Elarosa is divided in communities. (Not cities or towns. Towns will allow you to challenge their leader easily because they'll be starting/small communities without too much respect.)
Each community has trainers that battle for respect.
Community Leaders (Gym Leaders) work as majors in each community, and to challenge them you must earn enough respect in that community by defeating trainers and helping people with errands.
Each community has a representative Pokémon, instead of using a specific type.
They form alliances and fight other communities to recruit members and gamble over possesions. You'll be able to choose a community to be in, and depending on the one you choose, other communities will favor you or reject you.
Elarosa's Pokémon League would be a Community Tournament, where they fight for respect and a huge money prize for manutention.