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United Black Players enters new era, unveils new brand

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 02/21/23, 3:30PM EST

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Organization previously known as Black Players Alliance sets goals to impact youth, collegiate and pro ranks

The United Black Players of the United Soccer League announced on Tuesday the transition to a new era for the organization under a new name and brand. Formerly known as the Black Players Alliance, over the past three years the group has established itself as an important piece of the USL community.

Led by President Hugh Roberts, Vice President Duke Lacroix, Treasurer Akeem Ward, and Secretary Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu; the UBP has created important partnerships and implemented key initiatives around the league.

With a mission to address inequity issues within the sport of soccer, the UBP has set forth new goals aimed to impact the youth, collegiate, and professional ranks. Developing a pathway of access and success for underserved youth is of utmost importance to the members of the group. The player pathway will provide opportunities and resources at every level of the game and help to create a sustainable future for minorities in the sport.

The UBP has previously played a vital role in the establishment of the USL’s United Against Racism campaign in 2021, launched its own youth soccer clinic initiative in 2022. It now has plans to expand numerous key programs in 2023. With the support of the USL front office, and various individual teams throughout the league, the UBP will continue to make an impact in even more communities around the country.

“Since our inception, we’ve been able to achieve a number of goals that we’ve set for our organization,” said UBP Executive Director Brandon Miller. “The league has been very supportive on a few key initiatives and we look forward to expanding our work under a new umbrella in 2023. We felt the name change was important as we look to move in a more focused direction.”

The Black Players Alliance was originally formed in 2020. More than 100 professional players in the USL Championship and League One joined the group with a common mission to impact positive change on the soccer landscape in the United States. The organization was developed to unite players around the country and utilize the group’s platform to push diversity to the forefront of the league. Not only was the group established to enact change, it has cultivated a space for minority voices to be heard and empowered. Many members have played pivotal roles in the success of the group and the organization looks forward to continuing to amplify their achievements.

For more information, visit unitedblackplayers.org.

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