How to Finance a Soccer 5 Franchise: Small-Sided Soccer Parks
By Chris Cornella
A Soccer 5 franchise loan funds something very different from a storefront: a multi-field center for small-sided soccer, with turf, lighting, fencing and the operating cash to fill those fields with leagues, rentals and youth programs. Because the facility is the business, financing depends heavily on the site, the lease or partnership agreement and the owner’s ability to build a steady schedule of play.
Below we explain what Soccer 5 is, which costs to confirm in the disclosure document, what the brand’s SBA Franchise Directory listing means and how buyers typically structure financing for a new or existing center.
US Professional Funding is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Soccer 5; the name is used only to describe the business. Figures in the franchisor’s disclosure document can change, loan programs and terms vary by lender and borrower, and every loan is subject to lender review and approval. Nothing here is legal, tax or investment advice, so review the current Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and franchise agreement with a franchise attorney and an accountant.
Soccer 5 Franchise Loan at a Glance
- Concept: multi-field centers for small-sided soccer, serving players of all ages and skill levels.
- Origins: founded in Miami in 2010 by Alan and Scott Georgeson, who remain leaders of the company.
- Programs: recreational and competitive play, adult evening play, and youth soccer schools and camps through the Soccer 5 Academy.
- Formats: centers built in urban park spaces, indoor fields, and larger Entertainment Sports Parks that pair soccer with other activities and food and drink.
- Franchising: the company offers franchises in selected U.S. markets alongside its company-operated centers.
- Costs: the franchise fee, royalty and estimated initial investment are in Items 5, 6 and 7 of the current FDD.
- SBA Franchise Directory: listed under code S8075, with no additional directory note.
What Is Soccer 5?
Soccer 5 was founded in Miami in 2010 by Alan and Scott Georgeson to build centers dedicated to small-sided soccer. Instead of a full-size field with eleven players per side, small-sided soccer uses compact, enclosed fields and smaller teams, so games are fast, players touch the ball constantly and several matches can run side by side.
The company designs, builds and operates its centers and describes its goal as accessible, high-quality soccer facilities with well-designed, well-maintained fields. Its early centers were built through long-term design-build-operate partnerships in city park spaces, often reviving underused areas. The company has since added indoor play and is establishing a corporate headquarters and center in North Charleston, South Carolina.
Entertainment Sports Parks. The company has also introduced a larger format it calls an Entertainment Sports Park, which combines multiple Soccer 5 fields with pickleball courts, a putting course, batting cages, social and gaming areas, and an indoor dining and drinks space with outdoor viewing. These parks are developed on commercial sites, sometimes with real estate or sports and entertainment partners.
How lenders view the concept. Lenders see a facility-driven recreation business. Revenue comes from many small, repeat bookings, which can be steady once leagues fill, but the start-up is capital-intensive and the site agreement is central to everything. A lender will want to understand who controls the land, how long the business can stay there and how quickly the schedule can be filled.
Soccer 5 Franchise Costs
Soccer 5’s FDD is the source for its fees and investment range. Because facility formats vary so widely, the Item 7 table and its assumptions matter even more than usual for a Soccer 5 franchise loan.
Initial franchise fee. Item 5 states the fee, when it is paid, whether it is refundable and any terms for additional centers or territories.
Site, lease and construction. Costs depend on whether the center sits in a park under a partnership agreement, in a leased building for indoor play or on a commercial parcel. Site work can include grading, drainage, base preparation, utilities, parking and permits.
Fields and equipment. Synthetic turf, perimeter boards or walls, netting, goals, field lighting, scoreboards, and booking and point-of-sale technology are the core equipment package. Larger parks add amenities such as court surfaces, batting cages and food and beverage equipment.
Opening costs and working capital. Pre-opening marketing, league launch, staff hiring and training, insurance, deposits and early operating funds belong in the budget, since leagues and memberships take time to build.
Total investment. Item 7 gives the estimated initial investment range and the assumptions behind it. Typical categories to look for include:
- Initial franchise fee
- Site preparation and construction or leasehold improvements
- Turf, field structures, netting and goals
- Field lighting and electrical work
- Clubhouse, restrooms and furniture, fixtures and equipment
- Signage, technology and booking systems
- Grand-opening marketing and training
- Insurance, deposits, licenses and permits
- Additional funds for the initial operating period
Get contractor and turf bids for your specific site before you set the loan amount.
Ongoing Fees and How They Affect Your Loan
Item 6 lists the royalty, any brand or marketing fund contribution, technology or booking-system fees, training charges, and transfer and renewal fees. If your center sits on park land, the partnership agreement may also include rent or revenue sharing with the property owner.
Lenders add all of these to rent, staffing, utilities, insurance and maintenance, then test whether the center can still cover debt service in slower months. Field lighting, turf replacement and insurance are large recurring costs in this industry and should appear in your projections.
Franchisor Requirements for New Owners
Soccer 5 shares its financial and experience requirements during the franchise process, which includes discovery days where prospective owners tour centers and meet leadership. Ask for current net worth and liquid capital expectations in writing, because lenders compare them with your personal financial statement.
Experience in sports, recreation, hospitality or multi-site management helps both with franchisor approval and with lenders. A passion for soccer helps too, but lenders will focus on business and management skills.
Ways to Own a Soccer 5
A new center. Most franchise opportunities involve developing a new facility. Lenders underwrite projections, the site agreement and the owner’s equity and experience. Our family entertainment start-up financing page explains how these loans are structured.
Buying an existing center. If an established franchised center becomes available, a buyer can step into existing leagues, bookings and staff, and the lender can review actual results. Transfers require franchisor approval under Item 17. See our family entertainment acquisition financing page.
A larger multi-activity park. An Entertainment Sports Park is a bigger, more complex project with additional activities and food and beverage service. Expect more equity, more detailed projections and close lender review of the real estate.
Financing Options for a Soccer 5 Franchise
SBA 7(a) loans. Because Soccer 5 is on the SBA Franchise Directory, an SBA 7(a) loan can fund construction, turf and lighting, the franchise fee, working capital or the purchase of an existing center.
SBA 504 loans. When an owner buys the land or building, the SBA 504 program can finance owner-occupied real estate and long-lived fixed assets such as construction and permanent site improvements.
Conventional term loans. A conventional business loan may fit experienced operators, larger parks or owners with significant collateral. Terms vary by lender.
Equipment financing. Turf systems, lighting, netting, goals, scoreboards and booking hardware can often be financed or leased separately. Read about family entertainment equipment financing and leasing.
Working capital and lines of credit. New centers need time to fill leagues, and outdoor fields can face weather and seasonal swings. A reserve or line of credit helps cover payroll, utilities and marketing while bookings build. See family entertainment working capital options.
Seller financing on resales. A seller may carry part of a resale price. Seller notes are typically subordinate to the senior loan, and SBA programs limit how they can be used.
SBA Loans for Soccer 5 Franchisees
The SBA Franchise Directory lists brands whose franchise documents have been reviewed for SBA eligibility. Lenders making SBA-guaranteed loans to franchisees generally rely on that listing. A listing does not approve any borrower; it only clears the franchise relationship for review.
Soccer 5’s listing. Soccer 5 appears on the directory under code S8075 with no additional notes. In plain terms, the franchise agreement has been reviewed and no special conditions are flagged, so the lender can focus on you, the site and the projections.
Tips for an SBA application. The SBA 7(a) program maximum is currently $5 million, though program rules can change. For a Soccer 5 franchise loan, give the lender the full FDD, the franchise agreement, the site lease or partnership agreement, construction and turf bids, a business plan and your personal financial documents. Our guide to SBA loans for family entertainment centers covers more detail.
How Lenders Evaluate a Soccer 5 Deal
Personal credit and financial history. Expect a review of credit, tax returns and a personal financial statement, plus a personal guarantee.
Net worth and liquidity. Lenders look at your equity injection and the reserves left after closing, especially for construction projects that can run over budget.
Industry and management experience. Experience running a sports facility, league operation, hospitality venue or other multi-employee business strengthens the request.
Business plan and projections. Build projections around field-hours available, league and rental pricing, expected utilization by season and time of day, youth camps and academy programs, and any food and beverage sales. Show how long it will take to fill prime-time slots.
The FDD and franchise agreement. Lenders review Items 5, 6, 7, 10, 17, 19 and 21, and Items 3 and 4 for disclosure history. Item 19 shows whether the FDD includes financial performance representations.
Site, lease or partnership agreement. The term of the site agreement should generally run at least as long as the loan. For park-based centers, lenders want to understand the partnership terms, any revenue sharing and what happens to the improvements when the agreement ends. Our article on negotiating a family entertainment center lease covers points to raise.
Historical financials for resales. For an existing center, provide several years of profit and loss statements, tax returns and booking system reports.
Turf, Lighting and Facility Reinvestment
The fields are the product. Synthetic turf wears with heavy use and eventually needs replacing, and lighting is what makes evening adult leagues possible. Netting, boards and goals take daily wear as well.
When you plan financing, think in two stages: the initial build and the future reinvestment. Equipment financing can match the life of turf and lighting, while a reserve or planned refinancing can fund replacements later without straining cash flow.
Multi-Unit Growth and Development
If Soccer 5 offers multi-unit or area development arrangements, the FDD describes any development fee and opening schedule. Growth usually happens one center at a time, and lenders look at the first center’s cash flow and the owner’s management depth before financing the next.
For a broader look at financing growth, see our article on multi-unit franchise financing.
Real-World Scenarios
A former player opening a first center. A business owner with a soccer background signs a long-term site agreement and uses an SBA 7(a) loan for construction, turf, lighting and working capital, planning for a ramp-up as leagues fill.
An operator buying land. An experienced operator buys a commercial parcel for a center and uses an SBA 504 loan for the real estate and site improvements, with equipment financed separately.
A buyer acquiring an existing center. A buyer purchases an operating franchised center. The lender reviews booking history and financials, the franchisor approves the transfer, and the seller carries a small subordinated note.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Signing a site agreement shorter than the loan term
- Underestimating site work, drainage and lighting costs
- Assuming fields will be full from opening day
- Ignoring weather and seasonality for outdoor fields
- Leaving turf replacement out of long-term plans
- Skipping royalty and partnership revenue sharing in projections
For more pitfalls, read entertainment center loan mistakes to avoid.
Next Steps to Finance Your Soccer 5 Franchise
Step 1: Request and study the FDD. Review Items 5, 6, 7, 17 and 19 with a franchise attorney and an accountant.
Step 2: Attend discovery and confirm requirements. Tour centers, meet leadership and confirm net worth and liquidity expectations.
Step 3: Estimate your loan. Use our SBA loan calculator for early payment estimates, which are for planning only and are not an offer.
Step 4: Secure the site. Negotiate a lease, purchase or partnership agreement with a term that supports your financing.
Step 5: Gather bids and build your plan. Collect construction, turf and lighting bids and build season-by-season projections.
Step 6: Apply and coordinate approvals. Submit your loan package and align the lender’s timeline with the franchisor’s approval and construction schedule.
Soccer 5 Franchise Loan FAQs
How much does a Soccer 5 franchise cost?
The estimated initial investment is in Item 7 of the current FDD. It varies widely with the site, the number of fields and whether the center is indoor, outdoor or part of a larger park.
What is the Soccer 5 franchise fee?
The initial franchise fee and its terms are set out in Item 5 of the FDD.
What royalty does Soccer 5 charge?
Item 6 of the FDD lists the royalty, any marketing fund contribution and other recurring fees.
Can I get an SBA loan for a Soccer 5 franchise?
Yes. Soccer 5 is listed on the SBA Franchise Directory under code S8075, so SBA 7(a) and, where real estate is involved, SBA 504 loans are available to qualified borrowers, subject to lender approval.
Can I finance turf and lighting separately?
Often, yes. Turf, lighting, netting and goals can be financed or leased through equipment financing.
Do I need to own the land?
No. Centers can operate on leased sites or under park partnership agreements, but the agreement’s term and conditions are critical to lenders.
Can I buy an existing Soccer 5 center?
If one is available, yes, with franchisor approval. Lenders underwrite the center’s actual results.
Do I need soccer industry experience?
Not necessarily, but business and management experience is important. Lenders also weigh franchisor training and your staffing plan.
Does Soccer 5 offer financing?
Check Item 10 of the FDD for any financing the franchisor offers. Most owners arrange outside financing.
How long is the franchise term?
The term, renewal and transfer conditions are in Item 17 of the FDD. Lenders like the term and the site agreement to cover the life of the loan.
Final Thoughts
A Soccer 5 center is a long-lived facility built around fields, lighting and a full calendar of play. A strong Soccer 5 franchise loan request starts with the current FDD, a secure site agreement, realistic bids and projections that show how the schedule fills over time.
US Professional Funding helps franchise owners and buyers finance start-ups, acquisitions, equipment and working capital. Learn more about our franchise financing and family entertainment financing solutions.
