Premier League of America

Premier League of America
Country United States
Confederation CONCACAF
Founded 2015 (as Great Lakes Premier League)
Divisions 2
Number of teams 12
Level on pyramid 5
Domestic cup(s) Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Current champions Milwaukee Bavarians (1st title)
Most championships RWB Adria
Milwaukee Bavarians (1 title each)
Website PLA website
2016 PLA season

The Premier League of America (PLA) is an American soccer league. The league currently consists of teams in cities in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The league is a part of the United States Adult Soccer Association and as of 2016, qualifies teams for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.[1][2] The league began its first season of play in 2015 as the Great Lakes Premier League.

History

original logo

Grand Rapids FC and AFC Ann Arbor both applied to become members of the National Premier Soccer League for the start of the 2015 season and they were both denied admission to the league.[3] Instead of waiting a year or finding another league, the teams decided to start a league of their own.[3] AFC Ann Arbor owner Jamey Amrine and Grand Rapids FC president Matt Roberts began discussions with other teams to gauge interest in forming a new league. Their work led to the formation of the Great Lakes Premier League.[2] The new league held its inaugural league meeting on January 17, 2015 in Grand Rapids, MI.

The two clubs were joined as charter members by Oakland United - now Oakland County FC - based in Rochester, Michigan, and two decades-old Croatian American clubs, Croatian Eagles SC of Milwaukee and RWB Adria of Chicago.[4]

Before the inaugural season began, Milwaukee Bavarians was announced as the first expansion franchise, to begin play in 2016.[5] A second expansion team, Toledo United FC, joined in July 2015.[6]

In September 2015, AFC Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids left the GLPL for the NPSL.[7][8] The following November, the Madison 56ers left the NPSL after eleven seasons to join the Great Lakes Premier League.[9]

The league announced on December 8, 2015 that they would be rebranding as Premier League of America, to more accurately reflect the potential growth of the league away from the Great Lakes area.

Two days later, Carpathia FC of Sterling Heights, Michigan in the Detroit suburbs was added as team number eight. The same month, Aris SC of La Crosse, Wisconsin and Aurora Borealis SC from Aurora, Illinois were added. Aris has since been removed from PLA announcements.[10]

A tenth team was added on January 11, 2016, as Minnesota United FC Reserves moved over from the NPSL. An eleventh team for 2016 was added on January 13, 2016, as Stegman's Soccer Club joined as Minneapolis City.[11]

On August 1, 2016 it was announced that Muskegon Risers SC join the Premier League of America for the 2017 season after a unanimous 12-0 vote by current team owners.[12]

Competition Format

AFC Ann Arbor in action against San Marino Soccer in a 2015 friendly at Hollway Field

In 2015 the league had a schedule that featured round robin play, where each team played every other team home and away. The league did not host a post-season tournament in 2015 and determined its champion based on the final season standings.

As part of the re-branding announcement for 2016, it was announced there would be a two-division geographical split, with an end-of-season championship playoff. The league will host a championship tournament at a neutral site with the top two teams from each division qualifying.[13]

Teams

Borealis
Risers
Locations of PLA clubs for 2017.

Current Teams

Team City Stadium Founded Inaugural Season Head Coach
East Division
Aurora Borealis SC Aurora, Illinois Mooseheart School 2016 2016 United States C.J. Brown
Carpathia FC Sterling Heights, Michigan Carpathia Club 1952 2016 United States Bruce Wilden
Muskegon Risers SC Muskegon, Michigan 2014 2017
Oakland County FC Rochester, Michigan Stoney Creek High School 20141 2015 United States Waad Sana
Ole SC Wyoming, Michigan Lee Field 2006 2016 England David Wood
RWB Adria River Grove, Illinois Triton College 1959 2015 Croatia Siniša Alebić
Toledo United FC Maumee, Ohio Lucas County Recreation Center 2015 2016
West Division
Cedar Rapids Rampage United Cedar Rapids, Iowa Clark Field 2015 2016 Brazil Hewerton Moreira
Croatian Eagles SC Franklin, Wisconsin Croatian Park 1922 2015 United States Alex Toth
Madison 56ers Madison, Wisconsin Breese Stevens Field 1956 2016 United States Jim Launder
Milwaukee Bavarians Glendale, Wisconsin Heartland Value Fund Stadium 1929 2016 United States Pat Hodgins
Minnesota United FC Reserves Woodbury, Minnesota East Ridge High School 2014 2016 United States Andy Seidel
Minneapolis City SC Minneapolis, Minnesota Les Barnard Field 19772 2016 United States Jon Bisswurm

Former Teams

Team City Joined Left
AFC Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, Michigan 2015 2015
Grand Rapids FC Grand Rapids, Michigan 2015 2015

Expansion

Year # of Teams Teams Added Teams Departed
2015 5 5 0
2016 12 9 2

Champions

Season Champion Score Runner-up
2015 RWB Adria [A] Grand Rapids FC
2016 Milwaukee Bavarians 4 – 2 RWB Adria
  1. ^ A No playoffs were held in the inaugural season. The champion was determined based on regular season record.

References

  1. ↑ Eliason, Kyle. "Minneapolis City Announce Stadium, Gain Eligibility for Open Cup". Northern Pitch. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 Haapala, Kelly. "Local team owners announce plans to form new amateur soccer league in Michigan". ClickOnDetroit. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  3. 1 2 Hicks, Justin P. "NPSL denies Ann Arbor semi-pro soccer club's application; owners plan to establish new league". mlive.com. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  4. ↑ Anderson, Eric. "Croatian Eagles join new Great Lakes Premier League, remain in WSL". Wisconsin Soccer Central. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  5. ↑ Anderson, Eric. "Bavarians to join Great Lakes Premier League in 2016". Wisconsin Soccer Central. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  6. ↑ "Toledo United Joins Great Lakes Premier League". Toledo United FC. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  7. ↑ Wallner, Peter J. "Grand Rapids FC make change, joins National Premier Soccer League". mlive.com. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  8. ↑ Hicks, Justin P. "A year after being denied, AFC Ann Arbor joins National Premier Soccer League". mlive.com. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  9. ↑ Anderson, Eric. "Madison 56ers leave NPSL, join Great Lakes Premier League for 2016". Wisconsin Soccer Central. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  10. ↑ "PLA Announces Divisions for 2016 Season". Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  11. ↑ "SSC Minneapolis City: Stegman's Next Step". Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  12. ↑ "Muskegon Risers join the Premier League of America". Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  13. ↑ "PLA Announces Divisions For 2016 Season". Retrieved January 13, 2016.
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