Century United
Overview
Century United of Pittsburgh Football Club is a youth soccer organization based in Jefferson Hills, PA (south of Pittsburgh), founded in 2002. 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 13-4210824), tax-exempt since May 2004. The club serves ~1,500 players across ~80 teams.
In 2006, Century United dedicated its “All Conditions Field,” the first synthetic grass soccer field in Pennsylvania owned by a private soccer club, built with assistance from the U.S. Soccer Foundation and NikeGO.
Financials
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Net Income | Total Assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | $2,582,087 | $2,683,006 | ($100,919) | $875,228 |
| FY2023 | $2,331,441 | $2,315,220 | $16,221 | $961,345 |
| FY2022 | $2,096,784 | $2,149,504 | ($52,720) | $944,934 |
| FY2021 | $1,935,834 | $1,915,680 | $20,154 | $1,119,980 |
| FY2020 | $1,893,831 | $1,759,151 | $134,680 | $1,184,025 |
Revenue source: 99.5% from program services. (HIGH)
Concerning trend: Operating at a loss in FY2024 (1.2M in 2020 to $875K in 2024). Revenue growth is modest but expenses are outpacing revenue.
Teams & Players
~80 teams, ~1,500 players. Programs: STARS (ages 3-8), Junior Academy (U8-U11), competitive teams through U19. Coed.
League Affiliations
- girls-academy (Girls)
- National League E64
- Great Lakes Conference
- PA West Presidents Cup
Facilities
- Century United Soccer Complex — Jefferson Hills; includes “All Conditions Field” (first private synthetic turf in PA, 2006)
- Cool Springs Sports Complex — Shared use
- North Park Sports Complex — Shared with beadling-sc
- United Performance Center
Leadership
- patrick-vereb — President
Competitive Position
- Strengths: Girls Academy membership, facility ownership (synthetic turf), large player base (1,500), south-of-Pittsburgh geography reduces overlap with Riverhounds.
- Weaknesses: Thin/negative margins, declining assets, no ECNL membership, limited national profile, 99.5% revenue dependency on program fees.
SYNRGY Relevance
Lower-priority target. Century United has scale (1,500 players, $2.6M revenue) but the financial profile is concerning — operating losses and declining assets suggest operational stress. The Girls Academy membership has value but the overall opportunity is less compelling than beadling-sc or pittsburgh-riverhounds.
Open Questions
- What is driving the cost overrun in FY2024?
- What is the condition and replacement timeline for the 2006 synthetic turf?
- Is the club exploring merger opportunities (similar to Beadling/SCS)?
- What are the facility lease vs ownership arrangements?