North Carolina Courage
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersRaleigh, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
North Carolina Courage firmographics
Firmographics- 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
North Carolina Courage industry classification
Industry- 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
Where North Carolina Courage is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Raleigh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
North Carolina Courage business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store selling team apparel, jerseys, and fan gear.
- 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
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Single Game Tickets |
| Subscription | Annual | 2026 Season Tickets |
| Subscription | Annual | Courage Flex Pass |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Group Tickets |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Seating |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
North Carolina Courage product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use North Carolina Courage
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
North Carolina Courage technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
North Carolina Courage partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- Delta Dental of North CarolinacoreTwo-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 TattersallminorExecutive appointment to the North Carolina Courage organization in February 2026.
- WakeMedcoreHealthcare partner and venue naming rights sponsor for WakeMed Soccer Park, the club's home stadium.
- NikemajorOfficial apparel and equipment supplier providing team uniforms, training gear, and merchandise licensing.
- LenovomajorTechnology sponsor supporting the club with technology solutions and community initiatives including the Lenovo Community Heroes program.
- United Way of North CarolinacoreCommunity partnership focused on social impact initiatives, with United Way logo featured among official sponsors.
- Merz AestheticsmajorOfficial sponsor with Woman of the Match (WOTM) program, creating marketing activations around player recognition.
- First Horizon BankminorRegional banking sponsor featured among official club sponsors.
- Inmar IntelligenceminorTechnology and logistics sponsor included in the official sponsor roster.
- BCBSNC (Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina)majorHealth insurance sponsor providing healthcare partnership and community health initiatives.
- NCFC YouthcoreYouth 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
North Carolina Courage competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
North Carolina Courage social profiles
Digital presenceNorth Carolina Courage financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
North Carolina Courage leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
North Carolina Courage funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
North Carolina Courage M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about North Carolina Courage
What does North Carolina Courage do?
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.
Is North Carolina Courage a public or private company?
North Carolina Courage is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was North Carolina Courage founded?
North Carolina Courage was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is North Carolina Courage based?
North Carolina Courage is headquartered in Raleigh, United States, in the North America region.
How does North Carolina Courage make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are sponsorships, merchandise Sales and community Partnerships.
Who are North Carolina Courage's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chicago Red Stars, North Carolina FC, OL Reign, San Diego Wave FC, Racing Louisville FC, Washington Spirit, Angel City FC, Bay FC, Gotham FC and Portland Thorns FC.
Does North Carolina Courage have an API?
No public API is recorded for North Carolina Courage.
What industry is North Carolina Courage in?
North Carolina Courage's product category is Professional Sports - Women's Soccer. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKABAD, Individual-Sport Clubs & Teams (Cycling Teams, Athletics/Track Clubs, Swimming Clubs, etc.), with a secondary code of MPAKALAE, Licensing, Merchandising & Co-Branded Products (Sponsored Merchandise, Collabs). Its NAICS code is 711211 and its SIC code is 7997.