NISA Expansion, Who Would We Like To See? – Part 1
An always interesting topic is NISA, and who will be next to join. Like everyone, I have a wishlist of markets and/or clubs I would wish to see in the league. For this article, I will only suggest clubs who are NOT currently in a pro league (USL L1, USLC, MLS).
Let’s start with a currently bare region, and one that I’m extremely familiar with, which is Florida. The closest NISA teams that currently exist near this region are Chattanooga FC, and Stumptown AC.
Florida is a region that NISA would surely like to capitalize on as it’ll absolutely benefit their leagues. I’m going to highlight a few markets (and clubs that exist in those markets) I think would be beneficial to the league. Some of the clubs I mention would likely need to spend some time in NISA Nation before making the jump, while others might just be built for NISA Nation. The cities are in order of largest population to smallest.
1. Jacksonville (Pop: 929,647) – Jacksonville is the most populous city (not counting metro) in the state of Florida, and is the largest city by area in the continental USA. They are one of the biggest markets to not have a professional club. There are multiple clubs that currently exist within the city limits, or claims the city as their home. One of those clubs are known in the Lower Leagues as they are a former professional club.
Jacksonville Armada FC (NPSL) –
The Armada are one of the biggest names not currently in a pro league, due to previously competing in NASL2.0. They are currently building a stadium in downtown Jacksonville, and have a passionate supporters group behind them (Section 904). The Armada will be able to play immediately in NISA as they already meet the PLS requirements. They would be a huge get for ANY pro league, so why not NISA?
You can follow Jacksonville Armada FC and Section 904 below.
Jacksonville FC (UPSL) –
Jacksonville FC has a strong youth organization with a history of development, and a beautiful crest. They are currently competing in UPSL, and are looking to grow their brand. Formerly part of the Armada youth system, would be intriguing to see both in the same league, could create a nice derby in a city that has the population to support multiple clubs.
You can follow Jacksonville FC below.
Oceanway FC (UPSL) –
Oceanway FC is a relatively new club based in the northeastern part of Jacksonville. They have the desire to go pro and claims they are going to be the “#1 pro soccer team in Jacksonville in the next 5 years.” Well this is a way they can prove it.
You can follow Oceanway FC on social media below.
2. Miami (Pop: 478,251)- Many clubs claim to be from Miami, but the ones that actually play in Miami deserve a shot at the professional stage as well. Miami is a vibrant city at the southern tip of Florida, that’s known for it’s lifestyle, and culture. Miami FC exists, but multiple clubs would do well here IF built in the right part(s) of town. Farther away from the center of Miami, the more difficult it will be for the club to draw in fans. I will also cover Miami Beach, and Hialeah here.
Miami United FC (NPSL) –
Miami United FC is a club that has seen spurts of success in the NPSL, and even though they are considered an amateur club, I’m confident they are ready to go pro with the players they have. They’ve been around since 2012, have won multiple “Champions of Florida” tournaments, and have a solid youth academy. They also have a supporters group (La 12 United) cheering them on every game.
You can follow Miami United FC and La 12 United below.
Miami Beach CF (UPSL)-
Miami Beach CF had full intentions to go pro when they were founded, and if I remember correctly they want to go to NISA, is that still the case? Not sure, but they seem to have the right tools to build a successful club in Miami Beach, and are willing to be flashy while doing so.
You can follow Miami Beach CF below.
Florida Soccer Soldiers (UPSL) –
You might remember them from their magical US Open Cup run back when the tournament was last held in 2019 beating two professional clubs and giving a third one a run for their money. This club is fun to watch, and would be a perfect fit for NISA Nation.
You can follow Florida Soccer Soldiers below.
Hialeah City FC (UPSL) –
Hialeah City is a club founded in 2017, and is committed to finding the best local talent for their club and giving them opportunities to succeed. They also are building a nice youth academy with goals of setting players on the right path to become a professional.
You can follow Hialeah City FC below.
3. Tampa (Pop: 404,636) –
Similar to Miami, Tampa is a city that has a professional team in the area, but not actually within the city limits. The Rowdies play at beautiful Al Lang stadium in St. Petersburg, and while they would be fun to see in NISA, I would love to see a true Tampa based club.
Tampa FC (UPSL) – Tampa FC is the team I found to exist within city limits. They currently play in UPSL. They were founded in 2019, and joined UPSL in 2021. If they have intentions to go pro, they would almost certainly need to spend some time in NISA Nation before reaching the next level.
You can follow Tampa FC below.
4. St. Petersburg (Pop: 267,121) – St. Petersburg deserves their own club as well. While the city is host to the Rowdies of the USL, it’ll be nice to see a professional club that claims the city rather than the area. Being one of the largest cities in the state, it should easily be able to support a second team, as long as it’s built/marketed correctly.
St. Petersburg Aztecs (UPSL) –
Last seen in the spring, this team is St. Petersburgs own, and they know what it’s like to taste success as they controlled the Florida West Division in 2021. The Aztecs would be a good fit for the Tampa Bay area and NISA/NISA Nation
You can follow the Aztecs below
Dragon City FC (UPSL) –
While not located in St. Petersburg, they are just south of the city (and Tampa) in Sarasota. They have a cool logo and brand. Would be nice to see them in NISA Nation, as they continue to grow after being founded last year. They also won the West Division championship in January.
Follow Dragon City FC below.
5. Tallahassee (Pop: 197,974) – The Capitol of the state of Florida, host to multiple major universities, and located within decent range of multiple larger cities, such as Jacksonville, Tampa, and Orlando. They also happen to have an existing club who seems to be doing everything right.
Tallahassee SC (NPSL) –
Tallahassee is one of those community based clubs that you love to see grow. They are active in their community, and are huge on local sponsors. The only thing they have against them is that they are still a young club. You can tell they have ambitions to be the hottest commodity in Football-Crazed Tallahassee, FL. This team will stick around for a long time, as is shown by their commitment to building a proper youth academy, and if they can get the right investor on board *cough* T-Pain *cough* they could possibly make that move up to a pro league. They also bring in a growing supporters group in Olde Fields Battalion.
You can follow Tallahassee SC and Olde Fields Battalion below.
6. Ft Lauderdale (Pop: 183,109) – Ft. Lauderdale is one of those cities that ABSOLUTELY deserves a club that’s proud to call it home. Not one that claims to be in Miami, and plays in Ft. Lauderdale. The market can support the team, as we saw with the Strikers (until poor management destroyed it). But when the Strikers folded a couple clubs filled the void, including a phoenix club of the strikers.
Himmarshee FC (FGCL) –
A club formed out of the ashes of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the NASL, they have existed since 2017. Recently they announced a tough decision to sit out the 2021 season, but they arent folding, and will come back to the FGCL sooner rather than later. They live and breathe for the open game, and would be a wonderful fit by ideology alone for the NISA pyramid.
You can follow Himmarshee FC and Flight 19 below.
7. Gainesville (Pop: 134,661) – See Tallahassee, really, what they are building in Tallahassee can easily happen in Gainesville, and would likely be instant rivals with Tallahassee SC. The biggest thing here is getting started, and trying to find the right investor. Gainesville is home to a major university and should target the students as a potential fan base from the beginning.
Gainesville City FC (UPSL) –
Gainesville City FC is a recently founded club that started play in the fall season of the UPSL. Not much is known about them (for now, more coming soon), but they seem passionate about playing for the city. This club, just like Tallahassee SC, could benefit from playing in the NISA Nation for a little bit.
You can follow Gainesville City FC Below
8. West Palm Beach (Pop: 109,767) – One of the largest non-Miami cities in SWFL, they are an area that has soccer history between NPSL, USL, and FGCL. They are host to multiple clubs, and they are easy to reach via major transportation means.
Palm Beach Breakers AFC (UPSL/FGCL) –
The Dudes are a stylish club out of West Palm Beach. They play in a couple leagues, have a fan membership, and have flirted with the idea of going pro (when a right investor comes along). Maybe the club could benefit from the NISA Nation and play there while awaiting an investor?
You can follow “The Dudes” below.
9. Lakeland (Pop: 107, 922) – Located between Tampa and Orlando, this city could be a perfect home to a NISA Nation or even NISA league club. Plenty of soccer fans, and talent in this area (see former athletes that came from Lakeland), as well as competition. Could help develop a lovely derby between a Tampa/St. Pete/Daytona Beach (see above/below) clubs.
Florida Tropics SC (UPSL) –
Florida Tropics are a club based in Lakeland Florida that have both an outdoor club with pro aspirations, and an indoor professional club. They have tasted success multiple times and it wouldn’t be shocking to see them thrive at the next level. Perhaps a couple years in NISA Nation before moving up to NISA? They also have a passionate supporters group with the Swan City Syndicate behind them.
You can follow the Tropics and the Swan City Syndicate below
Lakeland United (UPSL) –
Lakeland United is a new club in the city of Lakeland that provides a little competition for the Tropics. They have yet to exist in the same season for UPSL, but it’ll be fun to see what happens when these two clubs face off finally. Lakeland is close enough to major cities where it can support multiple clubs. But will they?
You can follow Lakeland United below
10. Daytona Beach (Pop: 70,140) – Daytona was rumored to be an original club in NISA, but was moved by the would-be owners to Baton Rouge, then it kind of fizzled out from there. Daytona isn’t a bad option for a club nevertheless. Beautiful area, close to major cities, easy access to the city itself. The city was once home to a USL L2 side, maybe a NISA Nation club with intentions to go pro spark the fans in the area?
11. Ocala (Pop: 61,810) – Is a fast growing area in Central Florida near Orlando and Tampa. They had a club many years ago in the USL L2 (PDL at the time) called the Ocala Stampede, that club has since folded and the franchise rights moved to an area close by called The Villages. This area has seen success in soccer, and could be a decent addition to the NISA Nation Florida region.
The Villages SC (USL L2) –
The Villages SC is the lone USL club I recommended in this article. But that’s for a good reason. The Villages have been around since 2016 and have made the playoffs 3 times in the clubs first 4 seasons, and 4 times total (The lone season without a playoff appearance was 2017, as the 2020 season was cancelled). This club, if it chooses to enter the NISA Pyramid, will surely be a favorite to win the Florida region of NISA Nation. This club, unfortunately is the least likely to join NISA.
You can follow the Buffaloes below
12. Pensacola (Pop: 53,651) – Pensacola is located in the panhandle of Florida, close to the Alabama border. They have multiple military bases, and a university within the local area, and an existing club with a history of success to top it off. You also have nearby cities of Fort Walton Beach and Destin that could compliment Pensacola.
Pensacola FC (NPSL) –
Pensacola is a club that is no stranger to success. They only have one of the best lower league womens club in the county. They have management who’s passionate about the game, and would do wonders for both NISA and the upcoming womens league WISL. The con to Pensacola, is that they currently do not draw big on the crowds, perhaps due to the location of their field. Maybe a move to the university of West Florida to bring them closer to students, and the military bases in the area could improve that on top of the facilities. They recently gained a fan supporters group, the Pelicans Army. Perhaps this will help them gain more passionate supporters in the stands and on away days?
You can follow Pensacola FC and Pelicans Army below.
13. Key West (Pop: 23,342) –
Key West will be one of the smaller markets I would recommend, but would also be one of the most scenic locations in the league upon arrival. Can the support a team? Not entirely sure. Do they have the facilities for a club? Not sure. Will it be cool to see Key West on an away day? Absolutely. At the very least I’m sure they can support a NISA Nation club
14. Naples (Pop: 21,812) – The smallest city in Florida that I could think reasonably could host a NISA Nation club. They build talent, and have seen bits of success in NPSL and UPSL.
Naples United FC (NPSL) –
Naples United FC claims to be the only professional soccer team in Naples. Can they make that a reality while playing inside of a professional league? Now don’t let that little bit of info fool you. Naples is a quality side in NPSL, making the 2021 regional semifinals before falling to Southern States. They would surely be a contender for the Florida region of NISA Nation.
You can follow Naples United below
Naples City FC (UPSL)
Naples City is a young club that has full intentions to grow and become something huge. In addition, with the plans of starting both a mens and womens academy, maybe they’ll also be a good fit to join the WISL.
Who do you think I missed? What cities do you think I should cover in the next article? (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississipi, Georgia, and South Carolina)
Tampa no longer is in the UPSL or fielding a pro or semi pro team