Eastside FC
Overview
Eastside FC is a premier youth soccer club based in Preston, Washington (greater Seattle area), founded in 1970 — making it one of the oldest youth soccer clubs in the Pacific Northwest. The club has grown into one of the top youth soccer programs in the country, with 90+ competitive teams. In 2016, Eastside FC became an affiliate of Seattle Sounders FC, giving it unique positioning between the ECNL and MLS ecosystems.
Nonprofit: 501(c)(3), tax-exempt since August 1996. EIN: 91-1716475.
Financials
| Metric | FY2024 (990 filing) |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $3,985,914 |
| Total Expenses | $3,621,664 |
| Net Income | $364,250 |
| Total Assets | $5,218,571 |
| Total Liabilities | $2,048,912 |
| Net Assets | $3,169,659 |
Revenue Breakdown:
- Program services: $3,771,058 (94.6%)
- Contributions: $121,783 (3.1%)
- Investment income: $91,869 (2.3%)
Expense Breakdown:
- Other salaries/wages: $1,985,457 (54.8%)
- Executive compensation: $166,000 (4.6%)
Financial Assessment: Healthy operation with consistent profitability ($364K net income). Strong balance sheet — $3.2M net assets and $5.2M total assets. Salary expense at 55% of total is reasonable for a coaching-intensive business. (HIGH confidence)
Teams & Players
- 90+ competitive teams across all age groups
- Boys and girls programs
- Multiple state championships
- Strong track record of developing collegiate athletes, national team players, and professionals
League Affiliations
- ecnl — Boys and Girls (primary competitive pathway)
- ECNL-RL — Regional League teams
- RCL — Regional Club League
- Seattle Sounders FC affiliate (since 2016) — bridges ECNL and MLS ecosystems
Facilities
Primary facilities in Preston, WA (Issaquah area, east of Seattle). Club-operated training grounds.
Leadership
Executive compensation: $166,000 (FY2024). Specific leadership names not confirmed in current research.
College Placement
Strong track record of placing players in collegiate programs. Multiple players have gone on to U.S. Youth National Teams and professional careers.
Competitive Position
Eastside FC occupies a unique dual-affiliation position as both an ECNL member and a Sounders FC affiliate. This gives the club access to both the top independent pathway (ECNL) and the MLS ecosystem.
Strengths:
- 50+ years of history — deep community roots and brand loyalty
- Sounders FC affiliation — unique market positioning
- Strong financials — profitable, well-capitalized
- 90+ teams — significant scale
- $5.2M total assets indicate facility/infrastructure investment
Weaknesses:
- Sounders affiliation may create restrictions on future ownership/platform alignment
- Preston/Issaquah location is suburban — less central than Seattle
- Competes directly with Crossfire Premier for ECNL dominance
Industry Context
Eastside FC is one of the most financially stable independent ECNL clubs in the Pacific Northwest, with $364K in annual net income, $3.2M net assets, and a 50+ year operating history. The dual-affiliation model — ECNL national pathway plus Seattle Sounders FC affiliate status since 2016 — gives the club a positioning unusual among independent clubs: access to both the top independent girls/boys development pathway and the MLS ecosystem. Whether the Sounders affiliation includes ownership-change restrictions or competitive exclusivity clauses is an open structural question. The club’s Preston/Issaquah location is east of Seattle, competing with Crossfire Premier (Redmond) for ECNL dominance in the eastside Seattle corridor.
Open Questions
- Terms of the Sounders FC affiliation agreement — any ownership change restrictions?
- Who are the board members and key decision-makers?
- What is the facility ownership structure — owned vs. leased?
- Is the $2M in liabilities primarily facility-related debt?
- How does the Sounders affiliation affect player retention vs. Academy poaching?