Professional Referee Organization
Professional Referee Organization (PRO) is a New York-based non-profit that trains, develops, and assigns professional soccer match officials across six US and Canadian leagues including MLS, NWSL, and USL competitions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Professional Referee Organization does
Professional Referee Organization (PRO) is a private, non-profit soccer officiating organization headquartered at 420 Fifth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York. PRO identifies, trains, develops, and assigns professional match officials — referees, assistant referees, video assistant referees (VARs), and assistant VARs — across six major US and Canadian professional soccer competitions: Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), USL Championship, USL League One, Gainbridge Super League, and MLS NEXT Pro. The organization operates a structured talent pipeline spanning PRO2 development referees and senior match officials, supported by dedicated departments for senior match officials, sports performance, assessment, communications, operations, finance, HR, and administration.
PRO is funded by its member leagues (MLS, NWSL, USL) through recurring subscription-style arrangements, with additional support from U.S. Soccer Federation for development programs and the Respect the Call initiative. Its underlying technology stack includes VAR integration for MLS, NWSL, USL, and other competitions, an Official Assignments System for weekly match official deployment, and proprietary educational content platforms — Inside Video Review, The Definitive Angle, and the Spanish-language VAR a Fondo series — that publish officiating analysis and decision breakdowns. PRO's roster includes approximately 226 match officials, and 11 PRO officials were selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the largest representation in the organization's history.
The business model is service-based rather than product-based: PRO monetizes through contracted league relationships (specific fees undisclosed) and does not generate commercial product revenue. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales to league governing bodies, with no channel intermediaries. Leadership includes CEO Nick Primavera, General Manager Mark Geiger, and Chief Refereeing Officer Joe Fletcher. The organization also engages in broader ecosystem work including referee-abuse prevention campaigns (Respect the Call) and international officiating representation through FIFA panels.
Professional Referee Organization firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Professional Referee Organization
- Legal name
- Professional Referee Organization
- Website
- https://proreferees.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Professional Referee Organization (PRO) is a New York-based non-profit that trains, develops, and assigns professional soccer match officials across six US and Canadian leagues including MLS, NWSL, and USL competitions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Professional Referee Organization industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Sports Officiating Services
- NAICS
- Other Spectator Sports (711219), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rules, Officiating & Referee Associations (Officials/umpires bodies) (MPAKAFAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sports Officiating & Competition Management (MPAGAMAK), Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA), Professional Sport Governing Bodies & League Sanctioning Authorities (MPAKAFAE), Referee, Umpire & Coach Education/Certification Academies (MPAKAJAN)
Keywords
Where Professional Referee Organization is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Professional Referee Organization business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- League Membership/Funding: PRO is funded by its member leagues including Major League Soccer, National Women's Soccer League, and United Soccer League to provide professional officiating services
- Government Contracts: PRO participates in E-Verify and operates as a referee organization potentially receiving US Soccer Federation support for development and training programs
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Professional referee organization services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Professional Referee Organization product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PRO recruits, trains, develops, and assigns professional soccer match officials — including referees, assistant referees, video assistant referees (VAR), and assistant VARs — to six professional soccer competitions in the U.S. and Canada: Major League Soccer, NWSL, USL Championship, USL League One, Gainbridge Super League, and MLS NEXT Pro. The organization also operates the PRO2 development pathway to train the next generation of professional officials and produces educational video review content analyzing officiating decisions.
Product overview
PRO is a professional referee organization that provides match official assignment services and development programs for professional soccer leagues. The organization operates as a single unified service offering match official assignments across Major League Soccer (MLS), National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), Gainbridge Super League, USL Championship, USL League One, and MLS NEXT Pro. Core offerings include the Match Official Assignment Services, the PRO2 Development Program, Inside Video Review analysis series, and The Definitive Angle commentary series. PRO manages a roster of senior match officials and PRO2 officials who are assigned to league matches throughout the season.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Match Official Assignment Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 175% growth in World Cup representation from 4 officials in 2014 to 11 in 2026
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Professional Referee Organization
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Professional Referee Organization technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Professional Referee Organization partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major and core.
- FIFA - 2026 World Cupflagship11 PRO officials selected for 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and USA - the largest-ever PRO representation at a World Cup. Officials include referees Ismail Elfath, Drew Fischer, Tori Penso, and assistant referees Lyes Arfa, Kyle Atkins, Micheal Barwegen, Brooke Mayo, Kathryn Nesbitt, Corey Parker, plus video match officials Joe Dickerson and Armando Villarreal.
- U.S. Soccer - Respect the Call InitiativemajorPRO supports US Soccer's Respect the Call initiative launched March 2025, promoting stronger sanctions for referee abuse at amateur and youth matches. PRO officials actively support this campaign.
- Major League SoccercoreMLS is the primary member league and customer of PRO, receiving official assignments for all MLS regular season matches, MLS Cup playoffs, MLS All-Star game, and other MLS competitions. PRO officials work exclusively for MLS through this partnership.
- National Women's Soccer LeaguecoreNWSL is a founding member league receiving official assignments for all NWSL regular season matches, playoffs, and NWSL Championship game.
- United Soccer LeaguecoreUSL includes USL Championship (second division), USL League One (third division), and Gainbridge Super League (top-tier women's league) all receiving PRO official assignments.
- U.S. Soccer FederationcoreU.S. Soccer provides governance oversight and supports the Respect the Call initiative against referee abuse. PRO supports US Soccer's officiating standards and development programs.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Professional Referee Organization competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Howard Webb / Webb Sports Advisory: Former Premier League referee and PGMOL chief now consulting on officiating standards and VAR globally. Adjacent to PRO's domain as a thought leader and consultant in professional soccer officiating.
Direct peers
- PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited): UK-based organization that supplies match officials to the English Premier League and English Football League. Structurally and operationally analogous to PRO — a dedicated professional referee body serving top-division domestic soccer leagues with VAR integration.
- Australian Professional Leagues (APL) Officiating: Bodies managing match official assignments for Australia's A-League Men and Women. Functionally analogous to PRO, providing professional officiating services to a top-tier soccer league in a smaller market.
- CONMEBOL Referees Commission: South American football confederation body responsible for referee training and match assignments across Copa Libertadores and domestic leagues. Comparable geographic-regional officiating management scope.
- Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) Officiating: Organization managing Bundesliga referee assignments in Germany. Comparable top-division professional soccer officiating body with advanced VAR integration and strong development programs.
Broad incumbents
- FIFA Referees Committee: Global governing body selecting and overseeing officials at World Cup and international tournaments. PRO officials are directly selected by FIFA for World Cup duty, making this the highest-level comparable authority.
- UEFA Referees Committee: Governing body committee overseeing referee selection, development, and assignment across European competitions including Champions League and Europa League. Comparable function at a multi-country continental level.
- JFA Referees Department: Japan Football Association department handling referee selection, training, and assignment for J.League and national team competitions. Comparable officiating governance and development role in a developed soccer market.
Regional players
- Liga MX Referee Commission (FMF): Mexican Football Federation body managing referee assignments for Liga MX. Operates in adjacent North American soccer market to PRO and would be a natural peer for any cross-border officiating expansion.
- Canada Soccer Referees: Canadian Soccer Association body responsible for referee development and assignments in Canada. PRO's geographic partner in MLS officiating and a natural comparator in the North American market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Professional Referee Organization social profiles
Digital presenceProfessional Referee Organization financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Professional Referee Organization leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Professional Referee Organization funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Professional Referee Organization 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 Professional Referee Organization
What does Professional Referee Organization do?
PRO recruits, trains, develops, and assigns professional soccer match officials — including referees, assistant referees, video assistant referees (VAR), and assistant VARs — to six professional soccer competitions in the U.S. and Canada: Major League Soccer, NWSL, USL Championship, USL League One, Gainbridge Super League, and MLS NEXT Pro. The organization also operates the PRO2 development pathway to train the next generation of professional officials and produces educational video review content analyzing officiating decisions.
Is Professional Referee Organization a public or private company?
Professional Referee Organization is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Professional Referee Organization founded?
Professional Referee Organization was founded in 2013. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Professional Referee Organization based?
Professional Referee Organization is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Professional Referee Organization make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. League Membership/Funding is the primary driver. The others are government Contracts.
Who are Professional Referee Organization's main competitors?
Howard Webb / Webb Sports Advisory is listed as an others. Direct peers are PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited), Australian Professional Leagues (APL) Officiating, CONMEBOL Referees Commission and Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) Officiating. Broad incumbents are FIFA Referees Committee, UEFA Referees Committee and JFA Referees Department. Regional players are Liga MX Referee Commission (FMF) and Canada Soccer Referees.
Does Professional Referee Organization have an API?
No public API is recorded for Professional Referee Organization.
What industry is Professional Referee Organization in?
Professional Referee Organization's product category is Professional Sports Officiating Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAFAK, Rules, Officiating & Referee Associations (Officials/umpires bodies), with a secondary code of MPAGAMAK, Sports Officiating & Competition Management. Its NAICS code is 711219 and its SIC code is 7990.