In the 2004 USL Media Guide, Dave Askinas (taking over as CEO from Francisco Marcos) mentions about starting a women's pro league in the USL. It wouldn't happen for a while, though (initial planning stages): "we are currently exploring with our franchises the prospects of forming a women's preofessional league with USL...without undermining the foundation and jeopardizing the financial health of (the W-) league..."
When the WUSA was starting to form, there was talk between the WUSA and the USL about bringing some of the top teams into the league or at the least having them as a "minor league" or development team for the senior teams. You had the Long Island Lady Riders, the Boston Renegades, at the time the Raleigh Wings and the Chicago Cobras. But because of league rules and the committment of the NCAA and the college players to the league, this never materialized. If they do start up a "pro" divison in the W-League, I believe we would see an end to the W-League as we know it. The NCAA players will just play with club teams, or maybe a higher level of the Super-Y league, leaving the players who have graduated from college to fill out the rosters. These players are not going to keep the league at the level it wants to be at.
I disagree, El Gato. There should be a W1 and W2, but without the financial appearance fees demanded by the Lady Nats. Mia Hamm (Raleigh Flyers) and Michelle Akers (Tampa Bay Extreme) were actual, genuine signings by the W-League in 1996, but it cost teams 10,000 bucks a game to have them suited up and playing (the fees set by Nike, not the market). They didn't play long in the W-League, and neither of those two franchises exist now. Let the W-2 be the amateur division (WPDL?) and let the W-1 be the Women's A-League. Right now, the best team in the W-League is chock full of Philadelphia Charge players getting a heluva lot less than the salaries in the WUSA. But you know, they seem to like being there.
I just don't see there being room for two professional women's leagues in the US (WUSA, when they recreate themselves, and a proposed W-League Pro League). Recently we saw that the W-league could not exist as a two tiered amateur league. The W-2 was around for at max two seasons, before teams either folded or were placed back into the W-League. If the W-league is the only game in town, on a professional level, then a two tiered W-league could work, with the W-2 being amateur. But I believe filling out two leagues, with quality players, while the WUSA is around, would be too difficult. Now, if WUSA stays in hiding...