Helping Soccer Find the Next Superstar Via United Premier Soccer League
The World Cup is only a few months away, and once again, fans all over the world will be glued to the games, which feature only the best athletes in sports. It is every player’s dream to play in the World Cup, but sadly, only a few are given the golden chance.
The United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) aims to provide a platform for players to continue to believe and reach for their dreams. The UPSL is an amateur soccer league in Southern California with participating teams coming from different parts of the United States.
Last year, it has signed a deal with the Premier League of America, hiking the number of teams with the addition of clubs coming from Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Moreover, in January 2018, the UPSL also reached an agreement with the Maryland Major Soccer League, which features deals on promotions, sponsorships, and team memberships.
Now, member teams have ballooned to 160 squads from 30 states. The UPSL has 20 divisions and 11 conferences, which make it ideal for players to showcase their talents and skills. The UPSL is the only U.S. organization to offer year-round competition, which is key for players to continue honing their craft. The pool prize at stake is $5,000 for the UPSL Pro Premier Division. There is also an All-Star game every year, pitting the best players against each other.
The cash prize is relatively modest compared to other soccer leagues, but for players, the UPSL is a perfect venue for them. Some of them are dreaming to join the Major League Soccer or prestigious leagues abroad such as La Liga, the English Premier League, and Serie A.
Soccer still lags behind basketball and baseball as America’s most favorite sports, but with the MLS and leagues such as the UPSL, the gap is closing in fast. Players are not the only one benefitting in this setup. It brings advantages to brands as well.
Soccer superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic made the headlines after announcing that he will join LA Galaxy after his stint with English Premier League side Manchester United. This boosted not only the MLS but also those who aspire to be like Ibrahimovic. And now that he suits up for an American club, he can inspire more to be like him.
More and more teams are also joining the UPSL. Last December, the Pinecrest Soccer Club signed a deal to become the league’s newest member for the 2018 Spring Season.
“South Florida is home to some of the best soccer on the North American continent, and we’re pleased to welcome Pinecrest Soccer Club to the UPSL starting in 2018,” United Premier Soccer League Commissioner Yan Skwara claims in an interview.
Scouts have been noticing the UPSL players as well. For instance, Lithuanian 1st Division club Utenis Utena has signed former UPSL player Connor Kass. This just goes to show that the league is helping these men reach their goals aside from providing entertainment to communities and giving them reasons to cheer for.
What can we do to help
Exponential, Inc. (XPO2), a subsidiary of London-based M6, Ltd., is the top white label, e-commerce platform today. According to its CEO and founder, Dom Einhorn, XPO2 is a cause-driven tech marketing company that directs fundraising revenues to its partner charities and NGOs from around the world.
The UPSL is one of the partners of XPO2. The biggest challenge of a regional tournament is the geographical location of teams. Logistics costs are not getting cheaper, and traveling teams need to make sure players, coaches and staff are taken care of whenever they have games.
Additionally, the games need to be aired in order to reach a larger audience. The UPSL hopes to address this with a Mycujoo deal. Mycujoo is a streaming platform based in Zurich, which will provide live broadcasts of the games. The league is also doing an exclusive podcast to enhance the fan experience.
XPO2 is committed to helping organizations that make positive and measurable good in their local communities, through raising funds via its white label e-platform. You can show your support for organizations like the UPSL by heading to XPO2’s portal where you can access exclusive deals and discounts from major e-commerce merchants.
