REV 2026: Player Retention
Top Challenges & How to Overcome Them
Player Retention is one of the most important factors to a club’s success. But how do you figure out the reasons why some players stay and others leave so that you can address the real issues? Take a look at some of the top takeaways from this data-driven analysis of Player Retention.
Top 5 Challenges with Player Retention
By analyzing data from its platform serving hundreds of clubs across the US, Sprocket Sports was able to identify specific situations when player retention lags the norm:
Coaches new to the club
Players new to the club
Players who live far away from the club’s facilities (more than 10-20 minutes)
Players on teams with sub-optimal roster sizes (i.e. too big)
“California soccer” – hyper fluid markets (i.e. lots of club hopping) with no migration rules
Top 6 Insights from Parent Survey Comments Analysis
Adam Kuhn of Satori works with soccer clubs across the country to help measure and improve the player experience and boost player retention.
Now for the first time, Satori analyzed over 16,000 comments from its parent surveys across more than 40 clubs nationwide to pull out the most impactful factors driving player experience and player retention. Taking a deep dive and leveraging AI-assisted sentiment analysis, he summarized his top insights:
Coaching Quality is the #1 Driver of Both Loyalty and Frustration
Playing Time Transparency is a Critical Trust Factor
Team Placement Decisions Need More Transparency and Explanation
Promoters Aren’t Done Giving Feedback – They Want to Help Your Club Improve – these families are your culture carriers. Empower and learn from them.
Supplemental Skills Development Programs Are in High Demand Across All Groups
Logistics Frustrations Are the Silent Satisfaction Killer – annoyances with scheduling, travel, etc. can erode loyalty over time.
For the full discussion of what these insights mean and how to address them, be sure to watch the full session recording featuring Adam Kuhn and Skye Eddy! If you'd like a copy of Adam's slide deck, reach out to Sprocket at hello@sprocketsports.com.