Commissioner John Prutch talks NISA Independent Cup
Fifth edition of the cup will kick off July 6
The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) released the NISA Independent Cup (NIC) regions for the 2024 - the fifth edition of the tournament. The biggest change for the fifth annual event is NISA professional clubs will begin play in the very first round, scheduled for the weekend of July 6.
The field this year will consist of all nine NISA clubs and 20 amateur clubs playing across five regions. With condensed regions, NISA clubs will share brackets which likely makes the tournament more interesting.
We sat down last week with NISA Commissioner John Prutch to discuss the tournament for this season.
BT90: You've announced it the formats different this year Obviously may be dictated also by the fact that you split the league into regions At the pro league level as well as NISA Nation this year, I think it's going to be interesting to see in in The case of eight of the nine NISA teams that they have to face other NISA teams in their region And then in addition, they're going to have to play from the first round Which has not been the way it's necessarily been in the past.
So, how do your pro teams feel about this? Are they embracing the change? I mean, Do they this this is going to be a slog for them and and and they're gonna have to they're gonna have to play their their at their best from from from the get -go in the cup?
JP: I think We discussed this at our AGM at some length in early December and you know there's arguments on both sides right but what ends up happening is our our clubs enjoy the competition they enjoy seeing the talent right I mean our league is littered with players that have played in the independent cup for amateur sides that were discovered and and so I think our clubs enjoy the fact that they want to see what these clubs are made of but more specifically are there players out there that are ready to make that stuff and so unless they're playing against them they really don't see that right if it's two amateur clubs playing each other so I think at the end of the day they enjoy the spirit of the competition they also understand what the independent cup means not only to NISA but to amateur clubs around the country and to soccer in this country especially with some of the potential issues coming up with US Open Cup so I think so I believe that they're embracing it I also believe that it was part of the evolution of the independent cup we knew at some point we wanted to get to this point this was the year you can see the way that that is being structured that ultimately it could lead to further consolidation of championships down the road so I think or champions I should say I think so I think that the clubs as well as the league we're really excited about it this year we're excited to see what happens on the pitch.
BT 90: So what about invitations for clubs that are non NISA clubs. What is the process of determining those clubs and how how quickly can we expect some news as to who's participating?
JP: So there's a process within NISA Nation and its affiliate leagues on how to qualify to be in the Independent Cup and those decisions are being made as we speak and some of those clubs haven't gotten far enough into their season to determine who they might be.
Others have and others are using feeder clubs that have performed well in the fall so I think over the next couple weeks you'll start seeing those brackets fill out but that said we also get clubs that are not associated with that system have that have a high degree of interest and those are selected based upon in opening in a particular region how they did within their league competition whether that is NPSL or UPSL, or smaller regional leagues or whatever it might be.
That's the process we go through but our affiliates are guaranteed and a number of X number of spots To be in the Independent Cup.
p.s. The reason for having NISA vs NISA even in the first round, may be to avoid embarrassment if an amateur team prevails over a NISA team even in the FIRST round??
I would love to have more insight into the economics of the tournament, from whether there is PRIZE money, to registration fees, to whether there are any corporate sponsors off-setting the not inconsiderable costs?