The growth of regional leagues, often working in tandem with other regionals, is a phenomenon that is rapidly changing how clubs consider potential homes. While the national amateur map is dominated by the UPSL and NPSL, with the NSL playing a smaller role, the rise of regional amateur leagues is carving up the map in new and exciting ways. In fact, many clubs are choosing to participate in multiple leagues, given the level of competition offered in more local and cost-effective options.

Next year, a new regional will join the growing list that dot the map, the Atlantic Coast Premier League (ACPL). The league will be based in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The ACPL will be working in partnership with the Gulf Coast Premier League to launch as a conference within their organizational umbrella, building upon what has already been established in the Southeast. Once the league is up and running, its season will run from May to July and focus on recruiting college, academy, and local talent. The ACPL is expected to soft launch a showcase tournament in 2023 with the initial group of clubs interested in the league. The first full season will begin in the summer of 2024. Currently the league has four clubs (yet to be revealed to the public), with several more in talks to join before 2024.

One of the primary drivers of this new league is Zac Hines. Zac is well known for his work with First Flight League, another smaller regional league in North Carolina. I asked him about his involvement in the new league. “I feel I have my hands in a lot of pots currently. I am still with the First Flight League, and it is my focus. I dedicated to building out that league and creating a platform for clubs to develop players in North Carolina. My work with the Atlantic Coast Premier League is more in helping it get off the ground. I believe a regional league is needed in the area and, in all my free time, wanted to lend my services to help it come to reality.”

Goldsboro Strike Eagles FC won the spring season in the First Flight League this season.

While Hines is one of the founding members, he’s not connected to a specific club. He’s part of “a handful of motivated individuals who have come together to create the ACPL. The majority of which are with clubs, I am an outlier as a club neutral representative.”

The main goal for the ACPL is “to create a regional league that embodies the same principles as the GCPL and FFL: affordable, sustainable, high level of play, and the development of players. The Southeast is a hotbed of the sport, yet it is one of the last areas of the map to get a regional league. We aim to fix that.” In that way, the league is similar to so many other regionals that are now operating. There’s a local need and a local league is popping up to fill that need.

It wouldn’t be an article by me if I didn’t ask about that great logo. Hines put together the initial concept and then it was “brought to reality by PNB Designs. We wanted to make sure the league logo captured the feel of the region with the magnolia flower, native to each state in the region, and then have a color palette that stands out when place alongside the other regional leagues.” Well done. For more information on the Atlantic Coast Premier League, check out their website.

- Dan Vaughn