Charlotte Independence Soccer Club
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club is a nonprofit youth soccer organization serving the greater Charlotte metro (NC/SC) with a Recreation-to-professional pathway across 15+ field locations, anchored by 215+ licensed coaches and affiliations with Charlotte Independence USL League One, Carolina Ascent, and HB Køge.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersCornelius, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Charlotte Independence Soccer Club does
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club (CISC) is a nonprofit youth soccer organization serving the greater Charlotte metropolitan area across North Carolina and South Carolina. Founded in 1983 and reorganized under its current structure following a 2019 merger (previously operating as Discoveries Soccer Club), the club operates from a Cornelius, NC headquarters with a second office in Fort Mill, SC, and a network of 15+ field locations spanning Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Mooresville, Matthews, Mint Hill, Rock Hill, Tega Cay, and Fort Mill. CISC runs a multi-tiered player pathway from Recreation programs (ages 4-19) through Youth Academy (U8-U10), State Programs (U11-U19), Regional Academy (U13-U19), and National Programs including MLS NEXT Homegrown, MLS NEXT Academy, and Girls Academy (U13-U19), with pre-professional extensions via USL League Two (men) and USL W League (women) Carolina Ascent, directly affiliated with the Charlotte Independence USL League One professional team and HB Køge in Denmark.
The operating model is built on a vertically integrated coaching and development infrastructure: 215+ licensed coaches are employed directly by the club (not independent contractors), supported by a full-time back-office staff of 69 covering HR, Athletic Training, Member Services, Field Operations, Marketing, and Registration/League Compliance. Technology is anchored by the PlayMetrics platform, which handles player registration, team management, member communication, scheduling, and transparent access to the proprietary "Independence Way" development methodology. Additional programs include Camps and Training, Futsal, a Player Development Center, Goalkeeping, TOPSoccer inclusive programming for players with disabilities, Adult Leagues, and a portfolio of tournaments (Independence Cup, Fall Classics, College Showcases, City Cup, Race City Classic).
CISC generates revenue through a mix of recurring annual membership dues across program tiers (National, Regional, State, Youth Academy, Recreation), tournament entry fees, camps and supplemental programming, uniform and merchandise sales (via Capelli Sport and Dick's Sporting Goods), and corporate sponsorships (Nucor, Novant Health, BCBS NC, Capelli Sport, Dick's Sporting Goods, Chick-fil-A). Disclosed financials for fiscal year 2022-2023 show Total Income of $10,132,302 with Program Revenue of $6,570,740 and Net Income of $71,276, reflecting thin nonprofit margins typical of community-based youth sports organizations.
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Charlotte Independence Soccer Club
- Legal name
- Charlotte Independence Soccer Club
- Website
- https://independencesoccer.club
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Charlotte Independence Soccer Club is a nonprofit youth soccer organization serving the greater Charlotte metro (NC/SC) with a Recreation-to-professional pathway across 15+ field locations, anchored by 215+ licensed coaches and affiliations with Charlotte Independence USL League One, Carolina Ascent, and HB Køge.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Soccer Club Services
- NAICS
- Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sport-Specific Amateur Leagues & Circuits (Non-Professional) (MPAKACAJ), Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH), Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ), Club Sports Programs (EDALAIAB)
Keywords
Where Charlotte Independence Soccer Club is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cornelius
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Program Revenue: Annual membership dues and program fees from competitive programs including National, Regional, State, and Youth Academy teams. Revenue streams include player registration fees, program dues, and seasonal charges.
- Tournament and Event Revenue: Revenue from operating tournaments including Independence Cup, Fall Classics, College Showcases, City Cup, and Race City Classic.
- Uniform and Merchandise Sales: Sale of club uniforms and merchandise through Capelli Sport and Dick's Sporting Goods partnerships.
- Camps and Training Programs: Revenue from camps, Player Development Center, Futsal programs, and Goalkeeping training.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | National Programs (Girls Academy, MLS Academy, MLS 2, Regional Academy) |
| Subscription | Annual | Competitive Programs (Youth Academy U8-U10, Pre MLS U11-U12, Pre GA U11-U12, State U11-U19) |
| Subscription | Annual | Recreation Programs (KINGS U5/U6, YDP U7/U8, Recreation Leagues U9-U19) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Camps and Player Development Center |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club is a nonprofit youth soccer club that delivers year-round soccer programming for players ages 4 through 19, including recreational leagues, youth academy, regional and national competitive teams, pre-professional USL League Two and USL W League squads, camps, futsal, goalkeeping training, TOPSoccer inclusive programming, and hosted tournaments. The club operates offices in Cornelius, NC and Fort Mill, SC, a network of synthetic turf fields across the Charlotte metro, and a unified youth-to-professional pathway affiliated with the Charlotte Independence USL League One, Carolina Ascent, and HB Køge. Membership is managed through the PlayMetrics platform, with annual program dues, tournament entry fees, and corporate sponsorships forming the primary revenue base.
Product overview
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club operates a multi-tiered soccer organization offering a unified youth-to-professional pathway. The club provides Recreation programs for ages 4-19 as entry points, progressing through Youth Academy (U8-U10), State Programs (U11-U19), Regional Academy (U13-U19), and National Programs including MLS NEXT Homegrown, MLS NEXT Academy, and Girls Academy (U13-U19). Pre-professional opportunities exist through USL League Two (men) and USL W League (women), with connection to USL League One professional team. Additional offerings include Futsal, Camps, Player Development Center, Goalkeeping programs, TOPSoccer inclusive programming, Adult Leagues, and Tournament events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 4 National Championships in 7 years
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Charlotte Independence Soccer Club
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature2 records
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Novant HealthcoreOfficial healthcare provider for Charlotte Independence Youth Club. Provides Club Medical Director Dr. Joseph Garcia, Club Athletic Trainer Jonathan Sanchez, sports performance training, and sport psychology services for select teams and individuals.
- NucormajorMajor sponsor of Charlotte Independence Soccer Club. Nucor branding appears on club materials and website.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of North CarolinamajorPresenting sponsor for Independence Excellence in Leadership Awards. Major health insurance sponsor for the club.
- Capelli SportcoreOfficial uniform supplier for Charlotte Independence Soccer Club. Families purchase uniforms through Capelli Sport team website.
- Dick's Sporting GoodsmajorOfficial retail sponsor offering exclusive discounts and shop days for club families. Provides 20% off store discounts during designated weekends.
- Chick-fil-AminorCorporate sponsor appearing on club website sponsors page.
- PlayMetricscoreClub management platform used for player registration, program management, team communications, member services, and scheduling. All club communications delivered through PlayMetrics.
- Charlotte Independence (USL League One)coreProfessional parent club. Charlotte Independence Soccer Club is the youth affiliate of the USL League One team. Provides direct pathway from youth to professional soccer.
- Carolina Ascent (USL W League)corePre-professional women's team in USL W League. Club-affiliated program providing pathway for girls and women to play, watch, and work in soccer.
- HB KøgeminorInternational affiliation with Danish soccer club HB Køge. Part of the club's youth-to-professional pathway ecosystem.
- SoccerStarsminorPartner organization for soccer programming in the Lake Norman/Concord area.
- Municipal Partners (Tega Cay, Fort Mill, Cornelius, Davidson, Mooresville, Huntersville, Rock Hill)coreLong-term facility agreements with municipality partners including Tega Cay, Fort Mill, Cornelius, Davidson, Mooresville, Huntersville, and Rock Hill to ensure field availability and access to synthetic turf facilities.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Charlotte FC Academy: The MLS-affiliated youth academy in the same Charlotte metro. Directly competes for elite U13-U19 boys talent via MLS NEXT and benefits from a parent MLS club's brand, making it the most direct competitor to CISC's MLS NEXT and Girls Academy offerings.
- Concorde Fire: Large Atlanta-area youth soccer club operating ECNL and pre-professional teams. Comparable scale and pathway structure to CISC, competing for the Southeast's top talent.
- Carolina Core FC Academy: High Point, NC-based MLS NEXT expansion club launching a youth academy pathway. Competes with CISC for elite youth talent in the broader Carolinas region.
- Richmond United: Richmond, VA-based MLS NEXT and ECNL club. Comparable multi-tier youth soccer organization with similar competitive programming; one of CISC's recently hired coaches came from this peer.
- Charlotte Soccer Academy: Local Charlotte-area competitive youth soccer club with overlapping program tiers (recreation, competitive, academy). One of several established Charlotte clubs splitting the regional player market with CISC.
- Skyline Elite Soccer Club: Virginia-based Girls Academy club whose former director was recently hired by CISC. Operates a similar Girls Academy pathway and competes for elite female players in the mid-Atlantic/Southeast region.
- NCFC Youth: North Carolina FC's youth club (Raleigh area) operating across recreation through MLS NEXT. Comparable multi-tier youth soccer organization in NC, competing for the same elite player pool and tournament placements.
- NC Fusion: NC-based competitive youth soccer club with ECNL/GA programming. Comparable in scale and program breadth, and one of CISC's Mint Hill technical staff was recruited from this club.
Broad incumbents
- IMG Academy: Nationally recognized sports academy with a soccer boarding school and academy teams. Competes for elite national-level talent and has been a feeder for some CISC goalkeeping staff; provides a benchmark for full-time residential player development models.
- Charlotte Independence (USL League One): The professional parent club that CISC is the youth affiliate of. While not a direct competitor (it is a partner/feeder), it shares the brand and provides the USL League Two and W League pre-professional pathway for CISC graduates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club social profiles
Digital presenceCharlotte Independence Soccer Club financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Charlotte Independence Soccer Club
What does Charlotte Independence Soccer Club do?
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club is a nonprofit youth soccer club that delivers year-round soccer programming for players ages 4 through 19, including recreational leagues, youth academy, regional and national competitive teams, pre-professional USL League Two and USL W League squads, camps, futsal, goalkeeping training, TOPSoccer inclusive programming, and hosted tournaments. The club operates offices in Cornelius, NC and Fort Mill, SC, a network of synthetic turf fields across the Charlotte metro, and a unified youth-to-professional pathway affiliated with the Charlotte Independence USL League One, Carolina Ascent, and HB Køge. Membership is managed through the PlayMetrics platform, with annual program dues, tournament entry fees, and corporate sponsorships forming the primary revenue base.
Is Charlotte Independence Soccer Club a public or private company?
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Charlotte Independence Soccer Club founded?
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club was founded in 1983. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Charlotte Independence Soccer Club based?
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club is headquartered in Cornelius, United States, in the North America region.
How does Charlotte Independence Soccer Club make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Program Revenue is the primary driver. The others are tournament and Event Revenue, uniform and Merchandise Sales and camps and Training Programs.
Who are Charlotte Independence Soccer Club's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Charlotte FC Academy, Concorde Fire, Carolina Core FC Academy, Richmond United, Charlotte Soccer Academy, Skyline Elite Soccer Club, NCFC Youth and NC Fusion. Broad incumbents are IMG Academy and Charlotte Independence (USL League One).
Does Charlotte Independence Soccer Club have an API?
No public API is recorded for Charlotte Independence Soccer Club.
What industry is Charlotte Independence Soccer Club in?
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club's product category is Youth Soccer Club Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKACAE, Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations, with a secondary code of MPAKACAJ, Sport-Specific Amateur Leagues & Circuits (Non-Professional). Its NAICS code is 711211 and its SIC code is 7997.