How To Start An Indoor Soccer Facility: Start Up Cost, Business Plan

Sports

Indoor Soccer Facility

Geographic Location

Start by looking at what the requirements are and analyze your local area, your geographic location is vital at the first stages of this business. Parents are busy enough as it is these days driving their kids to after school activities and sports. Renting space in a town or city will clearly cost you more than on the outskirts, but, if you place yourself too far away from your audience will they be willing to drive the distance for your indoor facility? There is much to decide with this business so market research is the best way forward so you can be sure that your location and your building suit the needs of your audience. There is little point starting this business if your local area provides a public soccer field already.

So, where do you start, drive around your local area and the outskirts and see what derelict buildings are around, can you find the registered owner and propose a deal. Contact your local state and see what buildings they have on offer which can either be bought or rented. An old building, warehouse or perhaps a former circuit or even an old school which has enough land for your business, all offer great potential. You could also consider a steel fabric building which are bright and airy and offer everything you need and some! You could even consider buying or renting some land and with planning permissions in place you could construct your own for a reasonable investment. Go and search for steel fabric buildings contractors and check out their prices vs renovating an existing building.

Your facility needs to give you flexibility for growth so you can offer further sports in the future: baseball batting cages, tennis, basketball, lacrosse and a fitness gym, all of which can have monthly memberships at varying prices.

Once you have decided where your business is going to be you need to start planning your interior design, there are many companies out there who specialize in indoor sports facility solutions and will customize floor plans so you can efficiently optimize your space for profitability and functionality.

Finances

If you are lucky enough to have your own money to start this project then this part won't really apply to you, however, we assume that most of you will need to raise some capital to get this venture off the ground. If you have collateral then you can go to your bank, produce your business plan along with a high level of documentation and planning. Provide an in depth history of your finances and past business experience. Remember with the commercial banks there are regulations and protocol which must be adhered to. You may need to provide a guarantee to back up the money.

A private investor is also another way of financing this project and you may find someone who has passion for your business and can see your vision a lot better than a commercial bank. You will also have to provide a well documented business plan for an investor but at least you will be dealing with a human who isn't just ticking boxes but actually looking at you as a person and the business model in front of them. Banks do not have the luxury of the more personal approach.

The final choice would be to look for a real estate partner, someone who already owns the building that you want to use, or you could work with a real estate partner who is a developer and secure a facility together, this way your building is financed and secure and now all you need to do is plan the interior, buy the equipment and fund operations.

Start with a solid business plan and maybe a combination of all three suggestions is a workable option for you, just make sure all your contracts are passed through a good lawyer so you are covered for any un-forseen problems in the future.

Soccer Facility Equipment

It is now time to get on the phone and find out the best deals available to you and secure an agreement with a company who can provide everything you need and deliver to your door, below is an idea of some of the equipment you will need to be purchasing or renting.

Locker rooms
Commentary box
Computers and technology for staff
Desks and furniture
First aid stand
Fire alarm systems
Multimedia systems
Netting
Public address system
Signage
Synthetic pitch
Turf
Weight and fitness machines

An indoor facility is far different to outdoor so there are specialized gear available for players. There are also balls specifically designed for fast pace soccer and futsal, goalkeeper gloves that can withstand the demands of playing on turf or hardwood. The demands of play on indoor surfaces require apparel with more durability. Unforgiving surfaces and a faster game require players to wear a combination of protective clothing, such as padded pants, shirts and shorts. There is also essential head gear available for those players who wish to use it.

Insurance

You will not want to run a business of this magnitude without proper commercial insurance. There are many companies offering insurance for sports so do your homework and make sure your policies cover the named insurer, employees, volunteers and participants. Your coverage will also need to protect against bodily harm injuries, property damage and the litigation costs of any claims. Accidental and medical coverage is also a good option for participants.

Be specific where insurance is concerned, talk to other sports facilities near you and ask what they have insured and if there is anything important you need to know about, perhaps there are optional extras you can buy which offer you more protection and cover. Will you be having off-site activities or inflatable games and other events, if so, then this would be extra coverage and would not come with a standard policy.

Staffing

In your business plan you should have included the need for staff, there is no way you can run this type of business by yourself! Your budget for staff requirements will include salaries for key staff members and then you need to look at cleaners, a facility manager, technicians, administrators and a security team. You will also need to consider staff training expenses so your staff can perform to their maximum potential.

Promotion and Marketing

Right from the word go you should have had some idea of what pricing structures were going into place and what amount of membership you were aiming at, now is the time to put this into practice and start building your facility membership. Contact your local schools, clubs, universities and promote your facility in any way you can, maybe they have monthly newsletters or meet and greet groups where you can advertise yourself.

Print and distribute flyers to local businesses and stick your advert in the local yellow pages or similar publications. If there are some local charities around approach them and see if they want to hold an event in your building which will help promote awareness and get the space used and busy for the initial opening period. Host an opening party and provide free drinks or food.

Sources of Income

Audience ticket sales

Memberships

Rental of facility for events: meetings, children's parties, concerts etc)

Rental rates

Equipment and accessories

Soccer parties

Summer camps

Training sessions

Suggested Fees

Annual Membership: $40

Team Sessions: $700

Rental Fee: $55 per hour for members

Rental Fee: $80 per hour for non members

Skill Clinic Fees: $80 (per week)

Skill Clinic Fees: $400 (per week) for groups