Alliance of Regional Premier Leagues Announced

In a big move announced today, a new partnership between a large group regional leagues has been created. The Alliance of Regional Premier Leagues is a coalition of leagues including Atlantic Coast Premier League, Cascadia Premier League, Eastern Premier Soccer League, Gulf Coast Premier League, Midwest Premier League, Mountain Premier League and Southwest Premier League. The goals of the new Alliance are to “serve to establish joint minimum operating standards and crown the national amateur league champion.”

In the press release from the Alliance, EPSL President Mo Sheta highlighted the motivation behind the move. “We want what's best for amateur players and young players looking to find their way up toward careers in the game. The Alliance of Regional Premier League creates a powerful advocating voice for that athlete. This is a historic moment for the game in the United States. The Alliance creates a bond at the amateur ranks that USASA and U.S. Soccer must recognize.”

KEY POINTS FROM THE AGREEMENT:

  • The Alliance serves to create joint minimum operating standards

  • The Alliance may determine a National Amateur League Champion

  • The Alliance is a voluntary association among the leagues

  • Each of the leagues will have one vote in any decision made by the Alliance

  • Any decision by the Alliance requires a two-thirds (66.7 percent) ‘yes’ vote

  • Alliance members agree to acknowledge designated territories

  • The Alliance can admit other leagues not operating in current territories

The Alliance is open to adding more member leagues as the press release mentions the method for adding such leagues. The focus on working together may yield fruit with potential additions, as the fractured nature of the lower league world leaves many operators disappointed.

How this new Alliance will interact with the established national amateur leagues, such as the UPSL and NPSL (and to a lesser extent NSL), remains to be seen. The goal of unity is a grand one, obviously, but the real world challenges of a crowded map may offer roadblocks that will have to be addressed. The veteran leadership of these leagues should offer perspectives useful to moving forward.

- Dan Vaughn