Admit it – you’ve been getting excited about pyramids lately.

Me too.

When the Eastern Premier Soccer League (EPSL) announced its arrival, with the Cosmopolitan Soccer League and Maryland Majors coming together to create a super-regional league with promotion/relegation, the lower league soccer nerds went crazy. And then when NISA and the EPSL formalized a working agreement, people started using that ‘p’ word.

But lost in all of this giddiness was the fact that another super-regional league had already made plans more than a year ago. The Northeast Elite Soccer League, formed by amateur clubs in USASA Region I (Maine to Virginia, essentially), began its journey in 2018 and will now come to its full fruition this fall. The six amateur sides taking part will play in a Champions League-style schedule, playing games every couple of weeks while still competing in their respective local leagues.

So why should we care about NESL?

Does it have promotion/relegation? Not really.

Yes, the league is looking to add more teams over time from the current six. But in talking with people involved with the league, they made a simple point: why have promotion/relegation when there is nowhere to get promoted up from NESL? Not to mention, how many amateur clubs have the financial means to get “promoted” in the current climate to a professional league like NISA (let’s not even try to venture into the waters of USL)? Until an actual system is in place that can help out amateur clubs make that leap - and let’s take a wait and see the approach with NISA Nation – the financial burden of “going pro” is a daunting one.

Is there prize money? None. Zero.

These are clubs that have gotten together for the simple and novel idea of playing for the competition. Like-minded clubs looking to push themselves on the field. And honestly, isn’t that why we watch sports, to see individuals and teams stepping up to the challenge to see who is better? The Super League (which is what the league has branded this competition) will have a cup, so there is a physical prize going to the winner.

The reason that we in the lower soccer league universe should be paying attention is because of the clubs that have made the decision to participate. In USASA Region I, and even outside of the region, this is a collection of teams that have impressive resumes:

Christos FC (Baltimore, Maryland; 7-time Maryland Majors champion)

FC Motown (Morristown, New Jersey; current New Jersey State Cup champion)

Jackson Lions FC (Jackson, New Jersey; 2019 New Jersey State Cup winner)

Safira FC (Lowell, Massachusetts; 4-time US Futsal National Champions)

Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Warminster, Pennsylvania; historic soccer club formed in the 1930s)

West Chester United (West Chester, Pennsylvania; formed in 1976, competing in USL2, NPSL and USL of PA)

This weekend’s opening match has Jackson Lions FC making the trip from Jersey over to Pennsylvania to take on West Chester United this Saturday night starting at 7PM ET. The game will be streamed on Mycujoo. Here’s how the rest of the schedule looks:

10/3

FC Motown v Safira FC

Vereinigung Erzgebirge v Christos FC

10/17

Jackson Lions FC v Vereinigung Erzgebirge

Christos FC v FC Motown

Safira FC v West Chester United

10/31

Jackson Lions FC v Christos FC

Vereinigung Erzgebirge v Safira FC

FC Motown v West Chester United

11/14

Christos FC v West Chester United

Vereinigung Erzgebirge v FC Motown

Safira FC v Jackson Lions FC

11/28

West Chester United v Vereinigung Erzgebirge

Christos v Safira FC

Jackson Lions FC v FC Motown

- John Howard-Fusco