Super League Federation

The **American Super League**, abbreviated **ASLF**, and commonly remembered as the **Super League**, was one of three private governing bodies of the KOVO Federation in the United States that oversaw all U-18 competitive soccer activity through investors and sponsors. Prior to its dissolution in December 2017, it was regarded the highest division level of soccer for both male & female teenagers across the confederations. It operated under a presidential system of government, with 4-year term limits across all company positions.

## Foundation

### Skill for profit

The Super League was founded by an unnamed American businessman that established a plan of vision for an U-18 competitive environment that gave teenagers an escape from street violence in exchange for paid sports. The first business pitch for the Super League was proposed in October 2005, a plan that involved 16 teams consisting of 22 players per team representing 8 states. Base salaries would average a $200 stipend per month.

The Super League announced its official establishment on January 01, 2007. After it's acquisition of property for office space and the confirmed schedules for all teams, including rented venues for league matches, the Super League held its first group stage draw that consisted of 4 groups with 4 teams, implementing a knockout stage system for the elimination phase.

### League debut

The 2007 Super League season came to be a hugely successful campaign for the Super League Federation. Despite an initial 16 teams, 6 different franchise applications were submitted by various projects wanting to join the league. Offers for league combinations and team guests were also placed on bid. The following season in 2008, viewership increased in triple numbers compared to 2007.

## Teams

### West Conference

A list below provides names of all participating Super League clubs representing the Western Region of the United States.

West Conference Teams

### East Conference

A list below provides names of all participating Super League clubs representing the Eastern Region of the United States.

East Conference Teams

## Lonov era

### New leader

American businessman Mark Lonov was voted as the 2nd Super League President after his 53% majority vote held in November 2008. Lonov expanded the league through marketing that encouraged more players to apply for tryouts. He raised the starting base salary from $200 to $300 across his 2 year presidency. During his term, he also signed multiple sponsorship deals that allowed corporation advertising on stadium ads during live matches. Despite his attempts of increasing the league's image to the public, he was considered weak in experience and is remembered as a weak leader of the Federation's history.

## Harrison era

### Prime league

American businessman Steve Harrison won the election as new president of the Super League in November of 2011. His 4 year term as president is regarded as the best moment the Super League lived in terms of profit and image. Focusing on expansion, his staggering elevation of base pay rise from $300 to $1,000 threw the league into the spotlight of demand for higher-skilled athletes worth that price. Deals made with the gambling industry also increased betting on Super League matches, boosting viewership and obtaining the necessary audience to pressure its players to play more competitively. The Super League's investors were also bought out, wiped and replaced with sponsors that believed in his project to expand the franchise into new states.

The top goal scorer from 2010 achieved 8 goals as the highest scorer. By the end of Harrison's term, the top goal scorer reached 18 goals. He succeeded in laying out a plan that gave the Super League a large sum of profit in outside activities such as gambling and name rights. The league remained a private sector industry.

## Hebert Era

### Continuation of legacy

Having been an admirer of Steve Harrison, newly elected and last Super League President, John Hebert, continued the work of Harrison. He centralized his efforts in signing deals that exclusively raised the profit of the league. One of his biggest was the Super League TV deal, a signing that made all games eligible for streaming available exclusively on the Super League website & app platform. It relied on multiple screen-watching at once, $5 per month and access to all live matches & highlights to convince the public.

### Decennary campaign

Another major acquisition, perhaps Hebert's most known deal, became the Decennary deal, a signing in December of 2016 that introduced guest teams to the 2017 Super League season. The commemoration of the 10 year anniversary of the league turned the 2017 season into the **2017 Decennary Super League campaign**, inviting the best teams from the 2 other parent league's into the Super League's upcoming season. Teams such as U.S Fazio, a 8-year undefeated team, were invited. New teams such as the South City Wolves were also accepted as part of the franchise expansion. 2017 became the Federation's most streamed season and most gambled from bets.

### Salary backlash

John Hebert often came into criticism for his lack of control over the player's salaries. Liam Stones (ESPN Eagles captain) in 2017 reported a $86,000 USD per year salary, topping him as the highest paid defender of the 2017 season. Enzo DeAndre also topped a $77,000 salary. Because of coming under pressure, Hebert kept the minimum base salary at $12,000 USD per year but the median pay for a player was at a high $24,000 per year, an 15% increase from 2016. The top 10 best players all held salaries surpassing $70,000 per year.

### Corruption scandal

During the 2017 Decennary Super League knockout stage, reports began to arise surrounding the Super League's influence in match-fixing games to profit from gambling. It also came under criticism for illegally ordering team captains to hurt other star players, known as the **call-out system**, as explained by Liam Stones to Ana Sophía in **Chapter 06: By Your Side**. Much of the corruption scandal was never revealed to the public.

## Dissolution of the Federation

### Fall in Minnesota

On December 21st of 2017 during the 2017 Decennary Super League Final hosted in Minnesota and disputed between 3-time champion **ESPN Eagles** and franchise debutants **South City Wolves**, President John Hebert and his administration evacuated U.S Bank Stadium shortly after the commencement of the second half from being warned of a hunt down threat of all federation members. The match went undisturbed and advanced, eventually witnessing the victory of Enzo DeAndre lift what would be the last Super League title.

Around 01:00am on December 22, a post on the Super League's social media page confirmed their actions of closing all services related to the federation and a confirmed handover of control to the KOVO Federation, whom would assume all decision-making for the future of all teams. Alexandre Silva, a former soccer player during the Super League era, was appointed President of the KOVO Federation. He was 18 years of age at the time of his appointment, making him the youngest ever elected leader of a soccer confederacy. The following week, all banners, social media, media propaganda and physical office spaces that served under the Super League Federation were taken down and evidence of its past existence went practically empty within a matter of days.