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United States’ Top Regional Premier Leagues Agree To Create National Alliance

The Alliance of Regional Premier Leagues Will Serve to Establish Joint Minimum Operating Standards and Crown the National Amateur League Champion
Published Sep 19, 2022

LA MIRADA, CA (SEPTEMBER 19, 2022) – The Alliance of Regional Premier Leagues, a new coalition of the United States’ top amateur leagues, has convened and agreed to represent its members as one, unified force.

All Alliance members wish to cooperate to maintain and promote high-level amateur soccer, and each believes that forming the Alliance will benefit the leagues and all national amateur soccer competitions.

In accordance with its first objective, the Regional Premier Leagues have sent a letter to the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) offering to explore a tournament to determine the National Amateur League Champion.

Leadership from the 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 all signed the Regional Premier Leagues’ founding agreement.

“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,” said Eastern Premier Soccer League President Mo Sheta. “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

 

Alliance members will retain all current partnerships and sponsorships, and collaborate with USASA to strengthen relationships within the entire amateur structure.

“The Alliance is a vital next step for the regional leagues to achieve a stronger voice within U.S. Soccer and on the national soccer landscape,” said Southwest Premier League President Matt Morse. “Some regional leagues have been around so much longer than the professional leagues, and we want to harness that heritage and history to create a better future for amateur clubs and amateur athletes.”

Each potential new member applicant must be affiliated with an organizational member of US Soccer or sanctioned by US Soccer, and will be admitted upon a two-thirds (66.7 percent) affirmative vote.