USL League One Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
USL League One is a professional soccer franchise where owners field teams in the U.S. third-division league. Franchisees run the clubs, managing rosters, stadium operations, ticketing, and sponsorships.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A USL League One franchise requires a total initial investment of $7.7M – $11.4M, including a $5.0M franchise fee. The 2023 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2023 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $7.7M – $11.4M
- 55th pct Recreation & …
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 12
- 28th pct Recreation & …
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Recreation & Entertainment · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Recreation & Entertainment avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $7.7M – $11.4M including a $5.0M franchise fee.
- RETURNSNo Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 51/100 (higher is better).
- DATANo Item 19 financial performance representation. Without franchisor-disclosed revenue data, you'll need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- USL Pro-2, LLC
- Parent company
- United Soccer Leagues, LLC
- Ultimate parent
- NuRock Soccer Holdings LLC (majority owner of United Soccer Leagues, LLC)
- Predecessor
- USISL, Inc.
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Alec Papadakis
- Incorporated in
- Florida
- HQ
- 1715 N. Westshore Blvd. Suite 825, Tampa, Florida 33607
- Auditor
- Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $22.7M
- vs $29.5M prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Alec Papadakis
- Headquarters
- FL
- Founded
- 1996
- FDD year
- 2023
- States available
- 10
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 617% above the typical recreation & entertainment franchise.
Source: FDD 2023 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2023 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $5.0M | $5.0M |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $250K | $1.0M |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $2.4M | $5.4M |
| Total initial investment | $7.7M | $11.4M |
Source: USL League One 2023 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $7.7M – $11.4M
- Middle of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $250K – $1.0M
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $5.0M – $5.0M
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- Up to $115,000 (if starting in 2024), subject to a maximu…
- Ad fund
- -n/d
- Total fee load
- 15.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer fee | $500K |
| Renewal fee | $10K |
| Total fee load | 15.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
USL League One did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one USL League One unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
1%
Below the 30–60% attractive-franchise band
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2023 FDD
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 15.0% — above the Recreation & Entertainment average of 8.8%.
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Recreation & Entertainment averages
How USL League One Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2023 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 12
- Opened
- 2
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 1
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 8.3%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 2
- Closed (3yr)
- 1
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 2
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Ceased ops
- 8.3%
- Units that stopped operating
Last reporting year only, multi-year history not disclosed in this brand's FDD.
Item 20 · 8 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Parent-level financials are strong (net worth $10.8M, net income $2.36M on $29.5M revenue) with a stable 12-unit system. Three related employment-discrimination suits/EEOC charges by one plaintiff (Ricky Hill) target affiliate clubs, with USL disclaiming hiring authority. No Item 19 disclosure is a secondary concern.
Litigation (Item 3)
Three discrimination cases filed against USL by Ricky Hill: (1) Case 1:21-CV-06278 (N.D. Ill.) - alleging discrimination in hiring for Saint Louis FC head coaching position, served January 10, 2022; (2) Case 1:22-cv-02961 (N.D. Ill.) - alleging discrimination in hiring across multiple USL Championship and MLS clubs, served July 26, 2022, Motion to Dismiss pending; (3) EEOC charge regarding Las Vegas Lights head coaching position, filed November 16, 2021, terminated by EEOC on March 7, 2022. USL denies all allegations and contends it does not make hiring/firing decisions for individual clubs.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 51 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOR3 related employment-discrimination matters (single plaintiff, affiliate clubs)
- 02MINORParent-level financials, healthy: $2.36M net income on $29.5M revenue
- 03MINORNo Item 19 disclosure
- 04MINORNo bankruptcy/going-concern; audited
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 15.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2023 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Geographic area |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Not allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 5 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | No |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Tampa, Florida |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Florida |
| Litigation count | 3 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Three discrimination cases filed against USL by Ricky Hill: (1) Case 1:21-CV-06278 (N.D. Ill.) - alleging discrimination in hiring for Saint Louis FC head coaching position, served January 10, 2022; (2) Case 1:22-cv-02961 (N.D. Ill.) - alleging discrimination in hiring across multiple USL Championship and MLS clubs, served July 26, 2022, Motion to Dismiss pending; (3) EEOC charge regarding Las Vegas Lights head coaching position, filed November 16, 2021, terminated by EEOC on March 7, 2022. USL denies all allegations and contends it does not make hiring/firing decisions for individual clubs.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 0 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- Ongoing training
- Required
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
9 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
USL League One · FDD (2023) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a USL League One franchise?
The total investment to open a USL League One franchise ranges from $7.7M – $11.4M, with an initial franchise fee of $5.0M. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do USL League One franchise owners earn?
USL League One does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the USL League One FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the USL League One FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is USL League One's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for USL League One (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many USL League One franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, USL League One has 12 total units in the United States, including 12 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 2 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is USL League One a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates USL League One as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 51 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.