The new commissioner kinda mentioned something. But to me I don't see any kind of seriousness to expand the WPS to the west coast or midwest. Do the eastcoast owners want to expand to other parts of the country? Do they want the extra expense of flying cross-country, hotel rooms, meals, etc. when they can take a bus from Boston to Connecticut? Is this going to remain predominantly an east coast league? And as we saw with MagicJack, if they don't like you, will they kick you out? The way it looks to me, the eastcoast owners are in control of the league with a weak CEO or commissioner or whatever you call it. I see expansion if it happens, at a snails pace.
Well, as I quoted in an above post, there won't be West coast for 2012, but it seems like a lot of teams are poised to join in 2013. And I've seen that sentiment repeated in multiple places. I'm just not sure exactly how much "commitment" is there at the moment, as I've never seen a team name or team owner/manager name actually dropped. Now, what IS bugging me right now is the lack of news on CT. If it was going to happen, I would've expected that they'd have announced it by now. If there isn't a press release on Monday, color me worried.
Terry Foley had a twitter exchange with Gerry Marrone where the drop dead date that was talked was 11/9.
So apparently there was a "media call" held by NJ & O'Sullivan yesterday? At least, I was browsing NJ's twitter and saw a bunch of stuff from yesterday afternoon. No direct mention of CT (or any other markets) but there was this for O'Sullivan: Just reinforces my impression that CT'12 isn't happening.
Well... damn. That sucks. Okay, so that leaves expansion at: -CT 2013 -At least three West coast teams, also 2013 - I'm guessing Vancouver 'caps, OC Waves, and... Bay Area Breeze? Seattle something? -NY Fury (Riley's project) also 2013 -Chicago just unlikely for anytime in the near future -Naimo mentioned something about LA, but he's not associated with the OC Waves AFAIK... so maybe something else over there? Taking the current five teams and the first three points mentioned would make an at-least-ten-team league in 2013: -Six in the Northeast -Three in the West -Atlanta
Hmm.... I need to read around ALL the forums a bit more before posting. Just found this little tidbit in the USL forum: Tacoma Tide & Seattle Women sold. Does anyone know anything about Smith & McElroy? I'm clueless.
@SiberianThunderT, I've seen the use of AFAIK twice now in different threads and have no idea what that means, care to elaborate for us in the dark? Thanks!
No offense, but why would anyone take anything the WPS says about expansion with anything more than a grain of salt at the moment? Weren't we supposed to have 10 Teams/8 Teams/Everyone From Last Year Returning at differing points this offseason?
As Far As I Know =-) (Also, the variant AFAICT: As Far As I Can Tell) Well, the "ten" was only said once, by Riley, who we've seen to be one to say things more riding on things like anger, elation, and hope than relying on fact. And I don't remember hearing anything about "eight" before... But your point still stands, especially as the "everyone returning" was said by multiple people multiple times in the month before mJ was cut. All this is speculation based on things that have been mentioned in the past Until we hear something to the contrary, though, I'm pretty confident in at least half of the teams mentioned above - particularly OC Waves (b/c they've been chomping at the bit since late 2010) and CT (b/c they were apparently very close to 2012, or at least it seemed that way based on how much they were talked about since the 2011 season ended).
I don't know how anyone can be confident about expansion now. Especially in the west. You can't really buy anything WPS or anyone connected to them says at this point. We also have to worry about the current five. How many will even see 2013? How really sound is that investor group in Boston that the league got together? And who knows if the CT group will even be around in 2013? From what I understand, they were interested in WPS based on the success of the WWC. Which doesn't really translate to WPS. Their own interest level could very well begin to fade without that WWC buzz and as reality sets in over the next year. No matter how you slice it, this is very bad news for anyone that believes WPS has a chance to survive.
Okay, well, maybe "confident" wasn't the perfect word. However, I'd still be willing to bet on seeing at least two teams join the league in 2013. I haven't been reduced to the cynicism many around here have been. A couple months back, before CT was talked about, when BOS's ownership was up in the air, and mJ was having visible problems, I was definitely worried. But as I said before, until I hear something to the contrary, I'm remaining hopeful. Look at it this way: do we have any definite, explicit hard evidence of any of those groups shying away? (Aside from CHI, which I already said I'm not holding my breath for, as they've explicitly said while WPS would be nice, they're quite happy with WPSL.)
Just to update: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/...al-Soccer-matters-to-you.html?ref=twitter.com =EDIT= More snooping around Philly sports: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports...eprieve_from_U_S__Soccer__eyes_expansion.html
They had teams coming in this year, and are down 1 team, have a short season to work on the business model, because based on the white caps and DB, it's screwed up. This time next year they could be still on 5 or down to 4. and of course the ussf will extend because they can't let women's D1 soccer go by the way side and become the evil empire. fitz and the committee, fix the darn business model. you've had 4 years now.
oh, and you just forgot the white caps don't like the wps model either. when did they become an unstable organization.
I didn't forget the Whitecaps. I just don't think one group that is happy at its level which makes few demands on it is somehow indicative of much in and of itself. http://girlscansocceradventures.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/wps-whitecaps-and-duane-rollins/
....moving on.... I was thinking about this: and wondering about what the "new" midwest team could be, and then I remembered: Way back in August of 2010, there were rumblings of a group interested in bringing WPS to KC. I'm nor sure if it had to do something with the Wizards/Sporting rebrand or not. (I think not.) I know Detroit has been thrown around recently, but that one always seemed carzy-out-of-left-field to me. Probably more likely than KC, but I still wonder.
KC makes a lot of sense. They are having the draft there. Yeah, I know it's because of the NSCAA convention, but still... http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=34871 Makes perfect sense to announce KC as an expansion side while in KC before or after the draft, doesn't it? Hopefully Sporting will own them and they will slap the same (similar) branding on the WPS side. It fits the profile of the group's plans.