Here’s a controversial take: winning a league title in an amateur league is far harder than winning a professional one. There’s usually more teams to contend with, the skill gap is far greater even within a single team, costs are far more prohibitive, and the list goes on. Teams winning at a lower level will face challenges, both on the field and off it, that are worthy of praise. It’s no surprise really that consistent success at the lower levels isn’t common.
So with all that said, it should be a big deal when a local team has a chance to win a national title.