National Independent Soccer Association

Last updated

National Independent Soccer Association
NISA logo black 2022.png
FoundedJune 6, 2017;6 years ago (2017-06-06)
First season 2019–20
CountryUnited States
Confederation CONCACAF
(North American Football Union)
Number of teams9
Level on pyramid 3
Domestic cup(s) U.S. Open Cup
International cup(s) CONCACAF Champions Cup
(via U.S. Open Cup)
Current champions Flower City Union (1st title)
Most championships Detroit City FC (2 titles)
TV partners Eleven Sports
Website nisaofficial.com
Current: 2024 National Independent Soccer Association season

The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States. The league is in the third tier of American soccer and began play in 2019. [1] [2] [3] NISA initially used a fall-to-spring season format with a winter break but have switched to spring-to-fall which is more common in the United States. [4]

Contents

History

League beginnings

Original league logo (2017-2021) NISA logo color.png
Original league logo (2017–2021)

On June 6, 2017, it was announced that the newly formed National Independent Soccer Association would begin play in 2018 targeting an initial 8 to 10 teams, later revised to 8 to 12 teams. [5] Initially, the league outlined plans to introduce a promotion/relegation system, once they reach their goal of 24 teams, the first in US professional soccer and in doing so act as a feeder league to the North American Soccer League (NASL); [6] [7] however, the NASL ceased operations prior to those plans being implemented.

On February 13, 2018, NISA co-founder Jack Cummins died suddenly. [8] On May 17, 2018, NISA co-founder Peter Wilt left the NISA to help start up Forward Madison FC in Madison, Wisconsin in USL League One. [9] A committee of club owners has been formed to elect new leadership within the organization. [10]

Reorganization and start of play

On August 31, 2018, NISA filed an application with the United States Soccer Federation for sanctioning as a men's professional league, playing at the third division. [11] On February 16, 2019, NISA was provisionally sanctioned as a Division III league by the United States Soccer Federation. [12] In May 2019, it was announced that clubs were not happy with the silence from the league and that Bob Watkins was no longer the President of NISA and that John Prutch had taken the helm as commissioner. [3] During this same timeframe, the league's start date was pushed back from August 2019 to a targeted September start date. [3]

On June 10, 2019, it became known that both Miami FC and California United Strikers FC were approved at the recent board of governors meeting to join NISA, while the previously identified club in Central Florida would play in Baton Rouge, Louisiana instead of Daytona Beach, Florida. [13] However, it was unclear whether either of the teams would start before the league's September start date. [13] On June 27, 2019, it was announced that Oakland Roots SC would have their inaugural season with the league in the spring season, rather than the previously announced NPSL Founders Cup. [14] On August 15, 2019, the league officially announced the addition of Oakland Roots for the 2019 season and Chattanooga FC, Detroit City FC, and Michigan Stars FC for early 2020. [15]

The inaugural season began on August 31, 2019, with a 3–3 draw for Oakland Roots SC and California United Strikers FC in Oakland. [16] On April 27, 2020, following previous postponements, the remainder of the 2019–20 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [17]

On September 10, 2020, the league announced that one of the original co-founders of the league, Peter Wilt, would be rejoining the league in a club operations capacity by attempting to establish a club in Chicago. [18] On September 15, 2020, one of the founding teams, Oakland Roots, announced that they were leaving the league to join the USL Championship a league in the second division of professional soccer. [19]

Development of the amateur and semi-professional game

On April 27, 2020, NISA revealed a new tournament called the NISA Independent Cup that would have member teams face off against high quality amateur and independent professional sides in a regional format. [20] The tournament and 15 participating teams were announced on July 1. [21]

NISA announced its first affiliation agreement with the Gulf Coast Premier League, a USASA affiliated amateur league based in the gulf coast of the United States, on August 13, 2020. [22] [23] The partnership is set to provide a pathway to professional status for both clubs and players, while also allowing two GCPL teams to qualify for future editions of the Independent Cup based on league play. This was expanded to include the Midwest Premier League and Eastern Premier Soccer League on September 3 and 4, 2020, respectively. [24] [25] On November 23, NISA announced a fourth agreement with the Mountain Premier League. [26]

On September 17, 2020, the league announced that it was establishing a full-year amateur league, the NISA Nation, that would serve as an incubator for amateur and semi-professional clubs that wish to move into NISA's professional league. [27] NISA stated that this full-season amateur league and its previously announced league affiliations would serve as the foundation of a fully open professional to amateur pyramid in the United States. [28]

The league announced an "alliance" with semi-professional women's soccer league United Women's Soccer on January 28, 2021, [29] [30] with the target of launching a professional women's league in 2022. This proposed league would occupy the at the time vacant second tier of professional women's soccer in the United States. Many NISA clubs, including Detroit City FC, [31] [32] Michigan Stars FC, [33] and NJ Teamsterz FC [34] field or had announced fielding UWS and UWS2 teams. However, on March 20, 2021, it was reported that the alliance had broken down and the leagues had gone their separate ways.[ citation needed ]

Teams

Current

Team [35] CityStadiumCapacityFoundedFirst seasonHead coach
East Conference teams
Club de Lyon Daytona Beach, Florida Showalter Field NA20222023 Flag of Argentina.svg Hector Almandoz
Georgia Lions SC Conyers, Georgia Dalton Academy StadiumTBD20242024
Maryland Bobcats FC Boyds, Maryland Maryland SoccerPlex 4,00020162021 Flag of France.svg Alex Kao
Michigan Stars FC Washington, Michigan Barnabo Field 4,00019822020 Flag of Montenegro.svg Enis Dokovic
Savannah Clovers FC Savannah, Georgia Memorial Stadium [36] 5,00020162023 Flag of England.svg David Proctor
West Conference teams
Arizona Monsoon FC Phoenix, Arizona Matt O. Hanhila Field TBD20232024 Flag of Mexico.svg Carlos Padilla (interim)
Capo FC San Juan Capistrano, California JSerra Catholic High School TBD20062024
Irvine Zeta FC Irvine, California Championship Soccer Stadium 5,00020222024
Los Angeles Force Long Beach, California Veterans Memorial Stadium [37] 11,60020192019 Flag of Israel.svg Dekel Keinan
Clubs on hiatus
Albion San Diego San Diego, California Canyon Crest Academy Stadium 5,00020172019
Gold Star FC Livonia, Michigan Madonna Athletic Complex 5,00020222023 Flag of the United States.svg Alex Lubyansky
Future teams
Las Vegas Legends Paradise, Nevada TBD TBD20122025
Calabasas FC Thousand Oaks, California Moorpark High School [38] 1979TBD

Location map

Usa edcp location map.svg
Black pog.svg
Southern California
Locations of announced clubs
  • Red pog.svg 2023 club
  • Blue pog.svg Future club
  • Green pog.svg Club on hiatus
  • Black pog.svg See inset map
USA California Southern location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Capo FC
Blue pog.svg
Calabasas
Red pog.svg
Irvine Zetas
Locations of announced clubs
  • Red pog.svg 2023 club
  • Blue pog.svg Future club
  • Green pog.svg Club on hiatus

Former

TeamCityJoinedFinal seasonFate
Atlanta SC Alpharetta, Georgia Fall 2019Folded
Bay Cities FC Redwood City, California 20212022Folded
California United Strikers FC Irvine, California Fall 20192022On hiatus
Chattanooga FC Chattanooga, Tennessee 20202023Moved to MLS Next Pro
Chicago House AC Bridgeview, Illinois Fall 2021Moved to Midwest Premier League
Detroit City FC Hamtramck, Michigan Spring 2020Fall 2021Moved to USL Championship [39]
Flower City Union Rochester, New York
Auburn, New York
20222023Moved to National Premier Soccer League [40] [41]
Miami FC Miami, Florida Fall 2019Moved to USL Championship [42]
New Amsterdam FC Hempstead, New York 20202021On hiatus
New York Cosmos Uniondale, New York 2020On hiatus
Philadelphia Fury Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Fall 2019Folded
Oakland Roots SC Oakland, California Fall 2019Fall 2020Moved to USL Championship [43]
San Diego 1904 FC San Diego, California Fall 2019Fall 2021Merged with Albion SC San Diego [44]
Stumptown AC Matthews, North Carolina Fall 2019Fall 2021Folded
Syracuse Pulse Syracuse, New York 20212022Merged with Flower City Union and rebranded as Salt City Union
Valley United FC Mesa, Arizona 20202022Folded

Timeline

NISA NationLas Vegas LegendsNISA NationNational Premier Soccer LeageuCapo FCUSL League TwoNISA NationUnited Premier Soccer LeagueArizona Monsoon FCSavannah Clovers FCUnited Premier Soccer LeagueGold Star FCClub de Lyon FCNISA NationValley United FCUnited Premier Soccer LeagueNational Premier Soccer LeagueFlower City UnionBay Cities FCSyracuse PulseMidwest Premier LeagueChicago House ACMaryland Bobcats FCNational Premier Soccer LeageuUnited Premier Soccer LeagueNew York Cosmos (2010)National Premier Soccer LeageuNew Amsterdam FCMichigan Stars FCNational Premier Soccer LeageuUSL ChampionshipDetroit City FCNational Premier Soccer LeageuMSL Next ProChattanooga FCNational Premier Soccer LeagueStumptown ACAlbion San DiegoSan Diego 1904 FCPhiladelphia FuryUSL ChampionshipOakland Roots SCUSL ChampionshipMiami FCNational Premier Soccer LeagueLos Angeles ForceCalifornia United Strikers FCUnited Premier Soccer LeagueAtlanta SCNational Premier Soccer LeagueNational Independent Soccer Association

Champions

Teams that no longer participate in the National Independent Soccer Association are in italics.

TeamChampionshipsYear(s)Runners-upYear(s)NISA
seasons
Detroit City FC 2 2020–21, 2021 2
Michigan Stars 1 2022 1 2023 4
Flower City Union 1 2023 2
Albion San Diego 1 2022 4.5
California United Strikers FC 1 2021 3.5
Los Angeles Force 1 2020–21 4.5

NISA Finals results

SeasonChampionsScoreRunner UpVenueAttendanceDate
2019–20 Season abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Detroit City FC 1–0 Los Angeles Force Keyworth Stadium 7,231July 3, 2021 [45] [46]
2021 Detroit City FC N/A California United Strikers FC Season champion determined by final table results
2022 Michigan Stars FC 1–0 Albion San Diego Romeo Stadium 1,178November 6, 2022
2023 Flower City Union 1–0 Michigan Stars FC Romeo Stadium November 11, 2023

NISA Independent Cup Champions

YearGreat LakesMidwestCentral Plains/South CentralSoutheastSouthernFloridaMid-AtlanticNew England/NortheastEmpirePacificSouthwestWest CoastSoCal
2020 Detroit City FC N/A Gaffa FC (GCPL) Chattanooga FC N/A Maryland Bobcats FC (NPSL)N/AN/A
2021 Detroit City FC Milwaukee Torrent (NPSL) Louisiana Krewe FC (GCPL) Chattanooga FC Maryland Bobcats FC Lansdowne Yonkers FC (EPSL)N/A PDX FC (USL2) California United Strikers FC Los Angeles Force
2022 Michigan Stars FC N/AN/A Chattanooga FC Maryland Bobcats FC Flower City Union Syracuse Pulse Wenatchee All-Stars FC (Cascadia Premier League)Valley FC Raiders (NISA Nation) Los Angeles Force ASC San Diego
2023 Michigan Stars FC Gold Star FC Chattanooga FC Savannah Clovers FC Club de Lyon Maryland Bobcats FC Flower City Union N/A Los Angeles Force N/A ASC San Diego

NISA Nation and affiliates

In addition to its professional division, NISA operates a full-season amateur league called NISA Nation. NISA's stated long-term goal is to have promotion and relegation between the professional division and NISA Nation, as well as between NISA Nation and seven affiliated regional leagues. Some of those affiliated leagues have entered into promotion and relegation agreements with other leagues, and so a pyramid can be constructed with NISA's Division III professional league at the top.[ citation needed ]

See also

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">United States soccer league system</span> Series of professional and amateur soccer leagues

    The United States soccer league system is a series of professional and amateur soccer leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. Sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, teams and leagues are not linked by the system of promotion and relegation typical in soccer elsewhere. Instead, the United States Soccer Federation defines professional leagues in three levels, called divisions, with all other leagues sanctioned by the USSF not having an official designated level or division.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit City FC</span> Professional American soccer club

    Detroit City FC (DCFC) is an American professional soccer club based in Detroit, Michigan, that competes in the USL Championship. The club played in the National Premier Soccer League from 2012 to 2019 and the National Independent Soccer Association in 2020 and 2021. Detroit City plays its home matches at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, an enclave of Detroit.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf Coast Premier League</span> Soccer league

    The Gulf Coast Premier League (GCPL) is a United States Adult Soccer Association affiliated Amateur Elite League that includes teams from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The regular season of the GCPL runs May through July. On August 13, 2020, it was announced that the GCPL would be the first "amateur league affiliation" of the National Independent Soccer Association after Gaffa FC and Louisiana Krewe FC competed in the NISA 2020 Independent Cup.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland Roots SC</span> American professional soccer team

    Oakland Roots Sports Club is an American professional soccer team based in Oakland, California. The club was formed in 2018 by a group of Oakland natives, and began play in the National Independent Soccer Association in the fall of 2019. In 2021, the club joined the second division USL Championship.

    The 2019–20 NISA season was the inaugural season of the National Independent Soccer Association's third-division soccer competition. The regular season was split into two halves, fall and spring, with playoffs at the end. The fall season, named "NISA Showcase", featured seven teams, with the East and West champions earning berths into the 2020 playoffs. The spring season featured eight teams, and switches to a single table format, the top 3 teams joining California United Strikers in the playoffs.

    The 2019–20 season was Detroit City FC's first professional season since the club was established in 2012 and their first in the National Independent Soccer Association.

    The 2019–20 San Diego 1904 FC season was the club's first ever and its first in the newly created National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), a newly established third division soccer league in the United States.

    The 2019–20 Oakland Roots SC season was the club's first ever and its first in the newly created National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), a newly established third division soccer league in the United States.

    The 2019–20 Chattanooga FC season was the club's first season playing in the National Independent Soccer Association, a newly established third division soccer league in the United States, and first professional season since being established in 2009.

    The 2019–20 Michigan Stars FC season was the club's first season playing in the National Independent Soccer Association, a newly established third division soccer league in the United States, and first professional season.

    The 2020–21 NISA season was the second season of the National Independent Soccer Association's third-division soccer competition. The regular season was split into two halves, Fall and Spring, with playoffs at the end of each, and a Championship Match that had the Fall champion host the Spring champion. This season also saw the introduction of a new cup competition, the NISA Independent Cup, that features independent clubs from various professional and semi-professional leagues across the United States.

    The 2020–21 season was Detroit City FC's second professional season since the club was established in 2012 and their first full season in the National Independent Soccer Association.

    The 2020–21 New York Cosmos season was the new Cosmos' sixth season of professional play and first playing in the National Independent Soccer Association. Including the previous franchise, it was the 20th season of a club entitled New York Cosmos playing professional soccer in the New York metropolitan area.

    The 2020–21 Chattanooga FC season was the club's second professional season playing in the National Independent Soccer Association, its first full season in NISA, and 13th overall since being established in 2009.

    The 2020–21 Oakland Roots SC season was the club's second in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) and second overall.

    The 2020–21 New Amsterdam FC season was the club's first professional season and its first in the National Independent Soccer Association.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Valley United FC</span> Football club

    Valley United FC was an American professional soccer club based in Phoenix, Arizona that played in the National Independent Soccer Association, in the 3rd tier of the US soccer pyramid, from 2022.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Syracuse Pulse</span> Football club

    Syracuse Pulse, initially AC Syracuse Pulse, was an American professional soccer club based in Syracuse, New York. The Pulse fielded a men's team in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), the third tier of the US soccer pyramid, during the 2022 season before merging with the Flower City Union.

    Jimmy Filerman is an American soccer player who plays as a defender for Maryland Bobcats, in the National Independent Soccer Association.

    Ryan Peterson is an American professional soccer player who plays for the Charlotte Independence in USL League One.

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