An NPSL 2nd Tier? NPSL-RL Director Jason Brown Discusses the Vision of the Regional League

Sep 18, 2025

Two days ago, the NPSL announced a new regional league to fall under their national first tier. The league is fittingly called the NPSL-RL and will be partnering with the Great Lakes Alliance (GLA). Kicking off in 2026, the fall-spring structure invites clubs who want to play year round a platform to grow into professional standards and one day join the NPSL 1st tier.

The Southeast Soccer Report was able to interview NPSL-RL Managing Director Jason Brown over call, who has been the leader of the Ohio Valley Premier League (OVPL). That interview is below, followed by our thoughts on what this means for the American semi-professional pyramid as a whole.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your own work when it comes to the Ohio Valley Premier League and the Great Lakes Alliance?

Jason Brown: Yeah, absolutely. So the Premier League was actually born out of an idea a couple of us had about six years ago. We noticed there was a gap for players exiting club soccer, still in college, but not necessarily ready to take that next step to what I’d call a tier-one opportunity. We were sitting back trying to decide what that space should look like, and that’s where my current partner Ed, who’s the director and managing partner of the GLA, said: Why don’t we move into this space and offer a U23 initiative, and see what happens from there?

Long story short, we kicked off during COVID, which was a nightmare for many people, but for the amateur soccer landscape we provided a platform that allowed NCAA players to come in and play. We started off with a six-team regional opportunity, and we grew quickly across the state and region. We’ve kept that momentum going ever since under the GLA banner, really focused on players coming out of U18 and U19 clubs, as well as those going off to college but still wanting to be connected locally. It gave them a place to come back and still call home.

On the other side of that, we also developed what I call the “true amateur” side, where teams are starting up in communities and wanting to be part of something bigger. A recent example is Northern Kentucky Nitro FC, which won the 2025 OVPL Championship. They started completely from scratch, and now they have a youth club that supports their system as they continue building out.

So there have been a lot of success stories in opening that pathway for players in the region all the way from the ground up.

Why partner with the NPSL to build this out on a national platform?

That’s a great question. I think one of the things about it is just that the conversation right from the very beginning is all about the relationship and the synergy you build between two groups. With the leadership staff of the NPSL and the leadership staff of the GLA, we are like-minded leagues. The way in which we’ve built, we’ve listened to membership, we’ve seen opportunities to help grow organically, and I think that’s one of the things that helps us create a unified grassroots structure.

The NPSL-RL is going to strengthen supporter culture and fan bases as we continue to build in communities across the country and unify that effort. With the GLA, we’ve created a footprint with the amateur network for teams, and what the NPSL does very well is bring a standards-driven set of play and opportunity for those across the country. It’s one of the long-standing leagues in the country for a reason, and that’s because of the attention to detail and the platform it offers to people.

Focusing on Ohio and the Great Lakes Alliance, is that the league that is going to start and build out the NPSL-RL?

Actually, I’ll step back a little bit. The Great Lakes Alliance is an umbrella organization that houses thousands of youth teams across the Midwest and Northeast, and it’s also the incubator for the adult amateur league, which I was a part of with the OVPL. We are connecting and collaborating with the NPSL to start something from the ground up and bring amateur and club teams together under a unified banner across the country.

What we’re doing is creating an accessible pathway. For example, teams from the OVPL may aspire to have a more competitive opportunity or a higher standard, such as the Midwest Premier League, and some of the others across the country that desire a national platform and pathway to grow into. The GLA provides the structure and blueprint, while the NPSL provides the pathway. Out of the NPSL-RL, we hope to see teams grow toward that tier-one platform and more national opportunities.

How exactly will that connection be structured? How will clubs move up from the regional league to the first tier? Will there be promotion/relegation, or will it be determined by standards set by the league?

You’re trying to get me on a sticky subject with promotion and relegation already! That’s always the dream, right? I think what we’re looking at right now is developing a unified matrix that can walk a team from a grassroots regional opportunity all the way to a tier-one structure. The NPSL-RL creates that middle ground. It provides professionalism and the opportunity to grow toward national standards. The NPSL-RL is that step above, to prepare teams for the next level.

Ok, the next question focuses more on expansion. You did say you have a lot of leagues that you’ll probably look at, and some of the youth clubs under the banner may bring up U23 or men’s teams. How many teams do you expect, and how nationalized do you expect the league to be? Will it start mostly in the Northeast and Midwest, or do you expect teams in the Southeast and Southwest as well?

Right now, we just made the announcement a couple of hours ago, so we’re going to let that settle. We already have quite a bit of interest coming in through the website. We’ll sit back, look at what the map shows, and see what makes sense. We have pockets of strong influence in the Midwest and Northeast, and also some opportunities in the Southeast. I’ve already been getting emails from individuals across those regions, so it looks like we’ll have a broad spectrum to consider.

What we have to do is make sure this doesn’t strain teams. We want it to be an accessible opportunity that adds value without the heavy expectations of a full national platform, like costly travel. We want a strong regional footprint, but just a step up.

The press release talks about this being the next step for teams preparing to move onto the first tier of the semi-professional game. I know the announcement is fresh, but are there any defined standards or things the league has looked at that makes NPSL-RL more flexible to join than the NPSL?

I think when you look at things like that, we’re talking about the fan experience and the player experience. At the national platform, there are certain expectations—for example, facilities where you can host, shower, and feed the visiting team, and provide a full pre/post-match experience.

At the regional level, those expectations aren’t as strict. If you have them, that’s great, and I’m not saying they won’t be there, but it’s not required at the same level. Instead, it’s more about field surface, venue options, and similar operating standards that can be scaled as a club grows. This creates a clear pathway moving forward, and it’s something we’ll share with membership as we refine expectations.

How much is the fan culture and experience important to the league as it builds out?

Oh, I think that’s paramount. Over the last 15–20 years, I’ve seen that we don’t yet have a fully developed culture. We have pockets flaring up, especially at the amateur level, that need to continue moving upward. We’re just now seeing matchday experiences grow. For example, the NPSL final showed how a small town like Hickory created an embedded, exciting environment. That’s the kind of culture we want to build at the regional level and see flourish at the national level. With the World Cup cycle approaching, it’s even more critical.

We already touched a bit on expansion. When the league structure is fully set, will you target state and regional leagues, like the APSL does, or follow more of a UPSL model with regional divisions leading to national playoffs?

I think we’re looking to fill a part of the pyramid that wasn’t there yet at the national platform. We want to help incubate teams at the regional level. Organically, teams will navigate where membership has a voice. For us, it’s about making sure membership feels heard and is driving the opportunity. That’s what builds culture—doing things the right way, and allowing those who want to move the game forward to be part of it.

There’s a lot of competition in the amateur space in the U.S.—UPSL, NPSL, Midwest Premier League, Southwest Premier League, and more. What makes the NPSL-RL stand out to prospective clubs?

We’re ready to unify the platform—not just separate leagues, but something more like conferences within one structure. We want a large, united network of soccer programs and football-oriented people. That’s what the NPSL-RL provides: a community and a clear, authentic pathway. We’re not reinventing the wheel; we’re providing access to what already exists in a more unified way.

Note: We will mention that as we were saying our goodbyes on the call, Tennessee was brought up as a state garnering a lot of prospective interest in the NPSL-RL.

Our Thoughts:

First off, we would like to thank Mr. Brown and the NPSL-RL for their time and cooperation.

Now, this interview paints the new league seemingly as the next step up from the UPSL. It’s a year-long league that not only gives loads of opportunities to more college and amateur soccer players, but promises to do that with higher on and off-field standards. Fanbase building and growth is key here, continuing a mission the current NPSL has but through a more accessible path for clubs with potentially less money to spend. It’s a culture builder, and that’s a great look on the PR side.

On the logistical side, this league keeps the top division sustainable. It’s no secret that the NPSL has lost over 100 clubs since 2020 and has had mixed results replacing those who leave. But now, having a second division that can organically develop strong clubs, fanbases, and markets to compete at the highest semi-pro level does wonders when competing against USL2 and The League for Clubs.

Finally, the people leading this league have the right intentions in mind. While the leadership in the NPSL front office has been scrutinized by media and fans alike for many different reasons, two leaders focused on building the amateur game from the ground up are coming in to expand their vision on a broader level with the NPSL-RL. From the outside looking in, that can give fans a lot of confidence, and we hope to see this new league thrive and find its place in the American soccer pyramid.

NPSL Press Release:

The NPSL-Regional League Launches Nationwide through Partnership with GLA

The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the first and only men's league designated by USASA as a Tier 1 national league, is proud to announce that their Regional League platform is launching nationwide. This was achieved through a strategic partnership with the Great Lakes Alliance (GLA).

The NPSL-Regional League will be branded and marketed as the NPSL-RL.

“This announcement is all about working together to grow the game,” NPSL Managing Director Cindy Spera said. “This product is available to any amateur men’s team in the country that wishes to apply to compete under the NPSL brand. The Regional League offers more flexible standards compared to the existing NPSL Tier 1 product, while keeping the core values of the NPSL brand: high service levels, defined minimum standards, and a professionally run front office.”

The NPSL-RL will operate year-round, giving NPSL clubs the opportunity to keep their brand active in the fall and spring. This program also serves as an incubator for clubs looking to grow into the traditional NPSL Tier 1 level by offering a professional and organized environment in which to grow.

Ed Bernstein and Jason Brown will lead this new effort. Bernstein is the director and a managing partner of the Great Lakes Alliance (GLA), while Brown has successfully led the Ohio Valley Premier League (OVPL) for the past six years.

“Partnering with the NPSL and launching the NPSL-RL is a natural progression in the evolution of the amateur game and our shared mission to provide a unified approach to player and club development,” Bernstein said. “The Great Lakes Alliance and the NPSL share a vision of creating impactful and accessible pathways that connect every level of the game. This collaboration strengthens the amateur pyramid and expands opportunities for players to grow and succeed across the country."

Brown will also serve as the Managing Director of the NPSL-RL.

"The launch of the NPSL-RL is the evolution of the NPSL and its commitment to providing a unified approach to developing the soccer landscape,” Brown said. “Partnering with the Great Lakes Alliance brings together two organizations that believe in accessibility and competitive opportunity. Together, we can better connect the amateur pyramid, offering players and clubs a clear and meaningful pathway to grow within the game."

The NPSL-RL will kick off in the spring of 2026 and aspires to have competitions all across the country. An inquiry form can be found at npsl.com/rl.

About the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL)

The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is a national amateur soccer league affiliated with the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), classified as a Tier 1 men’s amateur soccer league. The NPSL is dedicated to promoting the growth and development of the sport across the United States through competitive opportunities and community engagement.

About The Great Lakes Alliance (GLA)

The Great Lakes Alliance (GLA) was formed in 2017 and currently has over 1300 teams participating in its US Club-sanctioned leagues. GLA has member clubs coming out of Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, with approximately 20,000 players. GLA is a member of the US Club Soccer National Premier League (NPL) platform and the U.S. Soccer Federation.

The Southeast Soccer Report is an official media partner of the NPSL.