Needham Soccer Club

What Needham Soccer Club does

Needham Soccer Club is a Massachusetts-incorporated nonprofit youth soccer organization founded in 1969 and headquartered in Needham, approximately 15 miles west of Boston. The club serves more than 1,600 girls and boys ages U7 through U19, operating a tiered player development pathway that begins with the NSCJA in-town league and U8 Junior Academy for grades 1-2, continues through the NSCCL Champions League (50 teams for grades 3-6), and extends into the BAYS travel program (24+ teams across ages U9-U18 competing in a 55-town regional league). Supplementary offerings include TOPSoccer for players with disabilities, a referee training program, Winter Futsal Academy, Spring Goalkeeping School, Summer Programs with M.A.P. and Bay Valley Soccer Academy, and the Spring 2026 Professional Development Games.

The club generates revenue through seasonal registration fees for each program tier, per-team tournament entry fees for the flagship Needham Memorial Day Tournament (NMDT), and a multi-tier sponsorship stack anchored by Nike (apparel), Mass General Brigham, Milton CAT, Needham Bank, JC Timmerman (platinum sponsors), Marriott and Sheraton (hotel partners). Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the club's own website (needhamsoccer.com), email newsletter on Constant Contact, and organic social (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), with tournament and team registration executed through the GotSport event management platform. Coaching is delivered through a mix of community volunteers and professional coaches supplied under partnership with New England Revolution Academy, which runs Saturday skills clinics and the Spring Goalkeeping School.

The club's strategic center of gravity is the annual Needham Memorial Day Tournament, a 49-year tradition (2026) that drew 80 clubs and more than 500 teams in 2025, including participants from Canada and England. The tournament includes a College Showcase component hosted at Stonehill College (boys) and Babson College (girls), embedding the club into the regional college recruiting pipeline for U11-U19 athletes. The organization is governed by a board of directors with 1-10 paid employees and operates independently with no parent company, outside investors, or institutional funding.

Name

Needham Soccer Club

Legal name

Needham Soccer Club, Inc.

Website

https://needhamsoccer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Needham Soccer Club is a nonprofit youth soccer organization in Needham, Massachusetts, serving 1,600+ players ages U7-U19 through in-town leagues, BAYS travel teams, clinics, and a 49-year-old Memorial Day tournament with college showcase.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Soccer Programs

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE), Recreational & Intramural Sports Programs (MPAKACAG), Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

Keywords

• Youth soccer programs
• Soccer league registration
• Travel soccer teams
• Youth sports tournaments
• Soccer player development

Headquarters

HQ city

Needham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Player Registration Fees: Seasonal registration fees charged to families for participation in youth soccer programs including NSCCL in-town leagues, BAYS travel teams, and academy programs. Fees vary by program level and season.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Needham Soccer Club runs organized youth soccer programs for players ages U7 through U19, including in-town developmental leagues (NSCCL Champions League for grades 3-6 and NSCJA Junior Academy for grades 1-2), regional travel teams competing in the BAYS league across 55 towns, seasonal clinics and camps (Winter Futsal Academy, Spring Goalkeeping School, Summer Programs, Professional Development Games), TOPSoccer for players with disabilities, and the annual Needham Memorial Day Tournament (NMDT) invitational and college showcase. Programs are delivered at Needham-area field facilities and sold through seasonal registration and tournament entry fees.

Product overview

Needham Soccer Club is a youth soccer organization offering a multi-tiered developmental pathway for over 1600 girls and boys players ages U7-U19. The club operates as a unified program with distinct divisions: the in-town NSCCL (Champions League) for 3rd-6th grade with 50 teams, the BAYS Travel program with 24+ teams competing regionally, the NSCJA Junior Academy for 1st-2nd grade, and the U8 Junior Academy for youngest players. Beyond regular season play, the club offers supplementary programs including NSCCL skills clinics led by New England Revolution Academy coaches, Winter Futsal Academy, Spring Goalkeeping School, and various Summer Programs including Youth Academy with M.A.P. and High School Preseason with Bay Valley Soccer Academy. The club's flagship event is the annual Needham Memorial Day Tournament (NMDT), a 49-year tradition attracting 80+ clubs and 500+ teams for invitational and college showcase competition. Additional programs include TOPSoccer for players with disabilities and a referee training program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Needham Memorial Day Tournament (NMDT): Annual invitational and college showcase soccer tournament hosted by the club, attracting teams from across the Northeast and beyond. 49th annual event in 2026.

Products and services

• NSCCL Champions League In-town soccer league for boys and girls in grades 3-6, operating 50 teams with a Champions League format, integrated with Saturday skills clinics run by New England Revolution Academy coaches. Targeted at Needham-area families seeking organized local play.
• BAYS Travel Program Competitive travel soccer program fielding 24+ NSC teams across ages U9-U18 in the BAYS regional league, which spans 55 towns. Provides higher-level competitive play and a pathway toward high school and showcase-level soccer for Needham-area families.
• NSCJA Junior Academy Introductory in-town soccer league for boys and girls in grades 1-2, providing a foundational, low-pressure introduction to organized soccer for the youngest participants in the club's developmental pathway.
• U8 Junior Academy Early development program offering foundational soccer experience for the youngest players entering the club's player development path, serving as the entry tier below NSCJA.
• TOPSoccer Inclusive soccer program for players with disabilities, pairing participants with volunteer buddies for one-on-one support during sessions. Targeted at families seeking accessible, adaptive soccer opportunities within the Needham community.
• Needham Memorial Day Tournament (NMDT) Annual invitational and college showcase soccer tournament for U11-U19 boys and girls teams, attracting 80+ clubs and 500+ teams from the Northeast U.S., Canada, and England. Operated on the GotSport platform with tiered platinum and standard sponsorships.
• NSCCL Skills Clinics with New England Revolution Academy Weekly Saturday skills clinics for NSCCL (grades 3-6) players, delivered by professional coaches from the New England Revolution Academy at Memorial Park Turf in Needham. Targeted at in-town league families seeking professional-level technical coaching.
• Winter Futsal Academy Winter indoor futsal training program providing off-season technical development for NSC players during the colder months.
• Spring Goalkeeping School Specialized spring goalkeeping training program delivered by professional coaches from the New England Revolution Academy for NSC players seeking position-specific development.
• Summer Programs and Camps Suite of summer camps and clinics including the M.A.P. Youth Academy (PreK-8th grade), Bay Valley Soccer Academy High School Preseason program (grades 8-12), and Open Play sessions. Delivered at DeFazio Park and other Needham field locations.
• Spring Professional Development Games (PDG) Professionally led player development games delivered at NSC for the spring 2026 season, supplementing regular season play with structured developmental match experiences.
• Referee Training Program Referee training courses and recertification pathways for youth referees ages 12+ serving NSCCL in-town and BAYS travel games, held at the Memorial Park Fieldhouse in Needham.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,600+ youth players served across all programs annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New England Revolution AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew England Revolution Academy provides professional coaches who deliver Saturday skills clinics for all NSCCL (3rd-6th grade) in-town league teams. This partnership ensures high-quality coaching development for club players.
• Bay Valley Soccer AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBay Valley Soccer Academy partners with NSC to deliver high school preseason clinics for boys and girls in grades 8-12 at DeFazio Park in Needham during summer months.
• Mass Athlete Performance (M.A.P.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerM.A.P. partners with NSC to deliver summer youth academy (PreK-8th grade) and pre-season conditioning and technical training clinics for players entering grades 6-12.
• Stonehill CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStonehill College in Easton, MA serves as the host venue for the NMDT Boys College Showcase, providing field facilities for the college recruiting component of the tournament.
• Babson CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBabson College in Wellesley, MA serves as a host venue for the NMDT Girls College Showcase, providing field facilities for the college recruiting component of the tournament.
• GotSportcoreTechnology or IntegrationGotSport provides the tournament management platform for NMDT including team registration, check-in, schedule/score management, college coach registration, and the GotSport mobile app for participants and guests.
• TOPSoccer Volunteer BuddiesminorOthersVolunteer buddies assist players with disabilities in the TOPSoccer program, providing one-on-one support during sessions.
• Marriott HotelsminorOthersOfficial hotel partner for the NMDT tournament, providing accommodations for visiting teams and their families.
• Sheraton Hotels (Official HQ Hotel)minorOthersSheraton is designated as the official headquarters hotel for the NMDT tournament.
• NikeminorOthersOfficial apparel sponsor for the NMDT tournament, providing official merchandise and apparel.
• Mass General BrighamminorOthersPlatinum-level tournament sponsor providing sports medicine and healthcare support for the NMDT.
• Milton CATminorOthersPlatinum-level tournament sponsor for the NMDT.
• Needham BankminorOthersLocal bank and platinum-level sponsor of the NMDT tournament.
• JC TimmermanminorOthersPlatinum-level tournament sponsor for the NMDT.
• BlusolminorOthersSponsor of the NMDT tournament.
• Legacy FCminorOthersPro soccer team offering ticket discounts to NMDT participants as part of the tournament's pro ticket offers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Players Development Academy (PDA): One of the largest and most established US youth soccer clubs (NJ-based), serving as a benchmark for the scale and operating sophistication a top-tier youth club can reach — relevant comparable for NSC's ambition.
• Bethesda Soccer Club: Maryland-based large youth soccer club with extensive age-group programming and travel competition; comparable structure and parental-pricing tier to NSC's BAYS travel model.

Direct peers

• New England Surf Soccer Club: Regional New England youth soccer club operating competitive travel teams and development academies across multiple states, overlapping with NSC's BAYS travel footprint.
• FC Stars: Massachusetts-based competitive youth soccer club running travel and developmental programs across multiple age groups, directly competing with NSC for BAYS travel talent and family registrations in Greater Boston.
• Seacoast United Soccer Club: New Hampshire-based youth soccer club with broad age-group programming and a flagship tournament operation; comparable in scale and program breadth to Needham SC.
• Boston Bolts: Boston-area youth soccer club competing in ECNL and other regional leagues; offers a comparable U7-U19 player development pathway targeting the same suburban family demographic as NSC.

Others

• GotSport: Youth sports tournament and league management platform that powers NSC's NMDT registration, check-in, and scheduling; an ecosystem dependency rather than a direct competitor.
• ECNL (Elite Clubs National League): National youth soccer league and showcase platform serving as an aspirational alternative pathway for top travel players; relevant context for how NSC families evaluate competitive league options.
• New England Revolution Academy: MLS-affiliated professional academy that is both a coaching partner and adjacent talent-development competitor; NSC's clinic and PDG partnerships reflect this dual relationship.

Emerging players

• Valeo Futbol Club: Growing Boston-area youth soccer club competing for travel-team players in the same Massachusetts family market as NSC, overlapping on BAYS and club-development pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/needhamsoccer
• Facebookfacebook.com/needhamsoccerclub
• Instagraminstagram.com/needhamsoccer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/needham-soccer-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Needham Soccer Club