and based in Cary, NC. The club sells match tickets, sponsorships, and merchandise to fans and corporate partners, and operates youth development programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports - Women's Soccer

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Licensing, Merchandising & Co-Branded Products (Sponsored Merchandise, Collabs) (MPAKALAE), Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Professional women's soccer
• NWSL franchise
• Sports match tickets
• Team merchandise
• Youth soccer development

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Direct ticket sales for home matches at WakeMed Soccer Park including single-game tickets, season ticket memberships, group tickets, flex passes, and premium seating options.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship agreements with named partners including Merz Aesthetics, First Horizon Bank, Inmar Intelligence, Jump, WakeMed, Lenovo, BCBSNC, United Way of North Carolina, CII Technology, Nike, and La Croix.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store selling team apparel, jerseys, and fan gear.
4. Community Partnerships: Community-focused partnerships such as the Delta Dental relationship which includes youth dental care initiatives, creating brand goodwill and community engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

North Carolina Courage operates a professional women's soccer franchise that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), playing home matches at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. The club sells single-game and season tickets, flex passes, group tickets, and premium seating to fans; operates an online merchandise store selling team apparel and jerseys; and runs community and youth soccer development programs through Roary's Academy and NCFC Youth partnerships. Revenue is also generated through corporate sponsorships with partners including Nike, WakeMed, Lenovo, Merz Aesthetics, BCBSNC, and others.

Product overview

North Carolina Courage operates as a single unified product offering: a professional women's soccer team competing in the NWSL. The club's portfolio consists of the 2026 Roster as the core product, supported by ticket products (Single Game Tickets, 2026 Season Tickets, Courage Flex Pass, Group Tickets, Premium Seating, and Courageously Cool), youth development programs (Roary's Academy, NCFC Youth), and merchandise (Team Store). These products and services collectively form the club's offering to fans, from match attendance to merchandise purchases to youth soccer development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Single Game Tickets Individual match tickets for North Carolina Courage home games at WakeMed Soccer Park, purchased one match at a time.
• 2026 Season Tickets Full-season ticket packages granting access to all regular-season home matches with associated member benefits.
• Courage Flex Pass Flexible ticket package allowing fans to attend multiple matches throughout the season with reserved seating options.
• Group Tickets Discounted ticket packages for groups attending NC Courage matches together.
• Premium Seating Luxury seating options including suites and premium hospitality experiences at WakeMed Soccer Park.
• Courageously Cool Ticket category or themed experience package offered for home matches at WakeMed Soccer Park.
• Team Merchandise Official club merchandise including jerseys, apparel, and accessories available through the online team store.
• Roary's Academy Youth soccer development program operated in partnership with NCFC Youth for player development and community engagement.
• NCFC Youth Youth soccer organization affiliated with the club, including the NCFC Academy for elite youth player development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ashley Sanchez scored 3 goals in 3 matches in April 2026, earning Player of the Month honors

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Delta Dental of North CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Two-year partnership beginning in 2026 to improve access to oral health services for local youth. The collaboration includes launching an annual 'Dental Day' offering free dental care to over 100 youth, with further details to be announced later in 2026.
• Jackie TattersallminorOthers · 18 February 2026Executive appointment to the North Carolina Courage organization in February 2026.
• WakeMedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner and venue naming rights sponsor for WakeMed Soccer Park, the club's home stadium.
• NikemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial apparel and equipment supplier providing team uniforms, training gear, and merchandise licensing.
• LenovomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology sponsor supporting the club with technology solutions and community initiatives including the Lenovo Community Heroes program.
• United Way of North CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership focused on social impact initiatives, with United Way logo featured among official sponsors.
• Merz AestheticsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor with Woman of the Match (WOTM) program, creating marketing activations around player recognition.
• First Horizon BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional banking sponsor featured among official club sponsors.
• Inmar IntelligenceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology and logistics sponsor included in the official sponsor roster.
• BCBSNC (Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth insurance sponsor providing healthcare partnership and community health initiatives.
• NCFC YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth soccer organization partnership including NCFC Youth and NCFC Academy programs, developing young players and creating a fan pipeline.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Chicago Red Stars: Established NWSL franchise in the Chicago market. Directly comparable as a long-tenured NWSL club with season-ticket products, corporate sponsorships, and community programming.
• North Carolina FC: Men's USL League One team based in Cary, NC, sharing ownership/operational ties with Courage (shared online store, NCFC Youth/Academy partnership). Directly comparable as a professional soccer franchise operating in the same Triangle market under related ownership.
• OL Reign: Seattle-based NWSL franchise owned by Olympique Lyonnais. Comparable to Courage as a top-flight NWSL team with strong corporate sponsorship, premium matchday products, and an established fanbase in a major US metro.
• San Diego Wave FC: NWSL expansion franchise launched in 2022. Comparable as a newer NWSL franchise pursuing premium sponsorship, strong ticket products, and brand-building in a competitive market.
• Racing Louisville FC: NWSL franchise operating in a mid-size US metro (Louisville). Comparable as an NWSL franchise navigating sponsorship growth, ticketing yields, and on-field competitiveness in a non-flagship market.
• Washington Spirit: NWSL franchise based in the Washington DC market. Directly comparable as an established NWSL team with championship contention, multi-product ticketing, and active sponsorship development.
• Angel City FC: Los Angeles-based NWSL franchise known for high-profile ownership and sponsorship depth. Comparable as a women's pro soccer franchise leveraging premium partnerships and community engagement to drive commercial growth.
• Bay FC: NWSL expansion franchise in the San Francisco Bay Area with significant institutional backing. Comparable as a recently funded women's soccer franchise competing for sponsorship and fan share.
• Gotham FC: New York/New Jersey NWSL franchise. Directly comparable as a top-tier NWSL team with multi-tier ticketing (including premium hospitality) and large-market sponsorship positioning.
• Portland Thorns FC: NWSL founding-era franchise with multiple championships and a deep sponsorship portfolio. Directly comparable as a championship-pedigree women's professional soccer team competing in the same league with a similar diversified revenue model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thenccourage
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6A1Ay5UQhpBM5iyB6Y-oBg
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheNCCourage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nccourage
• Instagraminstagram.com/thenccourage
• TikToktiktok.com/@thenccourage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North Carolina Courage