......from my WSII contact (I'd call her my "Gal" but she'd beat me to a pulp for it) and this is what she passed along. She's usually been right about this stuff but that's no guarantee. I take no responsibility. WSII met Monday and Tuesday in NY—5 teams want to start in 2008—Chicago, St. Louis, DC and Jersey Sky Blue and Boston and 2 want to wait to 2009—Anschutz in LA and Dallas San Diego is probably #8 They are leaning with starting with 5 in 08 and hoping the others come on board. They want to announce plans before the US leaves for WWC Basically 4 of those 5 coming in are W-League or WPSL top teams who have teams and structures ready to go. Boston with Cummins can get up to speed soon and DiCicco will probably join them to coach Also, European players are getting signed now for next year anyway—no starting a new team this late
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... Doesn't FIFA need at least six teams to be an official league? There's no way one of the other two (LA, Dallas) could start next year? How do you handle playoffs? You can't have semifinals or else the league would be a joke. It would have to crown its champion the European way; no playoffs, whoever's first at the end of the season is the winner. St. Louis? San Diego?? *keeps mouth shut*
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... alot of the teams that are w- league or wpsl would not have the same players a they have now. some would be retained i'm sure, but these teams rosters would change somewhat i bet.
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... This is a little frustrating. I'm all for them taking their time and doing it right, but I thought the '08 launch was the patient, well-planned relaunch of a women's pro league that we've been waiting for for 4 years. I was under the impression that they had been getting all the pieces in place quietly over the past few years, and then announced the relaunch. It makes me a bit nervous to see this kind of hesitation at this point in the process. I mean, I've already sent in a ticket deposit, bought the "we're back!" tshirt, and started planning a supporters club. I just feel that any concern big enough to prompt owners to want to delay the launch should have been addressed before teams started taking ticket deposits and whatnot. It'd be interesting to learn just what those concerns are. That being said, I am 100% in favor of them doing whatever they need to do to make this league stable and lasting. I would just really love to be back in the stadium next spring, riding a wave of increased popularity after an incredible '07 world cup victory.
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... exactly, i thought we had gotten past the point where issues like this might come up. maybe i'll just go to europe to be a pro women's soccer fan...
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... My cousin's friend has a neighbor who said that there will be no league until 2009. Only two teams wanted to start up next year and the rest wanted to take their time and make sure things were done right. All those prior announcements were just propaganda and that's unfortunate because it's hard to take a league seriously when they change their story every few months.
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... It would be disappointing if the league can not start next year. Peter Wilt, is there any update(s) that you can share with us at this time?
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... IMO the relaunch of womens league is being postponed because of the Olympics. If the plan is to use the WNT as the popular draw...those ladies will be locked into other commitments. It's a shame though....I believe many players have been patiently waiting. And just so I can live up to my nic....MOAN....A If local muncipalities can get behind MLS and use tax payer money to build new ss stadiums ....it is clear gender discrimination is alive and well I am tried of hearing about there is no money to be made in Womens Sports with the NBA referee fiasco....steriods in MLB and the NFL in the Dog House there is not a better time for sponsors to step up and put their $ behind something good and decent for a change ok I'm done
Mark Zeigler in today's SD Union-Tribune Women's pro soccer revival delayed http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070817/news_1s17soccer.html
Re: Mark Zeigler in today's SD Union-Tribune *looks up 'commitment-phobes' in the new version of Webster's dictionary* *sees the WSII logo right next to it* Bah, humbug.
Re: Mark Zeigler in today's SD Union-Tribune This failure is SQUARELY on Antonucci. This has dragged on now for two+ years. And what does she have to show for it? Bupkus. Inexcusable. Heck, why not delay it until 2013, right after getting the buzz from the London Olympics? Just to dot them I's and cross those T's that you missed in 2009.
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... They can babble all they want - I'm looking at you, Tonya Antonucci - but the bottom line is to put some players on the field. Clearly, the "owners" who are now known have the capacity to do that. It simply does not take 18 more months to have a phone line installed and open a ticket window, order some uniforms and work out a place to play. And as noted, at least four of the teams are building on existing W League frameworks. It ain't like they're starting from scratch. Frankly, it appears that you do not, in fact, have solid commitments to go forward. Sounds to me like all you have is some people who are sort-of, maybe, kind-of interested in starting a league. I'm sorry to be blunt about it, but year after year after year of "next year" makes your word questionable: why should we believe you now? I'd like to see someone else take this over. With all due respect, Antonucci's credibility is in the toilet.
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... i'm not saying it's definitely '09......but if it were it would be because of Olympics impact on a first year league and more importantly having certain teams that operationally would have been challenged doing it right...and a league is only as strong as it's weakest link... Short selling season for League and team sponsorships would be a factor as well. There are many reasons this dragged...some controllable, some not. i have been impressed with TA's vision, knowledge and drive. Frustrating - yep. The need to do it right is critical for sustainability though - no more chances i suspect after this. Bill, while i respect you and many of your thoughts, the idea of opening up an office, adding a phone line, signing the players and getting on with it, is exactly the approach taken by the New York Power and we all know how that turned out. If we're going to do it, let's do it right or not do it at all. i agree that if it's pushed off it MUST come with a corresponding major financial commitment and signature of operating agreement by all teams as opposed to the small financial commitment and LOI signature that was done for 08. peter
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... The 2004 Olympics created problems the WUSA, unfortunately never had to face. With regards to a new league, I have asked about Beijing 2008, with every person I've come across, and it really has been the "elephant in the room". Frankly, the Olympic Women's Football tournament should be a U23 event, just like the Men's tournament. But it's not. So it has to be dealt with. Considering many players have fall coaching jobs, a truly "split-season" would cause horrible problems. What's left are several unsatisfactory options: - Have the playoffs missing the stars. - Have the stars miss the end of the regular season, possibly affecting who makes the playoffs, then return and have to re-integrate for the post-season. - Take a three-four week break between the end of the regular season and the playoffs. - Have a very short season with the playoffs ending before August. ------------------------- As to Bill's one year delay freak-out, I'm just having flashbacks to 1995. In the end, I think it's hard for anyone to argue that MLS delaying its launch from 1995 to 1996 was a bad idea.
SD Tribune: Women's pro soccer league revival delayed again. This has been going on for about 3 years; can anyone say that, under Antonucci's guiding hand, that we are any closer to a women's league than we were in 2004? This latest setback proves things are still about a centimeter off square one. In fact, we are now farther away than ever, and who knows if 2009 is a legit date? Then just send a U-23 team. We should have more than enough quality players to contend for and win the gold medal. Easy solution where you'll have a full season: Early March to the last weekend of July. England, Spain, Germany, France, Sweden, all their men's leagues have games in March. Why not this league? It eliminates the split season dead. Andy, Peter and everyone else, we have now entered 'boy who cried wolf' territory in the express lane. Why should any fan who has waited for the return of women's pro soccer logically believe that even the 2009 date is realistic? They'll think, 'oh, they'll postpone it again, like they've done before'. That's how I'm feeling right now. Your window of opportunity is closing; these players aren't getting any younger while Antonucci and co. fiddle while American players looking for a challenge have to go overseas to the Damallsvenskan and women's Bundesliga to earn a living. Tonya Antonucci, get this league up and running. Sooner rather than later. Or resign and hand it over to someone who can.
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... I understand your frustration. I'm frustrated too and want the league yesterday. However, I disagree in that I think we are much closer to having a league than we were 3 years ago. There is a group of owners who are meeting next week to form and fund the league. That is great progress. Unfortuantely, not as quickly as we would like and I would guess that no one is more disappointed with this development than TA. Personalll, I am torn between wanting them to ramrod it through even if there are teams won't be 100% ready and wanting them to use caution in light of sustainability.
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... I have always been highly skeptical of the likelihood and the wisdom of an '08 launch. It just seemed far too rushed, especially with the Olympics looming later that year. A 2009 launch seems much more logical, as the year after the Olympics is always quiet (as far as the WNT goes) and players can commit themselves to helping launch a domestic league. I agree, it is disappointing, but if the league is going to get off the ground successfully, it needs to be done right. We will not see a WSIII. Speeding through this process serves no one but fans with entitlement issues. In the mean time, I shall fully enjoy the upcoming WWC and college soccer season. September shall be a great month.
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... I respectfully need to take issue with this. Three years, Anna, and counting. 'Speeding through this process'? This is proceeding at the speed of a snail on Valium. Any possibility of a league in 2008 is DOA. We know that now; that's 4 years of promises. 2009; who really knows? Fans don't like having their chains jerked around, which is what this whole bordering on theater of the absurd has turned into. Unless somebody who's in a position to know can prove the aforementioned statement wrong, then I believe that was the way of it. Those pronouncements were done to string people along, they raised false hope. And that's not a very nice thing to do with your fan base.
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... It is debateable about who is a star....personally I would rather the league create it's own stars....I dont necessarily want to relive the fantastic 5 all over again. Or is this what it is really about...USSF afraid it's "stars" arent going to shine as bright in the face of open competiton...so what if a few players have to miss games due to Olympics...If team owners and sponsors can be so easily persuaded away from a relaunch...I doubt their commitment to begin with..... we really should have run with that nappy-headed ho thing.wasnt that the last time anyone paid attention to women atheletes?
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... No, you can't be having your best players missing to an event which takes up all the national media. Plus, it's an insult to your customers. It's annoying that MLS still hasn't learned that.
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... Especially in your first year when maybe regional favorites haven't been fully established yet. And, not just talking about the US WNT, the foreign stars as well.
Re: WSII: I just got an email..... There was absolutely NO propoganda here. The teams that are now slowing things down are taking another look at things and arent comfortable where THEY are with all this. As much as it sucks, its actually smart as Im sure everyone would prefer it build a firm foundation vs a shakey one.