The United Premier Soccer League is the league that comprises the fourth tier of the sport in our nation.
We now have a local team that plays in that semiprofessional competition.
That came about recently when LA10 FC entered into an agreement with the Burbank Unified School District to play its home games at Memorial Field, on the campus of John Burroughs High School.
LA10 FC, which was formed in 2019, is one of 400 teams around the nation that competes in the UPSL.
It has played at several different venues mostly in the San Fernando Valley. One of its players is Burroughs High boys’ varsity coach Makan Afzali.
But the club is unlike most others. It has a strong ownership partnership led by Jeffrey Whalen, a longtime Warner Bros. and Walt Disney executive. Whalen’s business partner is Alessandro Del PIero, who is on the list of the greatest 100 players in history by virtually every international panel.
He was part of Italy’s 2006 World Cup champion team and scored a penalty kick in the decisive shootout over France.
Del Piero owns No. 10, an Italian restaurant in West Hollywood that has become a popular spot for fans to watch games, mostly those of his beloved club team, Juventus. Del Piero is the all-time leading scorer in Juventus history.
Whalen said they have achieved some of their goals with the club and want to see continued progress.
“We are the second-most watched and followed team (in the league). We have a nationwide broadcast deal with an online partner called Ciaousa.tv. They have about 500,000 viewers a day,” Whalen said. “We are their lead sports entry.”
Since the founding of the club, Whalen said they have helped in the development of some players who have moved on.
“(We have) seven players with pro contracts that have come through the club. That’s a key development goal for us,” Whalen said. “I’m looking to build the team. I want to drive the ship as far as I can into the U.S. Open Cup.”
LA10 FC will have home games at Memorial Field on April 27, May 11 and June 1.
It concludes the regular season June 8 with a road match at the Glendale Sports Complex.
All home matches start at 5 p.m. and are open to the public.
