Players Soccer Club
Overview
Las Vegas Sports Initiative (DBA Players Soccer Club), 501(c)(3), EIN 14-1901158. Founded 1989 — oldest competitive club in Las Vegas. Website: playerssc.com.
Independent club with no national brand affiliation. Also operates in Reno-Tahoe. Reports 0 employees (all 1099 contractors).
Financials
FY 2023 (990 filing):
- Revenue: ~$2,039,569 (HIGH)
- Expenses: ~$1,854,360 (HIGH)
- Net income: ~$185,209 (HIGH)
- Net assets: ~$915,500 (HIGH)
- Employees: 0 (all 1099 contractors) (HIGH)
Healthy margins (~9%) relative to peers. Lean cost structure with all-contractor workforce.
Teams & Players
Estimated 15-30 competitive teams, U6-U19 boys and girls. Exact count not confirmed.
League Affiliations
- MLS Next Academy Division (new 2025-26)
- USYS National League
Facilities
All public — Bettye Wilson, Heritage Park, Kellogg-Zaher, McCarran Park, Centennial Hills.
Leadership
- Saeed Bonabian — Founder/President (former professional player, 45+ years in soccer)
- Bryan De La Fuente — Coach (former Las Vegas Lights captain, 11-year pro, recent addition)
- James Moberg — Coach (UNLV Men’s assistant, former RSL development, recent addition)
College Placement
Notable alumni:
- Sterling Penniston-John (MLS, Houston Dynamo)
- Axel Uriostegui (RSL Academy, US/Mexico U15 national teams)
- Placements at UNC, UCLA, USD, BYU
Competitive Position
Strengths:
- Oldest club in Las Vegas (36 years) — deeply embedded in community
- Genuine professional alumni pipeline (MLS players, national team selections)
- Players College Showcase draws 500+ teams and 400+ college coaches — one of the first college showcase tournaments in the country
- Healthy financial margins (~9%)
- Lean, all-contractor cost structure
- Recent MLS Next Academy Division entry adds platform value
- Geographic reach into Reno-Tahoe
Weaknesses:
- Entirely founder-dependent on Saeed Bonabian (45-year veteran, no succession plan evident)
- No institutional backing or national brand affiliation
- 0 employees (all 1099) — workforce structure risk
- Subscale relative to LVSA and LV Heat Surf
- MLS Next Academy Division (not Homegrown) — lower tier
SYNRGY Relevance
HIGH priority acquisition target. Players SC is the most acquirable club in the Las Vegas market. Classic roll-up profile:
- Founder-dependent with no succession plan
- No institutional backing
- All 1099 workforce (no employee transition complexity)
- Real community trust, coaching talent, and established tournament asset
- MLS Next Academy status adds platform value
Combined with LVSA, would create the clear #1 competitive club in Las Vegas by every metric — 90-110+ teams, $11-12M revenue, geographic coverage from NW Las Vegas to Henderson to Central LV to Reno-Tahoe.
Open Questions
- What is Saeed Bonabian’s succession plan or appetite for sale?
- What are the exact terms of the 1099 contractor relationships?
- How many teams and players does the Reno-Tahoe operation serve?
- What is the economic model of the Players College Showcase?