"A Leap in the Dark"

Last week, NPSL announced a new season, split between the spring and fall. This season won’t replace the existing summer league, but would be an addition and all clubs that planned to participate in the new season would be required to also participate in the traditional NPSL summer league. The logic behind this expansion, according to NPSL Chairman Kenny Farrell, is that “a longer season will provide more opportunities for our players, while teams will benefit from a year-round presence in their market.” Other reporters have done a great job reporting on this new season and, if you aren’t up on the details, I’d refer you to this Midfield Press’ article.

Rather than repeat the league talking points that you can read in every other article about this move, I’m going to instead try to take the mile-up point of view on what this move actually means. Some basic questions came to mind as soon as I heard the announcement and I’d like to discuss those rather than repeat the carefully-crafted talking points that the league is distributing. I don’t think the league is lying or candy-coating things, I think they are painting this in the best possible light, like EVERY organization would. So let’s jump in with both feet.

Appearances May Be Deceiving

Oh, what could have been.

We all know how the Founders Cup fell apart. It seemed half-baked and reactionary from the start and things began crumbling before the ink had dried on the announcement. There was the issue of minimum standards and what clubs could actually afford to be involved. Then, clubs began dropping out before a schedule was even constructed. Then, the issue of insurance (or the lack thereof) reared its head and finished the thing off. It was a black eye for the league and felt the entire thing felt rushed.

What I didn’t know was that the NPSL held off on announcing this new Spring/Fall league BECAUSE of the Founders Cup, in an effort to give the fledgling pro league a chance to shine on its own. In fact, Farrell feels this delay directly led to the departure of certain big name, former NPSL clubs. “We held off on releasing this league because we were trying to get the Founders Cup off the ground. That may or may not have hurt us a bit because some of the teams had decided they needed to play year round and moved to NISA. Had the league been in place, announced in June like we wanted to, we may not have lost those teams. If we had this organized last year, there would have been no need to go to NISA. But then again, maybe they truly want professional players. It’s up to them on what they want.”

That statement is shocking to me because it REALLY emphasizes how unready the Founders Cup was. This Spring/Fall league may feel rushed and reactionary, but it may be nothing more than on pace with the general movement in grassroots soccer. Rather than a reaction to NISA’s rollout or UPSL’s dual season approach, the NPSL may have been on pace with these other leagues but behind closed doors. However, only now did it come into the public’s awareness. If so, good on them for running that tight of a ship.

But what is 100% clear, Founders Cup was a trainwreck from day one. And it was a damn shame. I can only hope that, no matter what this league ends up being, it has been well-thought out and planned.

Seemingly Obvious Concerns

I do worry about the dilution of what a “NPSL championship” means. It might be my biggest complaint against the UPSL model and it applies to this new NPSL model as well. No matter what the league says, one of these championships will grow to dwarf the other, especially considering one season is longer and requires an opt-in that will only be feasible for the larger and better-funded clubs. When I spoke with Farrell, his first response was that “we just don’t know yet” if one championship would top the other, but that “when they are playing the games, it won’t matter to anyone [meaning the players].” And while he called the traditional summer season the “golden child,” he emphasized that this whole move was part of a process and that “to get to where we want to go, we have to be somewhat flexible and creative. We’re taking a leap in the dark.”

And the requirement that clubs participate in the summer season will certainly hurt some of these clubs’ chances in the longer season. Will we see clubs alternate rosters during the summer season to save their better players for the fall stretch run? Mitigating injuries and managing rosters will creep into managers’ minds because it’s an obvious factor they need to consider. I can see scenarios where a club could be leading the spring/fall season standings and then drop down during the summer season.

And while we’re on the question of rosters, we need to discuss the elephant in the room: college players. NCAA soccer season runs August to November. The NPSL has leaned heavily on college talent traditionally, because how else do you fill the rosters of over 100 grassroots clubs without young people willing to play for the benefits of development. So without this talent to fill rosters, what will that fall portion of the longer season look like when all those student-athletes return to their programs to prepare for their collegiate seasons. One side effect is that clubs will be incentivized to build balanced rosters, but amatuer or ex-pro talent willing to play for free is hard to come by. Considering the growth of the USL system and NISA, that pool of available talent is even shallower.

There isn’t an announced deadline for the spring/fall league, nor is there a branded name for this extended league. Both of these facts are a little troubling, particularly if Farrell is accurate about the planning timeline. The NPSL Chairman mentioned that the league was in the works for close to 5 years. And no one decided what to call the thing? Why not iron out the branding before the announcement so it all rolls out as a complete package? There may be a master plan in place, but, at this point, the logic isn’t obvious to me.

One common complaint against the current iteration of the NPSL is there are too many exemptions for clubs who can’t fulfill league minimum standards. According to the NPSL’s press release, standards will be raised for the spring/fall season. Some of those standards affected specifically highlighted include “stadia, staffing, budget, and referees.” To quote Farrell, “we’re not going to have teams just pushing bleachers up to the fields.” That will be welcome news to many owners who have complained both publicly and privately about clubs not achieving the standards. This requirement alone, if enforced as written, will eliminate many of the current NPSL sides. Long-term it will serve to bring everyone up to a certain level, but many teams may sense that their welcome is wearing thin. Will we see rifts grow between clubs who can afford the longer season and those that can only participate in the summer league?

A Fan First

When we started Protagonist, we decided early on to emphasize the positives in every story. And another, longer league is a good thing, without a doubt. I could have tried to write a glowing article about the exciting aspects of a new, longer NPSL season. But at this point in the site’s development, I am also confident we can speak the truth, even to a partner like the NPSL. There is, of course, a chance my fears are unfounded and everything turns out fine. And regardless of your perspective on me or my work, I promise you, that is my wish. But even Farrell has his own reservations about the unknown aspects of this move by the league. “We’ll see where it goes. We don’t know where this will be in two years. It may fail, I doubt that it will fail, I think it could be one of the most popular leagues in the country.” I hope so, too.

- Dan Vaughn

Bugeaters and Huddersfield Town AFC Enter Partnership Agreement

Bugeaters FC have never been accused of staying out of the spotlight, and this week the club has been making waves in the amateur game that may have far reaching implications. Having just announced that they were joining the Gulf Coast Premier League as the first club in the Great Plains Premier League Conference, the club has landed a partnership with a different type of Premier League - the English Premier League club, Huddersfield Town AFC.

Partnerships between international clubs and clubs in the United States have been seen before. MLS franchise FC Dallas has a partnership with FC Bayern München which has seen a few FCD players join the Bundesliga behemoths. At the amateur level, Chattanooga FC has a partnership with Wolfsburg while Detroit City FC has played friendlies against the likes of FC St. Pauli and Frosinone of the Italian Serie A. None of these partnerships though have the type of potential that Bugeaters’ deal with Huddersfield seems to possess.

Huddersfield rose to their position high up the English pyramid via the League One Promotion Playoffs in 2012 and then, following the appointment of German-American David Wagner in 2015, they reached the summit in 2017. The team had not had an influx of cash, or a mogul takeover, they relied on fantastic business and a commitment to developing their own academy talent to support their club’s rise. This season may have ended in disappointment but the club’s strength is in their foundations and their structure. The structure that can now support Bugeaters as well.

Obviously, Huddersfield Town will be in the English Championship next season, but this relegation does not diminish the impact of Bugeaters’ announcement. The focus of the partnership is at the Academy level, where the resources and facilities even at a second division level in England far surpasses most of what is available to professional teams in the United States. With the ability to share coaching and fitness training techniques, while also being able to focus on the analytics that drive effective player development, Bugeaters’ young players will have a more effective path to follow to reach the higher levels of the game.

When asked about this partnership and what it does as far as the profile for the club and its new league, Bugeaters’ President Jonathan Collura said, “This development agreement with the Terriers means that we are aligned with some of the best elite programs globally. It’s exciting to be able to see how a top English club manages its academy and enhance that system. The GCPL was built on development and I think that it shows that we are absolutely making advances as a league.”

The very foundations of the amateur game are built around giving players and coaching staffs an opportunity that would not have that opportunity otherwise. The benefit to a partnership like this is that the amateur players at Bugeaters will now have access to professional level coaching techniques that will also allow their coaches to develop beyond their current abilities. The partnership does not go all one way however.

The Bugeaters end of the deal allows Huddersfield’s younger players opportunities to pursue higher education in the United States if they so choose, while still being able to train and play football in the GPPL with Bugeaters. It’s a win-win for both clubs with opportunities in England potentially opening up for Bugeaters’ players and coaches through either this partnership, or Bugeaters’ sister club Bradford PA, which currently plays in the National League North, the 6th Tier of the English system.

So what is the ideal outcome of the partnership for Bugeaters? Collura explained, “[It] will be that we will have had ongoing discussions and communications, held mutual visits and completed extended development and placements in the US. If we both commit to it, it will no doubt be beneficial.” The benefits of the partnership are still to be seen, but the example set and the potential of this deal is massive and the landscape of amateur soccer in the US could be changing with Bugeaters’ help.

- Phil Baki

Player Profile: Matt Nigro

After being knocked out of the Regional Finals in 2017, FC Motown came back with fury and carved a path through the national playoffs, finishing in the Final, facing Miami FC 2. Of course, the story didn’t have a happy ending for FC Motown, as they were beaten 3-1. But the season was a success by any measure and the club had to credit much of that success to the great play of 2018 NPSL Golden Ball winner Matt Nigro. Nigro had an amazing statistical season for FC Motown, finishing the season with 7 goals and 12 assists. We sat down with Matt to discuss his success last season, his plans for this season, and what he’s working on to be ready to shine in 2019.

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So describe your game for those that have never seen you play.

I believe I am a very simple player who has built a game around hard work. I am constantly working for the entire 90 and can get up and join the attack as well as help out defensively. I show a bit of flair and personality at the right times in games because you have to enjoy the beautiful game. I believe in technique and I try to keep myself sharp with constant technical, finishing, and passing work.

Your social media is full of references to European soccer, which clubs/players do you follow?

I am a massive Manchester United fan. But I enjoy following a lot of players that have their own style and stand out a bit on the field. The list can go on forever but a couple of players would be Pogba, Rashford, Rooney, Thiago Alcantara, Beckham, etc.

Do you model your game after any particular player?

I am a really big David Beckham fan. I think what he has been able to accomplish on the field is extremely impressive. He made himself into a pro by focusing on fitness, touch, and technique more so than anything else. I like to think my range of passing is similar to his but i still have a way to go on the free kicks. 

Image courtesy of FC Motown and NPSL.

You had a very successful year in 2018, earning the Golden Ball, looking back, what stands out from last season? 

I think the thing that stands out for me was how talented that team was. We had guys that deserved to play at the next level but there is no system to help them get there. The players in the locker room were incredible guys both on and off the field and it showed on the field. The club in general is ran by Scott and Dan who are two great guys to be around and they do everything for their players benefit. Knowing they are in charge makes you want to win games for them to repay them for all of the hard work they do. 

What have you worked on, skill-wise, to make 2019 even greater?

I actually work and train at a facility called Advanced Physical and Technical Training, we train multiple pros in the offseason from MLS, USL, NWSL, and overseas. It is an extremely competitive environment and one that gets me to my peak fitness before any season. I am always looking for extra technical drills and trainings to continue to develop on the field but also mentally. Everyone has a skill or gift but its the players that separate themselves in the mental capacity that propel themselves to the next level. 

What are your goals for this season?

Personally I try to help the team as much as I can. I set my own goals before the season and try to hit a certain number of goals and assists but for me team achievements come first. I would like to get back to the final and have another shot the championship, and with the talent around me in that team you never know what the future holds.

Founders Cup has dominated lower league news lately, as a player in the league, how do you see the new professional level?

I think the league has a good foundation to build. But a league is only as good as its fans. In order for this to grow the fans have to support and get behind their teams to push the whole league to the next level. When players are willing to fight for every point and not take a second off, the fans will pour in to see that passion. 

What are your long term goals in the game?

I was fortunate enough to play professionally at multiple prestigious clubs and play with some greats such as Didier Drogba, Guiseppe Rossi, and Sean Wright-Philips. My goal is to continue to work with player to help them achieve what I was able to. I am currently the Technical Director at AP2T and I am fortunate enough to impact young players lives and help them enjoy the game with a smile on their face. 

Chips Ahoy - Original or Chewy? 

Original, but microwave it for 10 seconds. 

What music are you listening to lately?

My music is all over the place. The shuffle can start at Darius Rucker, switch to Drake, then finish with some Billy Joel. I can listen to anything and love music to help relax!

Thanks Matt!

The New NPSL League: Skepticism, Optimism, Reality

What if I said there’s a new thing in the lower leagues that’s like cotton candy, Jesus, and a new Star Wars film? Ephemeral, difficult to define, full of hope and promise, thrilling in theory, troubling in its potential to fail, hard to understand, easy to poke holes in, far enough in the future to remain fuzzy, near enough to find the fuzziness worrisome, attacked by purists, elites, true believers, non-believers, skeptics, and the faithful. All of these things are true of the words on every lower league soccer fan’s lips - Founders Cup and the professional league to follow.

The Facts

NPSL Founder’s Cup is the still-developing professional league emerging from the NPSL. Set to kick off a full season in 2020, the clubs involved will play in a kick-off tournament called the NPSL Founders Cup in the Fall of 2019. In November, NPSL Chairman Joe Barone described the situation - “Beginning with the Founders Cup, fans will be able to enjoy watching authentic clubs compete with professional players and staff. This new venture will build upon the success and experience of NPSL and its nationwide network of local soccer club members.” Barone has since been replaced as Chair, but the plans for the new league continue to move forward.

I should be upfront in saying that Protagonist Soccer is a media partner of the NPSL and, while that doesn’t mean we can’t or shouldn’t criticize the league, that relationship may color the way some of my stated views might be received. So there it is - there’s the elephant in the room. Moving on.

The list of clubs involved so far are ASC San Diego, Cal FC, California United Strikers FC, Chattanooga FC, Detroit City FC, FC Arizona, Miami FC, Miami United FC, Milwaukee Torrent, New York Cosmos, and Oakland Roots - some of the strongest sides in the NPSL, depending on how you measure strength. DCFC and Chattanooga FC are two of the best attended and supported clubs in the lower leagues, even if you bunched USL into “lower leagues” (Against USL attendance numbers this year, DCFC would rank 7th and Chatta would be 19th). If you are measuring strength with financial backing, obviously the two old NASL sides, New York Cosmos and Miami FC, have two of the richest owners in the lower leagues, Rocco Commisso and Riccardo Silva. The rest of the clubs are not quite to the level of the four I mentioned, but more on that to come.

The Reception

As I discussed on a recent episode of the Lower League Soccer Show, the announcement of this league has brought the hot takes from both sides of the argument. And, by definition, hot takes are meant to stir up controversy and spur reactions, but dear God, the unbridled optimism of some has only been matched by the sheer negativity of the other side.

For some, the coming of a professional expansion of NPSL is seen as a lower league response to the “encroachment” by USL into areas with established NPSL and UPSL sides. Those same people despise MLS for all the reasons that people despise MLS, most importantly the lack of pro/rel. And while pro/rel hasn’t been discussed publicly yet, many are hopeful that NPSL Pro will eventually open up the gates for promotion from the NPSL.

On the other side, scepticism is out of control. Some is coming from the old guard in the NPSL who see this upcoming professional league as nothing more than catering to the ex-NASL teams. Other criticism is coming from the other lower leagues’ supporters NPSL has competed against, mainly UPSL. That criticism seems to be more in the vein of “stay in your lane, who do you think you are,” which feels more like jealousy than actual criticism. The last camp of criticism is from the MLS types, who seem convinced that this league will fail and deserves mockery. I will never understand an American soccer fan rooting for a club or league to fail. But they exist, I assure you, just look for the side eye trolling online.

The Issues

While the loudest voices get the most attention online, there’s a segment of the soccer world who have concerns but aren’t burning down the house to make their point. I like to think of these types as the cautiously optimistic. They aren’t wishing for the league to fail, but they are worried about some issues that might arise. I’d like to compile a quick list of these issues and offer my takes as well.

Photo from reddit u/DomeyDion.

Attendance - When listing the strengths of the league earlier, I highlighted the drawing power of Detroit City and Chattanooga. Let’s look at the other teams we have information on. According to Kenn Tomasch’s site, Kenn.com, ASC San Diego drew around 1,000 people for home games (large aside: 1. Massive thanks to Tomasch, who is the only person online I could find trying to track this information. 2. Tomasch is the first to admit his information is severely limited. He begs for more information on his site. Teams should be lining up to help him.). The worst part about this is that ASC San Diego is the only other NPSL Pro club Tomasch has attendance information on. So who knows about the other 8 clubs, leaving a gap in the information leads me to speculate, but I’ll leave it be.

So with only three clubs with information, our data is short on attendance. What I would expect is that NPSL will bring some buzz around the clubs that are in the league. So all should expect a bump, at least in year one. After that, it will all depend on marketing and connecting with fans. Unlike MLS, who uses expansion fees to drive league growth, this NPSL professional league will have to focus on bringing fans through the doors. And if the newcomers can follow the model of DCFC or Chattanooga, maybe that can happen. My concern on that is TIME.

Unlike Detroit City, founded in 2012, and Chattanooga FC, founded in 2009, the newer clubs don’t have 6-10 years to get attendance, they have a year or three to escalate attendance and excitement. Maybe that’s too short of a window for the optimists, but I’m trying to be realistic. I think to get to where they need to be, they need a media deal.

Media Deal - Consider the model of MLS, even if it hurts you for a minute. While clearly expansion fees are funding their organization. According to wikipedia, “ESPN and Fox Sports pay a combined $75 million per season, and Univision pays $15 million per-season.” That’s 90 million a season. That’s aside from local broadcasting deals that some clubs have managed to negotiate. If you’re struggling to fill the seats, media money can help a lot. Or if you’re a brand new league who’s trying to get a foothold into local markets across the country.

“If creating a pro league was easy, we’d be overrun with pro soccer leagues.”

I’m only working with the information I have here, but several NPSL owners have voiced concerns in private about the lack of a media deal. Even a small deal that didn’t generate a ton of revenue could have the desired effect of drawing eyes to a brand new league. That might drive potential revenue streams in advertising, merchandise sales, and expansion markets. A media deal is a must.

Travel Cost - Consider the distance that Detroit City FC has to travel to their farthest current conference opponent, Milwaukee Torrent - 382 miles. When DCFC moves into Pro (even with the regional divide), the farthest distance will be 1,384 miles (Miami, FL). Even if you limited the number of travelers to 20 (11 starters, 5 bench players, 3 coaches, a trainer), the only way to travel will be by plane for a trip that long. Plus the cost of hotel rooms for overnight stay. Plus feeding your team (these are professionals now). Plus transportation to and from airport, hotel, and venue. This is troubling. And I don’t see an easy fix. For clubs with deep-pocketed owners, I guess they can eat that cost, but for clubs either unable or unwilling to take a loss because of travel costs, I see this as a sticking point. According to one source, the travel budget being discussed is around 400k. That’s almost a third of the estimated 1.5 million budget most teams will be operating under.

The only real solution I can see is expansion and regionalization. But again, with only 11 clubs confirmed for 2020, that’s a long way off. And money will be disappearing down the drain while those new clubs are found or founded.

There are probably some other issues hanging out there, the naysayers are loud and numerous. But that doesn’t necessarily make them right. The concerns I listed were the ones I’ve heard the most and the ones I feel are the most common sense.

The Reality

The list of concerns are daunting, of course, but I’m a big believer in the NPSL, the clubs, the owners, the fans, and the power of hard work. If creating a pro league was easy, we’d be overrun with pro soccer leagues. MLS, SUM, and USSF have made it progressively difficult for pro leagues to be successful. If not now, I seriously doubt it will be easier five or ten years from now. This is an uphill battle, but it’s an important battle, one worth fighting.

My list of concerns has almost certainly been discussed by the 11 clubs set to form this league. While I don’t see easy solutions for any of them, I do not think the men and women involved are stupid or blind to the challenge. On the contrary, I am confident that there are solutions and that those solutions are being planned. Some may say that’s ignorant trust, but the NPSL has been the most stable lower league for the last fifteen years. It has a track record of measured, steady growth. Why shouldn’t NPSL Pro be the next step?

So we shall see what comes. I am certainly excited about this league, but that excitement is tempered by an awareness of stumbling blocks that will need to be cleared. Success can be found, but it will take great effort in searching for it. I am a believer in soccer, especially lower league soccer - this can be done. Let’s put our shoulders to the wheel and move this thing forward.

- Dan Vaughn

*This article was edited to delete the use of the phrase “NPSL Pro.” Apparently the upcoming league will not be using that name and has yet to determine or announce the final label for the league.

Protagonist Soccer and NPSL announce Media Partnership

Beginning November 29, 2018, the National Premier Soccer League and Protagonist Soccer have entered into a media partnership. This relationship will broaden the focus and enhance the depth of coverage provided by Protagonist Soccer to the NPSL and its clubs, players and connected subjects.

In three months, Protagonist Soccer has emerged as a frontrunner in lower tier soccer media. By focusing on the stories of amateur soccer clubs, Protagonist has brought a renewed energy to soccer fans across the country. The staff of the site believes that if the public connects to the clubs and players of the lower leagues, the leagues can grow and develop into a solid and stable base to the American pyramid. With this goal in mind, Protagonist focuses on telling the stories of the lower tier - the players, the clubs, the owners, the fans - these stories are the connective tissues that will grow the body of American soccer.

National Premier Soccer League has grown into a strong and functional league since its founding in 2003. Now spread across 29 states, the league is 92 clubs strong with more expansion planned. With the upcoming launch of NPSL Pro, NPSL is positioned to be one of the most important forces driving the development of a strong foundation for American soccer. Proven leadership, established clubs, stability and growth, all hallmarks of the NPSL.

Protagonist Soccer looks forward to developing the relationship between our site and the NPSL. We will strive to offer the best coverage possible, coverage that focuses on growing the game, enhances the fan experience, and connects the American soccer customer with a quality national league.