Big news out of NISA as they continue to focus on building the foundation of what Commissioner John Prutch calls “the NISA pyramid.” NISA Nation will be “a full-year league providing amateur independent clubs a groundbreaking path to professional status.” The league is expected to serve as a path from the amateur leagues (including those leagues the league has signed agreements with) to professionalism and NISA. The league is expected to go live in 2021.

As described by a front office source, NISA Nation will serve as “an incubator” for clubs looking to make the jump to pro, but aren’t quite ready. While specific details are still scarce, the press release emphasized that the league would have more minimum requirements that most other amateur leagues - “the highest standards of any amateur league, requiring the same level of professionalism within the front office and on the pitch expected of NISA PRO clubs.”

The league has set up a page on the NISA website for clubs who might be interested in jumping into the league NISASoccer.com/NISA-Nation. A key aspect of that page is a club survey for interested clubs, which includes questions about home field and club expectations for NISA.

Those are the facts of the press release, but, consider for a moment, the implications of this announcement.

The most obvious impact is that it appears to challenge the current, established amateur leagues - NPSL and UPSL. In every communication Protagonist has had with NISA front office, it has been stressed that NISA has attempted to include those leagues but have been rebuffed. How member clubs from those leagues respond to this announcement will be interesting and telling about the current level of satisfaction. There have been lots of rumbles under the surface (always off the record, ALWAYS OFF THE RECORD) about the state of the NPSL. And while NISA has been very careful to not say the quiet part loud, the fact is that NISA Nation is a challenge to the NPSL.

Fans of strong, forceful front offices should be wary of this league. NISA has made it abundantly clear that the front office facilitates independent clubs (emphasis on INDEPENDENT) but doesn’t intervene without reason. For clubs coming from leagues with more aggressive front office involvement, this might be a turn off. However, for clubs that want more freedom and independence to grow, this may be a better route.

Overall, the announcement and formation of NISA Nation is a big deal, but the devil is in the details. Yes, it’s a potential bridge for amateur clubs to move into the developmental phase and transition to pro, but let’s see how things develop as we move closer to roll out. We just haven’t seen this before. And, of course, it’s early days, but we can hope, right? It appears to be another step by NISA showing their stated commitment to growing the game and developing the pyramid.

- Dan Vaughn