cleveland crunch
Cleveland Crunch is a privately held professional indoor soccer club in Cleveland, Ohio, competing in the MLIS league. It generates revenue from ticketing, sponsorships, youth soccer camps, and merchandise, serving Northeast Ohio sports fans and families through live games and community youth programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What cleveland crunch does
Cleveland Crunch operates a professional indoor soccer club competing in the Major League Indoor Soccer (MLIS) league, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1989, the franchise has won five indoor soccer championships (1994, 1996, 1999, 2021, 2024) and was revived in 2020 under the ownership of Luciano Ruscitto after folding in 2005. The team plays home games at the Wolstein Center on the Cleveland State University campus and fields a 22-player roster (17 eligible per game) led by Head Coach Antonio Manfut.
The franchise monetizes its core product across four primary revenue streams: ticket sales (single-game and season), corporate sponsorships (MetroHealth, DICK'S House of Sport, Liberty Home Mortgage, and other Northeast Ohio businesses), youth soccer camps at $40 per participant across multiple regional sites, and merchandise through Arrivo Athletic Wear and Little Apple Apparel. Youth development and community engagement are central to the operating model, with partnerships spanning the City of Cleveland, Mentor Soccer Club, Aztecs Soccer Club, Cleveland Scores, Goal Dreams LLC, Shaw High School, and the Wickliffe Public Library, the last of which serves 3,000+ participants annually through a Summer Reading Program.
The organization is privately held, family-led (Luciano Ruscitto as Owner/Managing Partner, Andriana Ruscitto as Director of Marketing and Public Relations), and operates without venture capital or private equity backing. It maintains an affiliated nonprofit, the Cleveland Crunch Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable organization providing underserved youth with access to soccer, mentorship, and equipment. There are no disclosed AI capabilities, no proprietary technology platform, and no disclosed revenue, headcount, or funding data.
cleveland crunch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- cleveland crunch
- Legal name
- Cleveland Crunch
- Website
- https://theclevelandcrunch.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Cleveland Crunch is a privately held professional indoor soccer club in Cleveland, Ohio, competing in the MLIS league. It generates revenue from ticketing, sponsorships, youth soccer camps, and merchandise, serving Northeast Ohio sports fans and families through live games and community youth programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
cleveland crunch industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Indoor Soccer
- NAICS
- Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Individual-Sport Clubs & Teams (Cycling Teams, Athletics/Track Clubs, Swimming Clubs, etc.) (MPAKABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA), Amateur & Grassroots Tournament Organizers (MPAKADAH)
Keywords
Where cleveland crunch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
cleveland crunch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: The team generates revenue through single-game tickets and season tickets for home games played at the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University.
- Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship deals with partners including MetroHealth (Official Medical Provider), DICK'S House of Sport, Liberty Home Mortgage, and numerous other local businesses.
- Youth Soccer Camps: Revenue from youth soccer camp registration fees ranging from $40 per participant for individual camps to multi-day sessions.
- Merchandise Sales: Official team merchandise sold through Arrivo Athletic Wear (official team shop) and Little Apple Apparel partnerships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Youth Soccer Camp - Standard |
| Subscription | Annual | Season Tickets |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Single Game Tickets |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
cleveland crunch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Cleveland Crunch operates a professional indoor soccer club competing in Major League Indoor Soccer (MLIS), providing live professional indoor soccer matches and entertainment at the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University. The organization also runs youth soccer camps and clinics for ages 4-17, sells official team merchandise, and conducts community soccer events in partnership with local organizations across Northeast Ohio.
Product overview
The Cleveland Crunch is a professional indoor soccer organization offering a portfolio of products and services centered around live sports entertainment and youth development. The core offering is the professional indoor soccer team competing in MLIS, supplemented by youth soccer camps, a team merchandise store, game ticketing, community events, and a charitable foundation. The organization provides live sporting matches, youth development programs, and community engagement initiatives in Northeast Ohio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Youth Soccer Camps
- Official Team Merchandise
- Game Tickets
- Cleveland Crunch Foundation
Quantifiable outcome
- 130 points across 3 MVP seasons (Admir Suljevic)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use cleveland crunch
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
cleveland crunch technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
cleveland crunch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City of ClevelandcoreThe Cleveland Crunch partnered with the City of Cleveland, Mayor Justin M. Bibb, and the Division of Recreation for a youth soccer event at Mall C in Downtown Cleveland. As part of the event, 150 FIFA soccer balls were distributed to local children. The Crunch also hosted a free soccer clinic with players and coaches.
- Mentor Soccer ClubcoreThe Cleveland Crunch partnered with Mentor Soccer Club to host a youth soccer camp on August 3 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Donald E. Krueger Park in Mentor, OH. The camp provides young players with instruction from Cleveland Crunch coaches and players.
- Aztecs Soccer ClubcoreThe Cleveland Crunch partnered with Aztecs Soccer Club to host two youth soccer camps in July at the Eastlake Soccer Fields. The camps were open to players of all skill levels, divided into age groups 8-11 and 12-15, with a registration fee of $40 per participant.
- Cleveland ScorescoreThe Cleveland Crunch partnered with Cleveland Scores and Goal Dreams LLC to host a free youth soccer camp at Shaw High School in East Cleveland for youth ages 5-14.
- Goal Dreams LLCcoreThe Cleveland Crunch partnered with Goal Dreams LLC and Cleveland Scores to host a free youth soccer camp at Shaw High School in East Cleveland for youth ages 5-14.
- Wickliffe Public LibraryminorThe Cleveland Crunch partnered with Wickliffe Public Library for their third consecutive Summer Reading Program. The partnership provides prizes for participants including free admission to youth soccer camps and tickets to Crunch home games.
- Liberty Home MortgageminorLiberty Home Mortgage presents the Youth Soccer Camp Season Ticket Sweepstakes, offering campers a chance to win season tickets to all Crunch home games for the 2026-27 MLIS season.
- DICK'S House of Sport StrongsvilleminorNew partnership with DICK'S House of Sport in Strongsville for youth soccer camps, player meet-and-greets, and community events. Store provides official soccer balls for autographed ball raffles at home games with proceeds going to the Cleveland Crunch Foundation.
- MetroHealthcoreMetroHealth is the Official Medical Provider and longest-standing partner of the Cleveland Crunch. They sponsor First Responders Night and provide sports medicine services. They distribute promotional items at games including wristbands and car decals.
- Shaw High SchoolminorPartnered with Shaw High School Boys and Girls Soccer Programs for a free youth soccer camp at Shaw Stadium in East Cleveland.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
cleveland crunch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Harrisburg Heat: Professional indoor soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Directly comparable to the Cleveland Crunch as a regional U.S. professional indoor soccer franchise relying on ticket sales, sponsorships, and youth programming.
- San Diego Sockers: Long-standing professional indoor soccer franchise based in San Diego, California. Direct comparable to the Cleveland Crunch as a professional indoor soccer organization competing at the top tier of U.S. indoor soccer, with comparable revenue model centered on ticket sales, sponsorships, and community programs.
- Tacoma Stars: Professional indoor soccer team based in Tacoma, Washington. Directly comparable to the Cleveland Crunch in operating model and as a regional U.S. professional indoor soccer franchise with similar ticket/sponsorship/community engagement structures.
- Ontario Fury: Professional indoor soccer team based in Ontario, California, competing in U.S. indoor soccer leagues. Direct peer to the Cleveland Crunch in operating model, league participation, and the live-entertainment-plus-youth-development value proposition.
- Milwaukee Wave: Professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a multi-decade history. Directly comparable to the Cleveland Crunch as a Midwest-based professional indoor soccer club operating a similar ticket/sponsorship/community-engagement model in a comparable regional U.S. market.
- Florida Tropics: Professional indoor soccer team based in the Tampa Bay, Florida region. Directly comparable to the Cleveland Crunch as a U.S. professional indoor soccer franchise operating under a similar small-market, ticket-and-sponsorship-driven business model.
- Kansas City Comets: Professional indoor soccer franchise based in Kansas City, Missouri, with a multi-decade history. Directly comparable to the Cleveland Crunch in business model (tickets, sponsorships, youth camps, merchandise) and target market (Midwestern U.S. sports fans and families).
- St. Louis Ambush: Professional indoor soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri. Direct peer to the Cleveland Crunch in business model and as a Midwest/Eastern professional indoor soccer franchise with comparable community-engagement programming.
- Baltimore Blast: Professional indoor soccer franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland, with a long competitive history. Directly comparable to the Cleveland Crunch in operating model, league positioning, and regional U.S. professional indoor soccer economics.
Regional players
- Cleveland Monsters: AHL hockey team based in Cleveland, Ohio, sharing the same home market with the Cleveland Crunch. Comparable as a same-city professional sports franchise competing for the same regional sponsorship dollars, fan attention, and entertainment share of wallet.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
cleveland crunch social profiles
Digital presencecleveland crunch compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
cleveland crunch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
cleveland crunch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
cleveland crunch subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
cleveland crunch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
cleveland crunch 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 cleveland crunch
What does cleveland crunch do?
The Cleveland Crunch operates a professional indoor soccer club competing in Major League Indoor Soccer (MLIS), providing live professional indoor soccer matches and entertainment at the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University. The organization also runs youth soccer camps and clinics for ages 4-17, sells official team merchandise, and conducts community soccer events in partnership with local organizations across Northeast Ohio.
Is cleveland crunch a public or private company?
cleveland crunch is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was cleveland crunch founded?
cleveland crunch was founded in 1989.
Where is cleveland crunch based?
cleveland crunch is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
How does cleveland crunch make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are sponsorships, youth Soccer Camps and merchandise Sales.
Who are cleveland crunch's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Harrisburg Heat, San Diego Sockers, Tacoma Stars, Ontario Fury, Milwaukee Wave, Florida Tropics, Kansas City Comets, St. Louis Ambush and Baltimore Blast. Cleveland Monsters is listed as a regional player.
Does cleveland crunch have an API?
No public API is recorded for cleveland crunch.
What industry is cleveland crunch in?
cleveland crunch's product category is Professional Indoor Soccer. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKABAD, Individual-Sport Clubs & Teams (Cycling Teams, Athletics/Track Clubs, Swimming Clubs, etc.), with a secondary code of MPAKAJAA, Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps). Its NAICS code is 711211 and its SIC code is 7997.