WUSA ALL-STAR GAME HEADED TO NORTH CAROLINA - 2003 All-Star Game Will Take Place at SAS Stadium on June 19 - ATLANTA (Tuesday, March 25, 2003) - The world's best female soccer players will come together for the ultimate showcase of soccer when the second annual WUSA All-Star Game is held at SAS Stadium in Cary, North Carolina on Thursday, June 19 at 7:30 pm ET. Featuring a WUSA American stars vs. WUSA World Stars format, the All-Star Game will provide a look at all of the top players who are expected to compete in the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup in China in September and October. The WUSA All-Star Game continues the trend of world-class soccer events at SAS Stadium, home of the WUSA's Carolina Courage. Completed in April 2002, the 7,000 seat, state-of-the-art stadium has hosted U.S. women's national team exhibitions and was the training site for the U.S. men's national team prior to the squad departing for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The complex, which features seven fields, is the site for the 2003 and 2004 NCAA Women's College Cup. The inaugural WUSA All-Star Game was held in Portland, Oregon on September 21, 2002 as the South All-Stars defeated the North All-Stars 6-1 at PGE Park. Washington Freedom forward and 2002 WUSA Rookie of the Year Abby Wambach was named the Hyundai Most Valuable Player of the match for her two goals and one assist. "We are proud to showcase the world's best female players and one of the finest soccer stadiums in the country during this World Cup year," WUSA President and CEO Lynn Morgan said. "The inaugural All-Star Game in Portland last summer was a tremendous event and we believe this year's celebration of soccer will be even better." Featuring the WUSA's top stars, the 2003 All-Star Game is sure to provide a global flavor similar to the inaugural match, as seven different countries were represented at the 2002 All-Star Game. In addition, 17 of the 32 All-Stars in 2002 competed in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. Complete details on the WUSA All-Star Game such as ticket information, the official logo and national television network will be announced in the near future. WUSA ALL-STAR GAME FACT FILE WHAT: 2003 WUSA All-Star Game WHEN: Thursday, June 19 Time: 7:30 p.m. ET WHERE: SAS Stadium - Cary, North Carolina WHO: 32 of the best women's soccer players in the world FORMAT: WUSA American Stars vs. WUSA World Stars
Now that oughta be interesting. The American Stars will basically be the USWNT. I must stuff the ballot box so Noftsinger gets in this time. If the league decides to have another Gala for this I highly recommend going to it. I went to the one in Portland and had a great time!
Most of this was known about a month ago thanks to soccertv.com . MLS tried this format once and it didn't work - primarily because most foreigners the league brings in are more attack-oriented and left a very thin corps of defenders and goalkeepers to pick from. WUSA will be similar - you have more to pick from in the front half of the field than in the rear, especially in goal. Will foreigner status for this game be determined by which country a player is cap-tied to or whether they count against the foreign limit in WUSA? (ie if the former, Steffi Jones is German, under the latter she is US).
I was thinking the same thing: Karina LeBlanc and Gao Hong in goal for the world team, while you have Mullinix, Scurry, Beene, Lucks, and Moore to choose from among the Americans. I don't even know who the world team would put in as defenders. In any case, it's definitely not going to be the top 22 WUSA players on the field.
Off the top of my head: Cheryl Salisbury, Dianne Alagich, Daniela, Brianna Boyd, Steffi Jones and Sharolta Nonen (assuming the last two's dual citizenship doesn't disqualify them.) Not too shabby. Edit: Oh yeah, and Sandra Minnert will be in DC by then. I think there's the makings of a very credible international back line.
Maybe they'll call in some other defenders that are not in the league? Or maybe the current crop of foreigners in the leauge will have to learn how to play in the defensive third. Pretinha will still be called for offside no matter where on the field she is playing. ------------ It'll be interesting to see how this game is played out the week leading up to it. Will this be another game on the WUSA schedule or will this be more of an event that week? For those of us that went to Portland or live in Portland...the first All-Star Game was an event for the city. Several news stations pimped this match by having player appearances/interviews each day leading up to the match. I know Mac had an autograph signing thingy at some sporting goods store. I do believe a handful of players made a visit to the children's ward of a local hospital. The Nike campus was host to a scrimmage on Friday morning I think. And Portland showed their love by showing up in droves to PGE Park. ----------- Too bad this match ain't on the weekend so that folks living further away from Cary..like DC/Philly or Atlanta...can make the drive to it and make it a weekend. ---------- Wouldn't it be much wiser to hold the match in a non-WUSA city to gauge interest in future expansion or to expand the fan base or to bring awareness of the leauge? During the Fan Fest before the match I was lurking around the PAX table and overheard several people say that they have never heard of the league nor realized PAX existed on Portland airwaves.
I was lucky enough to attend the All-Star game in Portland and had a wonderful time! Uncharacteristically nice weather... Well, seeing how the game is not on a weekend, which confuses me a little, I'm leaning towards it being a just for fun match in the middle of the season and not so much as an 'event'. But who knows... The game's at 7:30 which isn't too late for the High Schoolers and adult PTH's D), but for the youngins who'll want to stay an extra 3 hours to get autographs (like what happend in Portland) it makes me wonder even more why they decided to have it on a Thursday night opposed to a Saturday afternoon. *shrug* Maybe they'll think they'll get enough fan support from NC considering that one tiny school who hardly ever wins is there. Which leads into, should a non-WUSA city have it instead of a city which already has a team. Hmm. Good question. I'm positive that they were very pleased with the turn out in Portland so I'm not sure what deterred them from having it in say, Dallas instead. Maybe it's a money decision? But that doesn't make sense since the game's on a school night (hence it won't be an all day thing unless you don't work or take the day off). Maybe it's because they're starting a new trend from whoever wins the FC? Don't know if that's a good idea either. Maybe their just expeirimenting. SAS, from what I've heard and seen on TV looks like a great place to play. None of it really makes too much sense, but I do hope that it goes really well. I want this league to last.
I do believe that the kids in NC will be out of school by then. Remember that here in the South, our school calendar is different. Even with make-up snowdays, I think the locals will be done with school. Still, it's odd for it to be on a weeknight AND in the middle of the season. I don't agree with that at all. I think it's interesting to pit Americans against the rest of the world, could make it a little more fun to watch, I guess.
Two points: 1. Yes, school will be out of session in N.C. by then. 2. The game is probably on a Thursday night because that's when the league could buy time on ESPN2. Furthermore, with the compressed schedule (21 games in 18 weeks), the league really couldn't afford to reserve to set a weekend aside for the All-Star game, because that would have meant more mid-week regular season games. It's a trade-off.
What about the Mudcats? Did you check their schedule? Edited to say: The 'Cats are away to West Tenn, so there will be no competition for the Triangle Area entertainment dollar on June 19.
Well apparently you can start voting for the All-Stars now... http://www.wusa.com/press_room/355276.html ..but when you click on that link you can't vote on anything. VOTE FOR ANN COOK!!! ----- Soooo....SAS's attendance for opening day barely broke 6,000 and Saturday's game barely made it over 5,000.
Where to Stay? What to do? My daughter and I are flying in for the All-Star game. Does anybody have leads on which hotel the players will be staying? And what other fun activities should we plan on while we're in the area. --Socceroo
It's only one game, and you can only have one keeper on the field at a time. What's the big deal of having five or six? A minor advantage at best. Lot's of excellent foreign defenders to choose from... don't understand the concern. This is real simple...the playing field is tilted in the USA's favor, but not for a lack of foreign talent. The real USA advantage will be they have tons of experience playing together as a team, while the foreign players have zilch. Big difference... I'd line up the foreign back something like this... LeBlanc Daniela Jones Nonen Boyd More than enough talent to give the USA forwards a run for their money. The problem is still going to be organization...or the lack thereof... and it won't be just in the back line.
The post 1998 World Cup MLS All-Star Game in Orlando, Florida was American All-Stars vs World All-Stars. It was a blowout. 6-1 if I recall. And this was a period of time where a bunch of the foreign imports were many of the better players in the league. The fact that many of the Americans had played together with the national team, plus the desire to wipe away some of the memories from France, combined to make for a very one-sided affair.
I just think the whole thing is unfair to some American defensive players and foreign forwards. I mean, there's no way LeBlanc is even the fourth-best goalkeeper in the WUSA, but she's going to get to play while, say, Luckenbill or Beene don't even get invited. It cheapens the concept of "All-Star" if you're not going to have the 22 best players out there.
You cannot cheapen that which is already worthless. The concept of "All-Star" may get cheapened but the "All-Star" game cannot get any cheaper. It is an exercise in stupidity on a scale with MLS's shootout to break ties. In a WWC year it is even more absurd to have this game. The game is taken seriously by no one playing. The game has no meaning beyond itself. There is a risk of injury specifically because everyone will be taking it easy. The only excuse for this game is revenue and I bet that they will not even break even on it. Heck it would be a MUCH better game if it was an Anti-All-Star game where the three or four uninjured players from each team that play the least have a chance to show their stuff. That would be an interesting game and a game that could have some meaning, at least to the players. Either that or make the game have some meaning: The winners get a bonus and the losers get NOTHING. Either it is a game worth playing and winning or it is not worth playing at all.
Will you relax? WUSA is a TV show. WUSA has always been a TV show. WUSA was funded as a TV show. WUSA was sold as a TV show. The all-star game is a TV show. No one cares who wins or loses in an all-star game. The only result that matters for an all-star game is cash flow.
Looks like Gabby is coaching the USWNT + Grubb. EDIT I'm waiting for the conspiracy theorists to come out of the woodwork and say that the US roster was fixed to showcase the USWNT since the US landed the 2003 WWC...... I mean c'mon...no Melissa Moore? No Erica Iverson? No Jen Tietjen?
Will both teams be playing a 3-4-3 formation? Is Lehn a legit defender or will she be a Mid playing out of position? Has Roberts really impressed anyone enough this year to make the All Star starting line-up? Does this mean Grubb will get a USWNT shot confirming the notion that WUSA plays a role in identifying players who are ready to step up to NT duties? Predictions on reserves? Will they be used?