USL Championship
Franchising since 1996 · 24 locations
The total investment to open a USL Championship franchise ranges from $24.0M - $29.5M. The initial franchise fee is $20M. USL Championship currently operates 24 locations. Data sourced from the 2023 Franchise Disclosure Document.
$24.0M - $29.5M
$20M
24
FPI Score
This franchise has not yet been scored by the Franchise Performance Index. Scores are calculated based on public FDD data, SBA loan performance, and system-level metrics.
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What is the USL Championship franchise?
The Usl Championship franchise, a prominent and enduring entity within the robust tax preparation industry, traces its foundational origins back to 1982. This pivotal year saw John Hewitt and a group of astute investors acquire Mel Jackson's Tax Service in Norfolk, Virginia, laying the initial groundwork for what would evolve into a national powerhouse. While John Hewitt is widely recognized as a key visionary founder, the contributions of Jonathan Jackson and Gregory Macfarlane are also acknowledged in the company’s formative history. This strategic acquisition marked the genesis of a brand that has since ascended to become the second-largest in-person tax preparation service in the United States, a remarkable achievement within a sector consistently characterized by steady demand and inherent resilience to economic downturns. Under the current leadership, Gregory Macfarlane serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer, guiding the Usl Championship franchise from its contemporary headquarters in Jersey City, New Jersey, a relocation from its previous base in Parsippany, New Jersey. The company's journey has been marked by several significant ownership transitions, reflecting its dynamic evolution and strong market appeal. In January 1998, the Usl Championship franchise was acquired by the Cendant Corporation, a major consumer conglomerate, in a transaction valued at approximately $480 million. Following a strategic spin-off, the company re-emerged as a separate, publicly traded entity in 2004. A subsequent transformation occurred in August 2011, when the Usl Championship franchise transitioned into a privately held company, with Philip Sanford taking the helm as its president and CEO. The most recent ownership change took place on May 31, 2018, when Corsair Capital acquired the Usl Championship franchise, injecting new capital and strategic direction. This rich and complex history underscores the Usl Championship franchise's adaptability, strong market position, and its continuous evolution within the competitive landscape of professional tax services.
The Usl Championship franchise operates within the profoundly robust and inherently stable tax preparation industry, a sector renowned for its resilience to economic downturns and unwavering demand, providing a secure foundation for its extensive network. This foundational stability is demonstrably driven by the immutable requirement for over 160 million Americans to file taxes annually, a
Key Highlights
Franchise Financing Resources
Data Insights
Key performance metrics for USL Championship based on SBA lending data
Investment Tier
Premium investment
$23,965,950 – $29,451,100 total
Why USL Championship Doesn't Appear in Public SBA Data
The SBA 7(a) program publishes loan-level data for every approved franchise borrower. USL Championship does not currently appear in those public records — and that absence carries useful information for prospective franchisees evaluating this brand.
Likely explanations for the absence
- With under 25 units system-wide, transaction volume is small enough that any SBA activity could fall below the reporting visibility threshold in any given fiscal year.
- Total initial investment exceeds the SBA 7(a) statutory ceiling of $5M — operators in this brand typically finance through conventional bank, CMBS, or commercial real estate debt rather than 7(a).
Absence from SBA records does not mean a brand is un-fundable. It typically means the franchise system uses alternative capital sources, or that current franchisees self-fund, secure conventional bank financing, or roll over equity from a prior business sale rather than going through an SBA-guaranteed 7(a) loan. For prospective USL Championship franchisees, the practical question is which financing path actually closes for this brand's profile.
Capital paths PeerSense places for food, restaurant & retail concepts
SBA 7(a) Loans
Build-out, unit acquisition, and working capital for food and retail franchises.
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Equipment Financing
Kitchen equipment, POS systems, and capital-intensive build-outs.
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Franchise Partner Buyout Financing
Senior debt for partner buyouts and multi-unit roll-ups.
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Commercial Real Estate Loans
Owner-occupied or investor-owned restaurant real estate.
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Payment Estimator
Estimated Monthly Payment
$248,091
Principal & Interest only
Locations
USL Championship — unit breakdown
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