GotSoccer’s 11th Annual Conference
With a look at GotSoccer’s extensive reach, here is a recap of the 11th Annual GotSoccer Winter Convention held in Neptune Beach, Florida.
GotSoccer has helped youth soccer grow in America. Whether as the backbone for youth soccer tournaments — 87 % of all soccer tournaments in the USA are scheduled by GotSoccer or as a registration platform — the software has over 6 million players registered annually, this company has helped the world’s favorite sport reach all across the country. More than one million soccer coaches and team managers have an account with GotSoccer. Even the GotSoccer website has a huge reach with over 19.7 million unique visitors.
Organizing the game of soccer all across America, 2,000 leagues and tournaments register over 700,000 teams and 166,000 referees on GotSoccer.
In fact, as the #1 youth soccer tournament software, more than 250,000 teams competed in competitions managed by GotSoccer in 2019.
Fun Fact: Did you know that there are more possible schedules for a 12 team league than there are atoms in the entire known universe?
Read: GOTSOCCER’S GAVIN OWEN-THOMAS ON WHY CREATE NEW SOFTWARE
Working with the broadest range of organizations, from the grassroots to elite professional leagues, GotSoccer has an international client base and is an unusual technology company. It is independently owned and has not used venture capital to finance its software.
Owned by Gavin Owen-Thomas, GotSoccer keeps its market edge by being highly responsive to the market and innovative — as well as creating a sense of longterm partnership with its clients. And, Owen-Thomas values what is an often forgotten business attribute; loyalty.
Among GotSoccer’s newest contracts in the hotly contested American youth soccer registration landscape are Alaska Youth Soccer Association which just signed a 3-year registration deal as well as Maryland State Youth Soccer Association, Delaware Youth Soccer, Eastern Pennsylvania Soccer Association, Alabama Soccer Association, Soccer Rhode Island, and Arizona Soccer Association.
New Hampshire Soccer Association also has renewed their GotSoccer
partnership for another 5 years and according to GotSoccer, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Vermont, Wyoming, North Texas, and South Texas are among the U.S. Youth Soccer (USYS) state associations harnessing the power of their system for player registration. Some of these states are long time customers who first joined GotSoccer in 2009 and 2010.
GotSoccer has an estimated 53% of the USYS State Market.
With an estimated 53% of the USYS state market, plus upcoming announcements of additional states signing contracts, GotSoccer’s share of the landscape is constantly expanding.
Every year, GotSoccer holds an annual conference — which is more of a celebration than a seminar.
With an array of guests at the 2019 GotSoccer Convention including Charlie Stilitano, the Executive Chairman of Relevent Sports, the company that hosts the International Champions Cup and Jeff Mostyn, the Chairman of the A.F.C. Bournemouth — the professional team that rose to the English Premier League from the bowels of bankruptcy, these events are among the best in soccer.
How are the GotSoccer events different? What made the recent event remarkable was not just the highly prestigious list of speakers which also included Robert Pires, the recently retired 1998 FIFA World Cup winner, James Murray, AC Milan‘s Chief of Staff, Lynn Berling-Manuel, CEO of United Soccer Coaches, Paul Beirne, former President of the Canadian Premier League, Jacco Swart, Managing Director of European Leagues / CEO of Dutch Eredivisie and even the legendary goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar, the CEO of Dutch champs Ajax FC who made a special personal digital appearance … it was how amazingly relaxed everyone was.
This was a meeting of colleagues, friends, and mentors that welcomed newcomers — this was not an event with a series of sales presentations punctuated by a headliner who was clearly paid to speak.
Closer to a well-organized gathering, it is as if Owen-Thomas invited the most interesting people in his contact list to come to Florida to chat on stage — and his staff invited their current and potential customers to attend.
The environment was warm and friendly — with insightful information, insider talk and lots of laughs.
When Peter Walton, the former General Manager of the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) who introduced VAR in the MLS in 2016 explained the success and obstacles that had to be overcome from a referee’s unique standpoint, his reflections were complete with recalling how Owen-Thomas called him in the middle of referring a match to complain about a decision.
The multi-day event offered presentations of the newly redesigned GotSoccer / GotSport platform. The attendees included international professional soccer leagues, as well as an impressive turn out of US Adult Soccer (USASA), US Youth State Associations (USYS) and sports companies.
At GotSoccer’s 11th Annual Conference, the organization’s reach was evident and clear — as was the speakers and attendees’ shared passion for the game.
Read: GOTSOCCER KICKS OFF GOT SPORTS – NEW & TESTED TECHNOLOGY
GotPro’s International Professional Clients include Ligue 1 & 2 in France, Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol in Brazil (Seria A- Serie D), CONMEBOL, Major League Baseball, Chinese Basketball Association, Super Netball Australia, National Basketball League in Australia, Major League Soccer (MLS), USL (2nd division in USA), Scottish Premier League (4 divisions), Welsh Premier League, Ekstraklasa in Poland, Major League Lacrosse, Major League Rugby, Cricket Australia A-League and W-League in Australia, UNAFUT in Costa Rica, Thai League (4 divisions), Kenyan Premier League, Indian Super League, KOVO (Korean Volleyball League), Saudi Professional League, Greek Superliga, Botswana Premier League, Superliga Argentina, Canadian Premier League, and South African Rugby.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on 3/4/20 to include the USYS states of Alaska and New Hampshire signing contracts and on 2/19/20 to include the addition of Vermont.
