Sport & Social Industry Association

What Sport & Social Industry Association does

The Sport & Social Industry Association (SSIA) is a California-incorporated non-profit 501c6 trade association founded in 2010 by Galen Beers, the current Executive Director. Headquartered in Solana Beach, CA, SSIA serves approximately 55+ member companies across the US and Canada that operate adult (21+) social sports leagues, tournaments, and events. Its core deliverables are a members-only community forum, an annual industry conference, the Social Star Awards program, the SSIA Learn knowledge-sharing library, and Knowledge Share Committees in Sponsorship, Events, and Marketing.

The association monetizes through three streams: recurring annual membership dues, conference registration and sponsorship tiers (General $1,500, Gold $2,000, Platinum $5,000, plus add-ons such as Welcome Reception $4,000, SSIA Challenge $5,000, and Social Star Awards $6,000), and partner program referrals. The technology backbone is Novi AMS (Association Management Software) for member management, content, and billing, with Whova powering the conference mobile app. Preferred partners include Acrisure (custom insurance), Gravity Payments (0.18% + 10¢ per transaction processing), Baden Sports (30% gear discount), and Light Brothers (apparel), alongside a National Sponsorship Partnership Program managed by the Social Sports Agency (SSA).

SSIA's go-to-market is event-driven and community-led, with growth generated through annual conferences, member referrals, webinars, committee participation, and group purchasing savings. The association does not sell product to end consumers but operates as a B2B platform intermediating between member operators and preferred vendors, with Board-approved membership gating.

Name

Sport & Social Industry Association

Legal name

Sport & Social Industry Association

Website

https://ssia.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Sport & Social Industry Association (SSIA) is a California 501c6 non-profit trade association founded in 2010 that connects 55+ adult social sports league operators across the US and Canada through membership, an annual conference, the Social Star Awards, knowledge-sharing, and preferred vendor partner programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

Keywords

• Trade association services
• Social sports industry
• Group purchasing programs
• Industry conference events
• Membership networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Solana Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for social sports businesses to join the SSIA and access member benefits including community forums, knowledge share, group purchasing programs, and national sponsorship opportunities.
2. Conference Registration and Sponsorship: Revenue from annual industry conference registration fees and various sponsorship tiers (General $1,500, Gold $2,000, Platinum $5,000, plus exclusive add-ons like Welcome Reception $4,000, SSIA Challenge $5,000, Social Star Awards $6,000).
3. Partner Programs: Preferred vendor partnerships where partners like Acrisure (insurance), Gravity Payments (payment processing), Baden Sports (gear), and Light Brothers (apparel) offer exclusive discounts to members, generating value through group purchasing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SSIA is a non-profit 501c6 trade association that connects 55+ social sports businesses across the US and Canada through knowledge share, group purchasing programs, national sponsorship deals, peer networking, and an annual industry conference. It sells annual membership, hosts the annual Sport & Social Industry Conference and Social Star Awards, and runs a learning/content platform (SSIA Learn) for member companies that create and operate adult recreational sports leagues, tournaments, and social events.

Product overview

The Sport & Social Industry Association (SSIA) is a non-profit 501c6 trade association founded in 2010 that connects over 50 social sports businesses across the US and Canada. The organization operates as a platform-plus-programs model, with its core offerings including the annual SSIA Conference, the Social Star Awards program, and the SSIA Learn knowledge-sharing platform featuring webinars and seminar content. Member benefits are delivered through the Members-Only Community Forum and SSIA Member Directory. The association also facilitates group purchasing and partner programs including insurance (Acrisure), payment processing (Gravity Payments), equipment/gear (Baden Sports), and t-shirt printing (Light Brothers), as well as a national sponsorship partnership program. Additional programs include the SSIA Launch Pad for new members, Knowledge Share Committees, and the Customer Service Champions Award program using NPS surveys.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SSIA Annual Conference
• Social Star Awards
• SSIA Learn
• SSIA Launch Pad
• SSIA Member Directory
• Members-Only Community Forum
• Social Sports Insurance Partner Program
• Discount Gear Partner Programs
• Payment Processing Partner Program
• National Sponsorship Partnership Program
• SSIA T-Shirt Printing Partner Program
• SSIA Knowledge Share Committees
• Customer Service Champions Award (CSCA)
• SSIA Conference Mobile App

Quantifiable outcome

• Members save over $1,000 annually when switching to Gravity Payments payment processing program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Acrisure (via Bell-Anderson Insurance)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAcrisure, through Jason Webb at Bell-Anderson Insurance, provides custom accident medical and general liability insurance specifically designed for social sports businesses. This is a flagship partner program offering members specialized coverage tailored to the industry's unique risks.
• Gravity PaymentscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGravity Payments offers discounted payment processing rates exclusively for SSIA members (0.18% + 10¢ per transaction for organizations up to $1.8M annual volume). Members save over $1,000 annually by switching to this program.
• Light BrothersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLight Brothers has been the official shirt partner of the SSIA since 2014, offering quick turnaround times, competitive prices, and SSIA-specific pricing for t-shirt printing and apparel.
• Baden SportsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBaden Sports (founded 1979, family-owned in Kent, WA) provides 30% off all products through a private buying portal exclusively for SSIA members, covering sporting goods and equipment.
• Social Sports Agency (SSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSA is the national sponsorship partner that generates, manages, and facilitates multi-member sponsorship programs with brands seeking to reach SSIA participants. This partnership enables individual members to access national brand sponsorships they could not secure independently.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association): IHRSA is the global trade association for the fitness and health club industry, providing advocacy, research, and member services. Highly comparable to SSIA in operating model (membership dues, annual conference, partner programs) and target audience (commercial recreational facility operators).
• NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation: NIRSA is the national trade association for collegiate recreational sports, serving campus rec professionals and programs. Directly comparable to SSIA as a membership-based association serving the recreational sports industry, with similar annual conferences, knowledge-share programs, and member benefits model.
• SFIA (Sports & Fitness Industry Association): SFIA is the trade association for sports and fitness manufacturers, suppliers, and brands. Operates a similar association model with membership tiers, industry research, advocacy, and trade events, comparable in structure to SSIA's association economy.
• Sports ETA (Sports Events & Tourism Association): Sports ETA is the trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, organizing annual conferences and member services for sports event organizers. Directly comparable in serving event organizers and tournament operators, with similar knowledge-share and partnership program offerings.
• Club Managers Association of America (CMAA): CMAA is a professional association for club management professionals, offering education, certification, networking, and a major annual conference. Comparable in operating model to SSIA, including group purchasing, member-only resources, and tiered sponsorship.

Emerging players

• ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association): ABCA is a coaching association for baseball with membership, conventions, and awards programs. Comparable in association structure and event-driven GTM, though focused on a specific sport rather than the multi-sport social/recreational segment SSIA serves.
• USA Pickleball: USA Pickleball is the national governing body for pickleball in the US, with membership, events, and partner programs. Comparable operating model to SSIA in serving recreational participants, with similar membership/sponsorship ecosystem.
• TEAMS Conference & Expo (SportsTravel): TEAMS Conference is an annual trade event for sports event organizers, operators, and hosts. Comparable to SSIA's annual conference in serving the sports event industry, though focused on host destinations rather than league operators.
• AFAA (Athletics and Fitness Association of America): AFAA provides fitness certification and education with membership tiers and partner programs. Comparable in association-based membership model serving fitness professionals, though oriented toward individual practitioners rather than businesses like SSIA.

Regional players

• Les Mills United States: Les Mills is a global fitness content and training provider with partner programs for clubs. Comparable to SSIA's partner program model in delivering value through group purchasing to recreational facility operators, though content-focused rather than association-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sport-and-social-industry-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sport & Social Industry Association