Black Athletes in the Spotlight: HBCU Sports & Local Highlights
- Pro Cup Tournament is tied to NISA's application to USSF for 2025/2026; league plans a full schedule in 2026.
- Savannah Clovers prefer to stay in NISA but have 'other options' if USSF rejects the league application.
- Team seeks outside partner or investor; coach David Proctor's status uncertain; focusing on community support to return in 2026.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — The Savannah Clovers FC will not play a game in 2025 as the National Independent Soccer Association, a third-tier league under American Soccer to which the club belongs, goes through ‘restructuring’, according to Brian Sykes, the team’s general manager and co-owner through a phone conversation with WSAV.
This includes the NISA Pro Cup Tournament in the fall, which the league says is part of its “NISA’s professional league application to USSF for 2025/2026,” according to a statement released on March 25. The statement goes on to say the league will return to a full schedule in 2026.
Sykes said the Clovers have “other options” available if the USSF rejects NISA’s application. However, they are currently not exploring any other avenues and would like to remain in NISA.
When asked about ownership, Skyes said the team is looking at “bringing in a new outside partner or investor” to help compete at the professional level. The status of current head coach David Proctor is up in the air. It is “too far away from the start of the season” to know if he will lead the team. Skyes adding Proctor may explore other coaching opportunities.
The Clovers ‘look forward’ to returning in 2026, according to Sykes. The team’s co-owner looks at the situation as a positive, saying the team will have more time to attract additional support from the community through ticket sales and fan engagement.
“We just want to be a part of the community,” Sykes said. “With the World Cup happening next year, there is a lot of excitement. The Clovers have an opportunity to bring high-level soccer to Savannah.”
In 2024, the league commenced play in late March. This season, the league’s website, along with the Clovers’ website, does not have any games scheduled for the 2025 season.
According to the team’s website, the Savannah Clovers were founded on June 23, 2016. On January 11, 2022, their application to NISA was accepted and they played their first match as a professional organization in March of 2023.
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