NASA Tophat

What NASA Tophat does

NASA Tophat is a private youth soccer club headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2016 through the merger of Tophat Soccer Club (founded 1982) and North Atlanta Soccer Association (formed 2004). The organization operates across six branch locations in the Atlanta metropolitan area — Marietta, Smyrna, Milton, Buckhead, Cherokee, and Lakepoint — serving youth players from ages 3 through 19. The club fields 22 competitive teams across six national and regional leagues including ECNL, ECNL-RL, Girls Academy, GA Aspire, DPL, and SCCL, with boys programs operating under the NASA banner and girls programs under the Tophat banner.

The product portfolio spans a full developmental continuum: recreational soccer ($145-$225/season) as the no-tryout entry point, academy programs (U8-U12) for technical development, select/competitive travel programs (U13-U19) at the elite tier, TOPSoccer for players with disabilities, a tournament series (NTH Boys Classic, Girls Classic, Adidas Select Cup, Adidas Rec Cup), and seasonal camps ($150-$375). The underlying technology stack is built on third-party SaaS: PlayMetrics for registration and program management, GameOfficials/Assignr for referee scheduling, Soccer.com as the exclusive uniform and gear retail partner, and a Zikoba age-group calculator for US Soccer compliance.

The business model relies on seasonal registration fees, one-time tournament and camp fees, and an affiliate revenue stream through Soccer.com uniform sales. Go-to-market is event-driven around annual tryouts in May with supplemental tryouts year-round, tournament hosting as the primary demand-generation channel, and word-of-mouth from successful alumni (including USWNT player Emily Sonnett). The club is governed by a volunteer board of directors and operates with a typical nonprofit youth sports structure rather than institutional ownership.

Name

NASA Tophat

Legal name

NASA Tophat

Website

https://nasatophat.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NASA Tophat is a private Atlanta-based youth soccer club formed in 2016 via the merger of Tophat Soccer Club and North Atlanta Soccer Association, serving players ages 3-19 across six branches with recreational, academy, and elite competitive programs in ECNL and Girls Academy leagues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Soccer Club Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

Keywords

• Youth soccer programs
• Competitive soccer training
• Recreational soccer leagues
• Soccer tournaments
• Academy soccer development

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Recreational Registration Fees: Seasonal registration fees for recreational soccer programs, organized by age group and location. Fees range from $145-$225 per season depending on age group.
2. Summer League Fees: SCCL Summer League tryouts and registration fees at $450 per player, excluding uniform costs.
3. Camp and Training Fees: Various summer camp programs ranging from $150-$375 for multi-week programs, with Elite Functional Training camps at $150 and Academy Summer Training at $250-$350.
4. Tournament Registration Fees: Tournament registration fees for NASA Tophat Classic, Adidas Select Cup, and Adidas Rec Cup tournaments. Rec Cup fees range from $350-$500 depending on age group.
5. Uniform Sales through Soccer.com Partnership: Uniforms and gear sold through partner Soccer.com. Players must purchase required uniform pieces through the partner platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NASA Tophat is a private youth soccer club in the Atlanta metro area offering tiered soccer programming from recreational (ages 3-19) through academy (U8-U12) to competitive select teams competing in ECNL, Girls Academy, DPL, and SCCL leagues. The club operates boys programs under the NASA banner and girls programs under the Tophat banner, delivering coaching, training, league play, summer camps, and a tournament series (Boys Classic, Girls Classic, Adidas Select Cup, Adidas Rec Cup) across six branch locations.

Product overview

NASA Tophat is a youth soccer organization offering a multi-tiered portfolio of programs structured around developmental progression. The organization operates two primary divisions: NASA (boys competitive programs) and Tophat (girls competitive programs), each with Academy, Select, and Recreational levels. Core competitive programs include ECNL/ECNL-RL for boys, and GA, GA Aspire, DPL, and SCCL for girls, all offering national and regional competition pathways. Recreational soccer serves as the entry-level foundation accepting all players. The portfolio is complemented by the TOPSoccer adaptive program, NTH Tournament Series (Boys Classic, Girls Classic, Adidas Select Cup, Adidas Rec Cup), and seasonal camp programs (Recreational Camps and Academy & Select Camps). All competitive programs utilize PlayMetrics for registration and Soccer.com for uniforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NASA Boys: Boys competitive soccer program operating under NASA banner, including ECNL and ECNL-RL teams.
• Tophat Girls
• ECNL/ECNL-RL
• Girls Academy (GA)
• Development Player League (DPL)
• SCCL
• Academy Soccer

Products and services

• Recreational Soccer Foundation recreational soccer program accepting all players ages 3-19 at all skill levels without tryouts, offered at seven branches (Metro North, Quest Park, Smyrna, Cherokee, Lakepoint, Milton) for fall and spring seasons with league play against NTH branches or local clubs.
• Academy Soccer Program Developmental program for U8-U12 players serving as the foundation of the Select Program, focusing on technical development and possession-oriented play with professional coaching staff overseeing all aspects of training and games.
• Boys ECNL/ECNL-RL Programs Elite competitive programs for boys at the pinnacle of the NASA Tophat boys program. ECNL (Elite Clubs National League) and ECNL-RL (Regional League) teams train at Metro North Park, Franklin Gateway, and Terrell Mill Park locations with extensive regional and national travel requirements.
• Girls Academy (GA) Program Club-wide program representing the pinnacle of competition for girls soccer. Two teams participate in the Girls Academy League at the national level, training at Metro North Park, Franklin Gateway, King's Ridge Christian School, and Terrell Mill Park with extensive Southeast region and national travel.
• GA Aspire League Regional competition program upholding high standards in training and player development, providing a developmental pathway with higher tier competition on regional and national platforms for girls seeking advancement beyond local play.
• Development Player League (DPL) Top-tier national league for girls with regional and national showcase events. Players train at multiple locations across the Atlanta area with full commitment expectations.
• Southeastern Clubs Champions League (SCCL) League program for boys and girls with Club and Premier levels. Club-level teams compete regionally while Premier-level teams compete locally. Teams organized club-wide or by park/location with promotion and relegation system.
• TOPSoccer The Outreach Program for Soccer provides opportunities for young athletes with cognitive, emotional, or physical disabilities. Free program for players ages 5 and older held Sundays at Metro North Park on wheelchair-accessible artificial turf.
• SCCL Summer League Summer league program running June and July with tryout-based registration at $450 per player, excluding uniform costs. Open to SCCL players, academy players, and recreational players from inside or outside the club, featuring weekly training sessions and 7-10 games in Metro Atlanta area.
• NTH Tournament Series Collection of tournaments including NASA Tophat Boys Classic, NASA Tophat Girls Classic, Adidas Select Cup College Showcase, and Adidas Rec Cup. Events span from recreational through elite select levels, held throughout the year.
• Recreational Camps Summer camp programs for recreational players including Smyrna Recreational Summer Camps, Core Development Summer Camp, and Buckhead Academy Prep Clinics. Programs designed for beginning through advanced recreational players at various skill levels, priced at $250 per week with multi-week discounts available.
• Academy & Select Camps Competitive camps including Marietta Boys Academy Summer Training, Smyrna Boys Academy Summer Camp, Buckhead Boys Academy Summer Training, Girls Academy Summer Training, Striker/Keeper Camp, and Elite Functional Training Camp. Programs emphasize technical skill development and maintain players during off-season.

Quantifiable outcome

• USWNT players developed including 2x World Cup winner and 2x Olympic Gold Medalist (Emily Sonnett)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Soccer.comcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSoccer.com is the official uniform and gear partner for NASA Tophat. All players must purchase required uniform pieces through the Soccer.com NTH store. The partnership includes promotional opportunities such as World Cup ticket giveaways for NTH families.
• PlayMetricscoreTechnology or IntegrationPlayMetrics is the club's registration platform for all programs including recreational soccer, academy, select, camps, and tournaments. The platform manages player registrations, tryout sign-ups, and program enrollment.
• LakePoint SportscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLakePoint Sports Complex serves as a key tournament venue and hosts recreational programs. LakePoint reported nearly 3 million annual visitors and serves as a premier sports destination in the Southeast.
• Georgia SoccercoreOthersGeorgia Soccer is the governing body for referee certification and youth soccer in the state. NASA Tophat referees must be certified through USSF and Georgia Soccer.
• ECNL (Elite Clubs National League)coreOthersECNL is the premier national league for elite boys and girls club soccer. NASA Tophat participates in ECNL and ECNL-RL for select teams.
• Girls Academy LeaguecoreOthersGirls Academy League is the top national competition for girls soccer. NASA Tophat (Tophat) fields GA Gold and GA Navy teams in this league.
• US Youth SoccercoreOthersUSYS is the national governing body for youth soccer. NASA Tophat competes in USYS regional and national competitions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bethesda SC: Major Mid-Atlantic ECNL club with strong girls program comparable to Tophat's GA/DPL setup; directly comparable in league participation and elite player development.
• Concorde Fire: Major Atlanta-area youth soccer club with competitive boys and girls programs across ECNL and regional leagues; directly competes with NASA Tophat for local registration and select talent.
• Solar SC: Major Texas-based ECNL/GA club with national-level boys and girls teams; comparable in scale, league breadth, and tournament-hosting operations.
• Real Colorado: Top-ranked ECNL club in Colorado with national-title history; directly comparable competitive tier, multi-branch structure, and developmental pathway model.
• Atlanta United FC Academy: MLS-affiliated youth soccer academy based in Atlanta; competes for the same metro talent pool and offers a direct professional-pathway alternative to NTH's boys Select pipeline, including ECNL-level competition.
• Crossfire Premier: Top-tier ECNL club in the Pacific Northwest with national-title pedigree; directly comparable in league participation, coaching structure, and tournament business model.
• Sockers FC: Major Midwest ECNL club with multi-decade heritage and national-championship pedigree; comparable in scale, league breadth, and tournament-hosting operations to NASA Tophat.
• Players Development Academy (PDA): Large East Coast ECNL club with extensive boys and girls national league participation; comparable multi-tier recreational-through-elite structure and college-commitment pipeline.
• Southern Soccer Academy: Georgia-based competitive youth soccer club offering academy and select programming; comparable ECNL/DPL participation and Atlanta-area talent pool overlap with NTH.

Broad incumbents

• IMG Academy: National-scale commercial youth sports academy with soccer boarding school and academy program; broader multi-sport offering and capital base position it as an incumbent rather than a direct local competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/nth_nasa
• Facebookfacebook.com/NASATopHatSoccer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smyrna-soccer-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NASA Tophat