Minnesota Aurora

What Minnesota Aurora does

Minnesota Aurora FC (legal entity Minnesota Soccer Holdings, LLC) is a community-owned, women-led pre-professional women's soccer club founded in 2021 by a group of nine local Minnesotans. The club began play in May 2022 as a founding member of the USL W League and is headquartered at 2910 Waters Rd, Suite 100 in Eagan, Minnesota, with all home matches hosted at TCO Stadium on the Viking Lakes campus. On the field, the team competes in the USL W League Heartland Division and has compiled a 51-plus game regular-season unbeaten streak, five consecutive division titles, two Central Conference Championships, and a record 9-0-0 start in 2026 (29 goals scored through nine games). The organization also operates Aurora 2, a second women's team competing in the UPSL since October 2023.

Minnesota Aurora generates revenue across five streams: ticketing (single-game, season, group, and playoff sales priced $17.25-$53 per seat via the Vikings Ticketmaster platform), corporate sponsorships organized into Premier, Founding, Teal, Supporting, In-Kind, and Craft Collective tiers (with partners including Allina Health, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Delta Dental, nVent, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, and FOX 9+), merchandise (direct-to-consumer at shops.mnaurora.com and on-site at matches), youth summer soccer camps ($275-$495 per week), and community equity ownership rounds via WeFunder. The club's flagship differentiator is its community ownership model — the largest of any women's team in the United States — with over 5,000 owners across 19 countries, board representation rights for owners, and a stated General Benefit Corporation structure under which profits are reinvested in mission and community. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; its core stack consists of standard ticketing, e-commerce, and broadcast tooling.

The strategic posture is event-driven: home matches anchor revenue and fan engagement, supplemented by community events, mascot appearances (Rory the Aurorasaurus), summer camps, and cause-linked product collaborations such as the 2026 Flora Kit co-designed with the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The club was unsuccessful in securing an NWSL 2026 franchise and continues to operate as a pre-professional organization. Recent governance moves — Saara Hassoun's elevation to President in October 2025, new board appointments including Minnesota Lynx-connected investors, and a December 2025 partnership with Athena Global Advisors for marketing and business intelligence support — point to professionalization of the front office while the playing model remains pre-professional.

Name

Minnesota Aurora

Legal name

Minnesota Soccer Holdings, LLC

Website

https://mnaurora.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Minnesota Aurora FC is a community-owned, women-led pre-professional women's soccer club competing in the USL W League, serving fans, players, and corporate sponsors in the Twin Cities through ticketing, merchandise, youth camps, and a 5,000+-owner community equity model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pre-Professional Women's Soccer Club

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

Keywords

• Women's pre-professional soccer
• Community-owned sports club
• Youth soccer camps
• Sports merchandise sales
• Soccer match tickets

Headquarters

HQ city

Eagan

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The club generates revenue through single-game tickets (Club $53, Reserved $35, General Admission $20), season ticket packages (Club $45.50/seat, Reserved $30/seat, General Admission $17.25/seat - pay for 6 get 7 games), and playoff tickets ($27.50). Season tickets include perks like merchandise discounts, priority playoff access, and exclusive events.
2. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate sponsorship deals with Premier Partners (Allina Health, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Delta Dental, nVent), Founding Partners (Larkin Hoffman, Training Haus, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Trustone Financial), and Teal Partners. Includes in-kind sponsorships from Jefferson Lines, Pepsi, and Fox 9.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store (shops.mnaurora.com) and on-site merchandise stands at games. Season ticket members receive merchandise discounts (15-25% off purchases of $75+).
4. Summer Soccer Camps: Youth soccer camps for ages 6-16, with Morning Session ($275/week), Full-Day Camp ($495/week). Camps include technical training, leadership development, and appearances by Aurora coaches and players.
5. Community Ownership Investment: Community ownership shares sold through WeFunder platform. First round raised $1 million from 3,080 investors in 2021. Most recent round closed January 31, 2025. The club is now community-owned by over 5,000 people across 19 countries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Minnesota Aurora FC operates a community-owned, women-led pre-professional women's soccer club competing in the USL W League at TCO Stadium in Eagan, Minnesota. The club sells match tickets (single-game and season), runs an online merchandise store, hosts summer youth soccer camps for ages 6-16, and offers community ownership investment shares through WeFunder. It generates revenue from ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, merchandise, camps, and its community ownership program.

Product overview

Minnesota Aurora FC operates as a pre-professional women's soccer club competing in the USL W League. The organization offers a unified portfolio of products and services centered on live soccer entertainment and community engagement. Core offerings include single game and season tickets to home matches at TCO Stadium in Eagan, Minnesota, along with group ticket packages. Youth development is served through Summer Soccer Camps for ages 6-16. The club maintains an online merchandise shop, a Community Ownership program with over 5,000 global investors, and an Aurora to Pro program tracking players' professional transitions. The mascot Rory the Aurorasaurus is available for event appearances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aurora 2: Second women's soccer team competing in the UPSL

Products and services

• Single Game Tickets
• Season Tickets
• Group Tickets
• Summer Soccer Camps
• Aurora FC Merchandise
• Aurora to Pro Player Pathway Program
• Community Ownership Investment Shares
• Rory the Aurorasaurus Mascot Appearances
• 2026 Flora Kit Jersey

Quantifiable outcome

• Undefeated in 51+ consecutive regular season matches (2022-2026)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, premier partner, founding partner, supporting partner, in-kind partner and craft collective partner.

• Athena Global AdvisorssupportingTechnology or Integration · 18 December 2025Partnership for marketing and business intelligence support. Provides strategic advisory services for club growth and operations.
• Allina Healthpremier partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Health System Partner. Allina Health is featured as a Premier Partner and the naming sponsor for 'Juneteenth presented by Allina Health' theme night. Part of multi-year partnership supporting team health services and community events.
• Minneapolis Institute of Artpremier partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership connecting art, sport, and community. Unveiled 2026 'Flora Kit' jersey designed in partnership with MIA, featuring natural landscape-inspired graphics. A portion of jersey sales support the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota.
• Delta Dentalpremier partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier Partner of Minnesota Aurora FC. Dental health organization supporting the club's community initiatives.
• nVentpremier partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented 'Women of Inspiration' theme night on June 4, 2026. Electrical equipment company supporting women's sports and team events.
• Twin Cities Orthopedicsfounding partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial orthopedic partner providing team physician Dr. Christie Heikes and Head Athletic Trainer Danielle Armstrong. Founding partner supporting since club inception. Home games played at TCO Stadium (Twin Cities Orthopedics facility).
• Training Haus Powered by TCOfounding partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports performance and training facility at Viking Lakes. Provides Erica Golenzer as Sports Performance Coach. Founding partner with facility access for team training.
• Pentz Homessupporting partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner contributing to Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota donations. Pentz Homes rounds up season ticket contributions with $4 donation per ticket, combined with Aurora's $1 contribution.
• FOX 9+in-kind partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroadcast and streaming partner for all home games. Multi-year partnership to broadcast and stream games to regional audience.
• Black Stack Brewingcraft collective partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner$1 off full-size pours and $2 off four-packs to-go when wearing Minnesota Aurora merchandise at Black Stack Brewing locations.
• Mana Brewing Co.craft collective partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuy-one-get-one beer offer when presenting Minnesota Aurora match ticket at Mana Brewing Co.
• Wandering Leaf Brewing Companycraft collective partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuy-one-get-one beer offer when presenting Minnesota Aurora match ticket or wearing Aurora merchandise.
• Pryes Brewing Co.craft collective partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerComplimentary pizza coupon by attending June 6th or June 20th Minnesota Aurora matches at Pryes Brewing.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Angel City FC: NWSL team with a high-profile community-ownership / impact-investor model in Los Angeles. Comparable as a women's professional soccer franchise built around a values-led, fan-owned identity — Aurora's community ownership and inclusivity positioning mirror Angel City's playbook at a pre-professional stage.
• Bay FC: NWSL expansion team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Comparable as a recent women's professional soccer launch that drew on strong regional fan and sponsor demand; represents the higher-tier commercial outcome Aurora is pursuing.
• Racing Louisville FC: NWSL team with comparable regional scope and similar women's soccer operations. Comparable as a women's professional soccer club operating with similar ticket, sponsorship, and merchandise revenue streams that Aurora would access if it ascends to NWSL.

Direct peers

• NC Courage U23: USL W League team affiliated with the NWSL's North Carolina Courage. Comparable as a pre-professional women's soccer team in the same league, leveraging an NWSL parent brand — the model Aurora is aiming toward.
• Carolina Ascent FC: USL W League team in Charlotte, North Carolina. Directly comparable as a pre-professional women's soccer club in the same league, competing for similar player talent and regional sponsorship dollars.
• Brooklyn FC: Multi-tier USL-affiliated club with women's teams, including USL W League play. Comparable as a community-oriented soccer organization operating women's teams at a similar pre-professional tier with a values-driven brand identity.
• Spokane Zephyr FC: USL W League team competing in the same pre-professional women's soccer league as Aurora. Directly comparable in playing level, season structure, and operational scope — both rely on similar ticket, merchandise, and sponsorship revenue mix.

Others

• Green Bay Packers: The NFL's only community-owned major professional sports franchise. Comparable as the most prominent example of a community / fan-owned sports team model in the US, illustrating the long-term equity and brand potential of Aurora's ownership structure if it scales.

Regional players

• Minnesota Lynx: WNBA franchise based in Minneapolis and owned in part by Minnesota Aurora board member Carley Knox. Comparable as the leading women's professional sports team in the same Twin Cities market, sharing sponsorship partners and fan demographic with Aurora.
• Minnesota United FC: MLS club sharing the Twin Cities market and Viking Lakes campus with Aurora (TCO Stadium sits within the same development). Comparable as a soccer property competing for the same regional fans, sponsors, and media partners, though at the men's professional tier.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/mnaurorafc.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mnaurorafc
• Facebookfacebook.com/mnaurorafc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mnaurorafc
• Instagraminstagram.com/mnaurorafc
• TikToktiktok.com/@mnaurorafc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Minnesota Aurora