Let’s start with the most important things first, how have things gone through this year and the pandemic?

Obviously, it’s been a very strange year in many ways, so people have to organize themselves a little differently this year and stay focused on things you can control and protect yourself. Try to keep your life as normal as you can in a very strange year. So, adjusting your mindset, both personal life and business-wise, was something that had to be thought about early on. And then, think on the fly all the time as you move forward and hopefully get back to normal times. Once we did that as a family, in business, and in soccer, it’s all worked out pretty good at the end of the day.

The NPSL decided early on to cancel the 2020 season, given what we’ve seen this year, still feel that was the right decision?

Absolutely, I think it was the right decision. There was a lot of thought, we didn’t do it knee-jerk, we thought about it, and we spoke about it for a while. It took us about 10 days to really think about all the aspects, because we didn’t know anything. We really didn’t know anything. We tried to look at all the outcomes, if we tried to push for a later start date or cancelling at that time. We looked at the pros and cons, the benefits and the risks, and we went to our board and said “this is the right thing to do.” The board backed that, were very supportive and agreed with that. We cancelled it and as it turned out, I think it was the right decision.

There was so much unknown and at the time we cancelled the season, people had started to spend money, getting ready for the season. It’s an expensive league, obviously, and we saved that. We said, let’s look at next year. Hopefully this is all over by then and we’ll see what we can do in the meantime. We thought there’d be an opportunity as far as expansion, which is extremely vibrant for us right now. We knew there’d be some contraction because this would kill some teams.

So we had to think about the projections for next year and we had to put ourselves into a position, once we’d closed the league, that we’d show strength, show financial viability, show vision for the future, and that we’d become a really good option for good ownership groups to come into. So we could keep moving forward and try to stay on track with our five year plan. It’s not that it got derailed, but that the wheels just slowed down. And we’re starting to speed them back up again. So, I think it’s been ok. It was a good decision [to cancel the season] that allowed us to focus on a lot of things moving forward. I think we’re going to be strong next year.

Was any thought given to doing a modified schedule or a showcase tournament in the fall?

We obviously created the Members Cup for the teams that went to NISA last year. We ran that in the fall, so we had that model already built out within the NPSL so it gave us a lot of flexibility. We thought about being able to pivot to summer if teams wanted to do it and if the states, cities and municipalities would allow teams to do it. We were able to pull one off - Erie, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Cleveland. We would have liked to do that all over the country, but it just wasn’t possible. We were going to take it on a case by case basis, to see what we could do. So we did that one and we would have liked to do more, but there are different rules in different parts of the country and some teams couldn’t step up to the plate to do it. We did one and we want to do more in the future, outside of the regular season.

The thought was definitely there. It was put out on our press release that we would if the environment was right and the teams wanted to do it. We did have interest in different parts, but when it came down to pulling the trigger, in certain parts of the country that thought they wanted to do it, instead they said “let’s just wait and look at it next season.”

Kenneth serves as the NPSL Chairman of the Board and also the Director of Football for the New Orleans Jesters.

When the season was cancelled there was some public complaint about how the refunds were processed (a percentage applied towards 2021’s league fees). From your perspective, does the league deserve criticism on that issue and where are your members on this issue now?

Well, you’re always going to be criticized one way or another, and that’s fine. You try and explain it as best as you can - again, it was a very well-thought-out process. One of the reasons we’re the top league at this level in the country is because of the thought, the management, the operational ability that goes into this league. Most of the teams in this league were supportive that we thought about striking a balance between the league moving forward - this is a member’s league, by the way - and being strong coming out of COVID and balancing the refunds to the teams.

If you think, as a team, that we are just about putting on 8 to 10 games in the summer and having a playoff system, then you should probably be in another league. We’re a year-round business and we’re there for the future of all the teams that are invested in the league, so we have to provide a good future for them. So, key personnel that help run this league needed to be kept in place and were kept busy. Obviously, it’s a bunch of different things - we did that Member’s Cup, we did the eNPSL, we kicked off the U-19 pilot league - we’re continuing to strive forward with our strategic plan for the future and we’ll be back to the Classic League (as we term it) next summer. So the teams that are invested, which I’d imagine are 90 percent of our teams, in the future of what this league is building and why it’s better - the best league out there at this level - they want us to do that.

So there will always be some criticism from people that don’t buy into that and think it might be an 8 game league in the summer, but it’s much, much, more than that. We struck that balance. We kept our minds open. We gave our first refund, credit towards next year for teams in good standing. When we looked at the projections for next year, we added another $500 to it. So we added one they didn’t expect was coming. It was tied to a commitment to next year’s season. And as I see the progression, going into next season, I will even consider more in the future, but I won’t back myself into a corner right now. Coming out of it, I think good members (and we have a lot of them) see that we’re very thoughtful, very business-minded, and taking care of their future interests.

During the pandemic, while most leagues were closed down, NISA announced the formation of NISA Nation. How does the league see that move?

Well, you can put out all the headlines you want, but you’ve got to build it and you’ve got to do it. What we’re focused on and what we’re interested in building is very strong ownership groups and a nationwide league that could eventually be a year-round league, with teams that can sustain it in the vacancy that is left in the market in the United States and we’re in an opportune time to do that. So NISA Nation? It’s fine, they can do what they want.

If I was looking at NISA, I’d be wondering why they aren’t focused on division III pro soccer, because that needs to become stable, it needs to become a viable other option to the USL, which seems to be very stable. I’d be looking to stabilize the professional side of it, just the outside looking in, but they probably know what they’re doing. It doesn’t need praise on it.

NISA also announced a series of relationships with regional amateur leagues this year, was the NPSL approached and would the league consider working with NISA?

We’ve been open to working with NISA from day one, they know that. But they have to prove to be a stable operation. We’ve got to understand what’s in the best interest of the NPSL. The next level or the next platform is that we produce great clubs that are ready for the next level, it’s something that we’re very interested in, the next level. I suppose, if they prove to be a viable business, we’re interested. We have spoken with them on multiple occasions and we continue to speak with them.

But, how do I say this carefully, we’ve got a long-term strategic plan, the next level is in our plans. If NISA proves to be that, then they’ve got to prove that they can be that.

In 2020, we’ve seen the rise of multiple regional leagues, including some superleagues, does the NPSL’s nation-wide model still work?

It’s great, what people want to do and what leagues they want to play in is great. The environment we create is about the most professional outside of professional league standards, obviously it comes down to D3. If a lot of leagues want to get together and do games, spend all their money on putting players on the field, great. We’re very interested in clubs that want to build businesses as well as put football teams on the field. That’s the difference that people have a hard time distinguishing between the NPSL and other leagues.

The way we’re moving, we’re becoming a very viable business for local teams in their towns and cities. That’s the game we’re providing and we provide very high-level soccer, as well. So we’re looking for people to invest in the league and see it as simply the best option to play at a very high level, represent their city, their town, their country, whatever it might be outside of professional league standards, and I think we do that better than anybody.

You mentioned expansion and retraction earlier, we saw Little Rock exit for the USL system just last month. How does the league view Little Rock’s exit?

Listen, congratulations, whatever they think is in their best interest moving forward. Obviously, the NPSL has been in a big partner in building their operation. If they’re moving up the ladder, I think it’s great. If they’re not moving up the ladder, I’d say why are you moving? But look, they’ve done a great job and, if it doesn’t work out for them, they know where we are and I wish them all the best. But we’re focusing on our product.

The USL does a really good job at selling themselves, let’s be honest about that. They’ve got great marketing, great front office, and all that sort of stuff, but they’re a different model than us. USL2 is a different model than the NPSL. But if you want to move to the next level, which it may be, this is the pathway. I don’t know the answer for Arkansas [Little Rock Rangers] but maybe they want to be a Division III team and think moving into USL2 is the best way to move into League 1. I really don’t know. There wasn’t a very really clear reason given to us why they jumped to USL, but I wish them the best. I wish them the best and we’ll stay focused on the people that are invested in this league.

Do YOU view USL 2 as the next step up? Or is that up to each club?

Well, USL 2 isn’t the next step up, but USL 1 is. That’s division III professional league standards. Other than that it isn’t a step up. Is it a different style of league? Yes, I think they use different players: very much college-dominated at the USL 2. We have a mix of college players, but very much the highest level players that come from people’s hometowns, that play in our league. Even though we look the very same, we’re different.

Again, we’re perfectly ok with them [Little Rock Rangers] if that’s what they’re interested in. We’ll be their best buddies. We’ve been friends and partners for a long time and if they ever feel they want to jump back into this league, we’ll take a serious look at that, too. That’s about all I can say about that.

When they announced their departure there were serious rumors about the NPSL barring their participation in the NISA Independent Cup. Any truth in that?

So, USASA had informed our league, and all teams that were participating in NISA, that they weren’t covered by the USASA insurance coverage, this is what I understand, if they played in a league against professional teams or run by a professional organization. Arkansas was just alerted to that, that our insurance didn’t cover them, because we go through USASA. So if they did it, they would be doing it independently. Whether NISA bought insurance to cover these players or not is the real question.

For us, it wasn’t an option, we just informed teams what we were informed. We did no more than that. If that was something that was put out there by Arkansas, that’s very weak. Because it is what it is. The insurance coverage wasn’t there.

So that same information was also passed to Cleveland and Buffalo, who did participate in the Independent Cup?

Yes. They were not covered by the NPSL, nor were they to wear the NPSL logos during those games.

So the NPSL did not bar any team from participating? Just informed them that they wouldn’t be covered by insurance?

We informed them about the insurance and that those teams would not be playing as NPSL teams in those competitions.

They could play in those competitions, they just weren’t NPSL teams. How could they be? We couldn’t cover them insurance-wise.

2020 has been a real reset for the soccer community as a whole. How do you feel about the strength of the NPSL currently?

Well, we’ve announced 4-5 teams and we’re looking very strong. The ownership groups that are looking at this league as a viable option, is as good as it’s ever been. I knew what the potential of this league is in the landscape of the United States and you have to stay strong and focused on it. We’ve built out a fantastic plan for the next five years. We’ve put in a great operational unit to run the leagues. We’ve got vision for the leagues. We’re overly concerned about the value of the clubs and continue to provide value to the individual clubs and their brands. It looks really, really strong for the future. I’m sure you’ll hear even more announcements in the next few weeks.

When you look at these ownership groups that are making the choice to come into this league, it’s really moving the league forward and it makes you feel good about the work being done, for all the teams in the league and all the members that are serious about their organizations, their brands, their teams. It will never be perfect, not at any level is it ever perfect. But we do work very hard to give as much as we can. I feel good about the future. The projections for next season in the classic league are good right now, if not more than good. We’re happy about that. We also know there will be some contraction in areas and we’ll live with that. But I think everyone is having a little bit of that. It’s not to the point that it’s going to affect us moving forward. Looking very strong going forward.