WPSL or W-League for 2012

Discussion in 'Atlanta Beat' started by kbritt1967, Feb 9, 2012.

  1. kbritt1967

    kbritt1967 Member

    Aug 16, 2009
    Atlanta, GA
    Club:
    Atlanta Beat
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    See http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/boston/news/general/120209-Breakers-are-back.aspx

    Other teams (Boston Breakers, WNY FLash, Chicago Red Stars) are joining the WPSL for 2012 for a new "Elite" division.

    Any word on whether or not the Atlanta Beat has plans to do this, too? Atlanta already has the Atlanta Silverbacks (W-League) and Revolution (WPSL), but the new Elite division, which is described as "semi-pro" would compete at a different level from the regular WPSL teams.

    I think it would be a great opportunity for the players who aren't going to Europe to still have the chance to keep in game shape & stay fit. Also a great opportunity for the fans. I was particularly impressed with the WSPL leader's comments about being open to working with the WPS teams, even knowing that it would probably be temporary for 2012 only.

    Thoughts?
     
  2. MRAD12

    MRAD12 Member+

    Jun 10, 2004
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    From what I understand, Fitz Johnson and the owners and former owners of the Red Stars were good friends and still keep in touch after the CRS left the WPS.

    Lets go Fitz!! Get on Board!

    Atlanta Beat fans write to Fitz or call up the Beat front office and tell them to join WPSL Elite league.
     
  3. GaDawg

    GaDawg New Member

    Apr 15, 2011
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd love for it to happen, but I think from the glaring silence of Fitz and the Beat the past 10 days that it is highly unlikely the Beat will field any kind of team in 2012.
     
  4. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.C._Indiana_(W-League)

    Indianapolis and Chicago are closer to Atlanta than Rochester and Boston, well Indianapolis for sure.

    http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Boston,+MA&daddr=Rochester,+NY+to:Indianapolis,+IN+to:Chicago,+IL+to:Atlanta,+GA&hl=en&ll=38.444985,-79.365234&spn=16.293526,28.168945&sll=37.055177,-95.668945&sspn=16.598197,28.168945&geocode=FZ9WhgIdw7bD-ykbMT0NLWXjiTGg6GIBJL98eA%3BFcaVkgIdVsBf-ylTsxSWBbPWiTEe5iVB_B8AWg%3BFcTRXgIdBlXd-ikDanmn_1BriDF86rlA9p2O1g%3BFWICfwIdGuDG-inty_TQPCwOiDEAwMAJrabgrw%3BFQP4AgIdclf4-imNCZNpXQT1iDELYwuZL97-Zg&oq=Rochester&mra=ls&t=m&z=5
     
  5. Cville K C

    Cville K C Member

    Nov 3, 2008
    Collinsville, IL
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is a little bit of a tangent, but I understand Christa Mann is stepping down from Atlanta's media relations department. She is moving on with her media and broadcast career. Christa was always very good at getting info out to the press and fans (and putting the best face on things when all was not going well). I wish her the best of luck in the future.

    Don't know if this says anything about the Beat fielding a team this year or if she just felt it was time to move on, but she will be missed.
     
  6. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    "Schedules are still being worked on. Zanelli said he is not very concerned about travel costs (the Elite League will be based on the East Coast – most likely Maryland and north – and in the Midwest). The playoff structure, which will be separate from the amateur WPSL, will likely involve four teams with a two leg aggregate championship."

    - http://equalizersoccer.com/2012/02/...012-with-flash-breakers-red-stars-fc-indiana/

    That being said, the geography - as you note - isn't at all unreasonable for Atlanta to join in.
     
  7. StevieBeat

    StevieBeat Member

    Apr 9, 2011
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Wow, that's too bad about Christa (for the team), I hadn't heard that. She was a real asset to the team and a great person just to talk to. I thought she did a great job on the NCAA broadcasts this year, so hopefully she will still be involved with women's soccer as she moves on.

    I think someone brought up in another thread that there may be regional considerations for the leagues as far as incorporating WPS teams in markets that already have another team. The Silverbacks (W-League) are within 20 or 30 miles of KSU. I didn't know anything about the Georgia Revolution until I saw them mentioned on here recently, but apparently this will be their first year, so I don't feel so out of the loop. Anyway, they're in Conyers which is a little further away and wouldn't be in the Elite League anyway, so that would be the more likely choice.

    The Beat have been dead quiet, though, much to the frustration of many fans (and communication with fans has never been this team's strong suit). I'm not sure if Fitz is considering a 2012 team, but he's also more heavily involved in the litigation with DB than the other owners, so my thought is that he would either have to hire a new GM to handle day-to-day ops and compete in WPSL, or just go on hiatus and work toward '13. Hoping for the former but my money's on the latter.
     
  8. MRAD12

    MRAD12 Member+

    Jun 10, 2004
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Not a peep out of Atlanta. The sound of crickets.
     
  9. DemitriMaximoffX

    Aug 19, 2006
    Galanis posted on twitter a few days ago that the Beat would not be competing in the W-League or WPSL this season.
     
  10. SoccerMom30030

    SoccerMom30030 New Member

    Aug 9, 2012
    From Soccer America today. Does anyone know if they might be an Atlanta team?
    [WOMEN'S PRO SOCCER] Three former WPS clubs -- the Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars and Sky Blue FC -- are among the clubs set for the launch of a new yet-to-be-named professional women’s soccer league that will start play in the spring of 2013. A newly formed team in Seattle is also among the founding members. Four other teams, including another team that will be located on the West Coast, are finalizing plans to join the league.

    “All these teams are committed to playing with and against each other starting in 2013 and to working out the final details to allow a sustainable professional league for women’s soccer in the U.S.,” Michael Stoller, the Breakers' managing partner, said in a statement released early Thursday morning. “We want to emphasize this is not a competitor to any of the existing leagues, but rather this is a significant step up in the competitive level and professional standards and we expect to establish a natural relationship to allow teams to enter this new league and perhaps to fall back (self-relegate) to their prior league if they need a break from the higher spending and competitive requirements.”
     
  11. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If anyone, it would more likely be the Silverbacks, who've been an outstanding W-League team for years. But I don't know if they're interested.
     

Share This Page