Nationals SC
Overview
Nationals SC (legally Union FC, Inc. d/b/a Nationals Soccer; also Union FC Macomb) is the largest travel soccer club in Michigan by player count. Founded in the 2016/17 season through a merger of Waza FC East (including North and TriCities branches) and Premier Soccer Group (PSG/FC Nova/Gators FC/PSG Select). Headquartered in Shelby Township, Macomb County, Michigan.
The club operates across 15+ locations in 9-10 Michigan counties: Bay, Clinton, Genesee, Ingham, Macomb, Midland, Oakland, Saginaw, St. Clair, and Wayne.
Club mantra: “Achieving More Together” — used publicly in merger announcements to position the growth-through-partnership ethos (HIGH, nationalssoccer.com).
Key Growth Timeline:
- 2016/17: Created through Waza FC East + PSG merger
- Fall 2017: Accepted into U.S. Soccer Federation Girls Development Academy
- 2020: David Robertson hired as Girls Academy Director
- March 2021: Troy SC joins the Nationals brand (SoccerWire)
- 2021: Awarded two teams per age group in Girls Academy
- 2023: FC Union (Troy, MI) merges into Nationals as “Nationals UFC”
- 2024: Union FC Macomb debuts in USL League Two (men’s pre-professional)
- 2025: Union FC Macomb adds USL W League women’s team
- March 2025: Greater Michigan Alliance (ECNL RL) launches with Nationals as founding member
Financials
| Metric | Value | Source | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue (FY24-25) | ~$12M | Internal diligence docs (not publicly verified) | MEDIUM |
| Revenue (FY25-26P) | ~$12.8M | Internal diligence docs | MEDIUM |
| EBITDA | ~$1.7M | Internal diligence docs | MEDIUM |
| EBITDA margin | ~14.2% | Derived | MEDIUM |
| League revenue (“Great Lakes Leagues”) | 2.25M | Internal docs; entity unverified publicly | LOW |
All financial figures are from proprietary internal documents. No public verification is possible. Revenue is consistent with the club's scale and positioning as Michigan's largest club.
Valuation context (at 7-10x EBITDA): Implied EV of 17.0M. With platform premium / roll-up entry point, potentially 10-12x EBITDA (20.4M). EBITDA margin of 14.2% is below the 25%+ achievable for well-run operators, indicating margin improvement opportunity.
Teams & Players
| Segment | Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total players | 4,700+ | 2022 website data; may be higher post-mergers (MEDIUM) |
| Competitive/travel | 3,200+ on 280+ teams | U13-U19 |
| Recreational (Junior Nationals/USL Rec) | 1,500+ | Ages 4-10 |
Player count data may reflect 2022 figures. Current numbers could be higher following Troy SC and FC Union mergers.
Programs:
| Program | Ages | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Nationals / USL Rec | 3-10 | Recreational/developmental |
| Select/Travel | Various | MSPSP, NLC, MYSL, etc. |
| Boys Academy | U13-U19 | ECNL and ECNL-RL; 3 teams per age group |
| Girls Academy | U13-U19 | ECNL Girls / GA; nationally ranked |
| Union FC Macomb (Men’s) | 18-22 | USL League Two — amateur/pre-professional |
| Union FC Macomb (Women’s) | 18-22 | USL W League — inaugural 2025 season |
| Global Performance Academy | Youth | Soccer academy + accredited charter school (Shelby Twp) |
Branches/Locations (15+ identified): Main/Macomb (HQ), Boys Academy (Shelby Twp/Pontiac), Girls Academy (Auburn Hills), Capital Area (Lansing), Genesee (Flint), Oakland, North Oakland, South Oakland, Macomb Select, St. Clair, TriCounty, Lapeer Select, Troy/UFC, Livonia Girls, Anchor Bay, Union.
League Affiliations
- ECNL Boys — member club (U13-U19) (HIGH)
- ECNL Girls — transitioning from GA; David Robertson now titled “ECNL Girls Director” (MEDIUM — status may be in flux)
- Girls Academy — historically the primary girls pathway; transition to ECNL Girls may be in progress
- ECNL Regional League — both “Nationals SC” and “Nationals SC - Capital Area” in Greater Michigan Alliance
- MSPSP / GLPL — state competitive level
- MYSL — regional competitive
The GA-to-ECNL Girls transition status needs verification. The club historically was Girls Academy, but David Robertson's title change and SoccerWire profile suggest a shift.
Facilities
| Facility | Location | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Sportsplex | Lansing, MI | ”Brand-new, state-of-the-art indoor facility”; announced Dec 2025 opening | UNVERIFIED — no public confirmation of 134K sqft size, $13M cost, or completion |
| Hope Sports Complex | 5801 Aurelius Rd, Lansing | 47-acre outdoor complex with lit turf stadium | Active — Capital Area operations |
| Premier Sports Complex | Shelby Twp / Pontiac | Used by Boys Academy | Active |
Capital Sportsplex details (134K sqft, 97/sqft is well below industry norms (336/sqft), suggesting pre-engineered building, warehouse conversion, or phased construction. No Google Maps listing found.
Leadership
| Person | Role | Ownership | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gronthik Chatterjee | CEO/Founder | 30% | U of Michigan; USSF “A” License; co-founded Waza FC East |
| Valentino “Tino” Scicluna | Operations | 20% | Former pro (Detroit Rockers, Mid-Michigan Bucks); Waza FC family |
| Jeremy Harkins | Leagues | 10% | Butler U D1; USSF “B” License; former PSG Nova/Gators DOC |
| Jeff Hodgson | Owner | 10% | Founded Michigan Gators FC (1999); Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Madonna University |
| David Robertson | ECNL Girls Director | N/A | Hired 2020 from Cincinnati; 100+ players guided to college |
Remaining 30% ownership not publicly identified.
College Placement
Strong track record — a core selling point of the club:
- 360+ seniors placed in collegiate soccer (cumulative, club site) (HIGH)
- 250+ college players in last 3 years (Twitter bio) (HIGH)
- 100+ players guided to college under David Robertson since 2020 (unionfcmacomb.com) (HIGH)
- #1 recruiting class in the country (2021) — 46 female players to collegiate soccer (TopDrawerSoccer) (HIGH)
- 20+ players received youth/full national team call-ups (USA, Mexico, Puerto Rico) (HIGH)
Notable Alumni:
| Name | Achievement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Carson Hodgson | Drafted by CF Montreal, 2024 MLS SuperDraft; Western Michigan University (22 games, 8G, 11A Fall 2023) | HIGH |
| Emily Matthews | U.S. Soccer U-18 WYNT call-up (London, 2019) | HIGH |
Competitive Position
Championships:
- 8 National Championships (HIGH)
- 4 Super Y National Championships (HIGH)
- 33 State Cup Championships (HIGH)
- 8 Regional Championships (HIGH)
- Girls Academy U14 National Title (2022, SoccerWire) (HIGH)
- First-ever GA Champions League overall club title (SoccerWire) (HIGH)
Rankings:
- Girls program ranked #3 nationally (SoccerWire Top 100, September 2022) (HIGH)
- Boys program ranked #22 (ECNL, 2022) (HIGH)
Rankings data from September 2022 -- may have shifted.
Strengths:
- Largest club in Michigan by player count and geographic reach
- Dual-pathway offering (ECNL Boys + Girls Academy/ECNL Girls) — rare in MI
- Proven growth-through-merger model (Waza, PSG, Troy SC, FC Union)
- Strong college placement pipeline
- USL League Two / W League pre-professional pathway (Union FC Macomb)
- Planned indoor facility (Capital Sportsplex) would be a physical moat
- Greater Michigan Alliance (ECNL RL) founding member — league operations lever
Weaknesses / Risks:
- EBITDA margin (14.2%) below industry achievable (25%+)
- Capital Sportsplex details unverified publicly
- GA-to-ECNL Girls transition creates uncertainty
- “Great Lakes Leagues LLC” entity not publicly verified
- Player count data may be stale (2022)
Market position: Claims ~1/3 of Michigan competitive travel soccer (U13-U19). With MSPSP tracking ~12,000 players and Nationals at 3,200+ competitive, this claim is plausible for the U13-U19 tier (MEDIUM). Total travel including younger ages may be higher, which would reduce the share.
Digital Presence
| Platform | Handle/URL | Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Website | nationalssoccer.com | Active |
| Facebook (main) | facebook.com/nationalssoccerclub | ~6,902 likes |
| Facebook (Union) | facebook.com/NationalsSoccerUnion/ | ~1,205 likes |
| X/Twitter | @SoccerNationals | Active |
| Union FC Macomb | unionfcmacomb.com | Active |
| SportsRecruits | Active boys and girls profiles | Recruiting |
| Hudl | fan.hudl.com (Shelby Twp) | Livestreams |
Community Involvement
Partners with: Fleece and Thank You, Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, Gleaners Food Bank, Michigan Blood, Special Olympics of Michigan.
SYNRGY Relevance
Nationals SC is a primary acquisition target for SYNRGY’s Michigan market entry. The club’s scale (4,700+ players, 15+ locations, 9-10 counties), elite league affiliations, proven merger integration track record, and planned facility investment align with SYNRGY’s buy-and-build thesis. The margin improvement opportunity (14.2% to 25%+) is a key value creation lever.
See michigan for full market context.
Open Questions
- Capital Sportsplex: Verify size, cost, construction status, and opening date from definitive internal sources
- League affiliation: Confirm current status — Girls Academy, ECNL Girls, or both/transitioning?
- Great Lakes Leagues LLC: What is the legal entity, and what is its relationship to ECNL RL / GMA? Revenue attribution?
- Current player count: Verify 2025-26 season registration (post-Troy SC and FC Union mergers)
- Ownership structure: Who holds the remaining 30%?
- Facility lease terms: What are the arrangements at Premier Sports Complex, Hope Sports Complex, and other training venues?
- Revenue breakdown: Club fees vs. league ops vs. facility vs. tournaments vs. other