Thank you!

To all the supporters of the National Independent Soccer Association, thank you for your unwavering support this past year. Our commitment to bringing high level professional soccer to every city in the United States is on full display as we continue to grow and add Clubs across the nation.

 

COMMITTED TO THE OPEN SYSTEM

NISA is committed to the open system, and every day we make progress to ensure that the US has a true open system. Many people believe that the open system is simply about promotion/relegation (pro/rel), but it's so much more than that. The guiding principles of the NISA open system also include:

• Each club owns its own IP rights
• No territorial rights
• Solidarity payments
• Meritocracy (promotion is earned, not bought)
• Independent Clubs, not franchises
• No franchise fees
• Fan ownership is encouraged
• Community-based Clubs

 

CHAMPIONSHIPS AND CHANGES

We had an amazing spring kicking off with the Legends Cup in Chattanooga. Eleven matches featured on broadcast partner beIN SPORTS XTRA yielded viewing numbers on par with its top properties La Liga and Ligue 1. That was followed up by a competitive season with beIN SPORTS XTRA Matches of the Week and a spring playoffs.

The second annual Independent Cup gave NISA Clubs a solid warm-up to the fall season. Fortified by an expanded beIN SPORTS XTRA Match of the Week schedule, the top-of-table format allowed us to adjust our seasonal calendar to align with the rest of North America. The season ended with Detroit City FC adding a trophy to its championship hardware earned in the Legends Cup and spring season.

This calendar year has further crystalized our Clubs’ guiding principles of a professional, open-system pathway for Independent Clubs. The League will begin its campaign in 2022 with four new Clubs.

• AC Syracuse (Syracuse, N.Y.)
• Bay Cities FC (Redwood City, Calif.)
• Flower City Union (Rochester, N.Y.)
• Valley United FC (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Looking ahead to 2023, our growth continues as we accept applications from additional Clubs, along with ongoing discussions with many others.

 

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION

NISA took a giant leap forward in DEI throughout 2021. We stood up our Equity Committee formed from a cross-section of players, coaches and administrators. The Committee is taking an active role in confirming our commitment to being anti-racist and to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for all our athletes, Clubs, staff and supporters. To date, the Committee has created an avenue for disputes and investigations, drafted protocol guidelines that are a part of the NISA operating manual, and created a library of educational resources.

In the Spring, 31 percent of our Clubs will have first-generation immigrant ownership, 25 percent owned by People of Color, and 13 percent owned by women. This is not by coincidence. This is the result of NISA removing the systematic barriers that only allow the lucky few that have generational wealth to compete at the highest level of our sport. As expected, this diversity permeates down through the front offices, coaches and players aligning with NISA DEI initiatives.

 

NISA NATION

This amateur league with standards set to transition Clubs to the professional ranks from the amateur kicked off with a full slate of matches and champions crowned in the Northeast Region and the Southwest Region.

NISA continues to believe that the long-term stability of any league comes from development of future professional players and Clubs. NISA's affiliation program provides guidance and a direct path for players and Clubs to reach professional status. As a result, the growing affiliations help ensure NISA's stability and sustainability. In 2021, NISA expanded its amateur affiliations to include Cascadia Premier League, Pioneer Premier League, and SoCal Premier League, adding to our current affiliations to total seven direct amateur affiliations and more than 350 clubs.

June 9, 2021, marked a significant milestone for NISA and the game of soccer in this country when Chicago House AC awarded the first solidarity payment in the U.S. to amateur Club Steel City FC. I also am pleased to report that since then, NISA and its Member Clubs have processed an additional 10 solidarity payment to amateur Clubs. These payments provide recognition and capital to the Clubs and communities that have a hand in the development of professional talent.

 

INDEPENDENT CUP

The 2021 NISA Independent Cup was the ONLY shared competition for professional and amateur Clubs. The 2021 Independent Cup saw nine regions and 35 professional and amateur clubs compete in 51 matches over a four-week period, the largest U.S. interleague tournament of 2021.

In 2022, we are expanding the field through our amateur affiliations, as well as other exciting changes that will make the competition even more compelling. NISA Nation Clubs also will have the opportunity to play NISA pro Clubs in the 2022 Independent Cup.

 

WISL / NCSL

This past year, NISA made great strides in expanding the open system to women and youth with the following affiliations: the Women's Independent Soccer league (WISL), the National Competitive Soccer League (NCSL) for youth. WISL will be the first truly open system for women and the NCSL is the first truly open system for youth. The open system in this country will soon look like the following:

• Women: NCSL (WISL Competitive League WCL), adult amateur, WISL Pro
• Men: NCSL (NISA Competitive League NCL), adult amateur (though our 350 affiliates), NISA Nation, NISA Pro

For the first time ever, girls and boys will have a clear path-to-pro through the WISL and NISA systems.

We're poised for significant growth and can't wait to get back to play in 2022. Thank you for your support, and have a blessed and safe holiday season.

 

We're making history!

Best,

John Prutch

Commissioner

National Independent Soccer Association