[2]: 39 Following the dissolution of the league a new competition, called Superclub Championship, was launched to decide the top club in the country.
[2]: 39 The winners in those years were as follows: The increase in the number of teams participating for the championship, as well as lack of a true national league system, caused a strong drop in playing standards.
The league also featured a championship play-off session at the end of the seasons, involving teams finishing high in the table.
The championship play-offs system at the end of the league was the major difference when compared with the competition launched in 1970.
Seven teams, participating in the first edition, came from the NISL (Central United, Waitakere City, Napier City Rovers, Mt Wellington, Miramar Rangers, Metro and Manawatu AFC) and three came from the SISL (Dunedin Technical, Nelson Suburbs, Woolston WMC).
It marked a turning point in the history of the game in New Zealand, as for the first time traditional clubs were not eligible to participate in the top league.
In March 2021, New Zealand Football announced a change to the structure of both the premiership and the top regional leagues around the country.
All teams that qualify plus the Phoenix Reserves, would then play a single round-robin competition between October and December.