WPS teams need to exchange jerseys at the end of each match (just like the men)

Attendance is down this year by almost 1,000 fans per game it seems (last year most of the matches seemed to have in the mid 4,000's on average, now it's in the mid 3,000's on average it seems).

I think if the WPS players took their jerseys off after each match and exchanged their jerseys with the opposing team (as a new WPS "spirit of the match" gesture, in promoting good sportsmanship and respect of one another from the opposing team), then it would draw more attendance, and you could also charge a higher price for front row seats. And if they walk around in sports bras after the game then it would draw more ratings. It's not like any of them are flabby or anything.

I also think the WPS lacks a "RIVALRY" atmosphere.
The Beat vs. Courage rivalry in the WUSA was 3 times more intensive than any rivalry currently in the WPS.

Partner with the local Wendy's and give out free WPS complimentary franchise specific frosties, with a team logo on the frosty to each fan. Make a random winning fan (from a stadium raffle) kick in a penalty kick (goal) against the backup goalkeeper at halftime (half the proceeds/profit from the raffle go to breast cancer research). If the fan makes the goal against the backup goalkeeper, then they get free season tickets next season. It's not like these franchises are filling up all the seats anyways. Anything really... but the WPS needs to be more creative with their fan-give-aways, and with a fun-filled winning atmosphere with the fans (i.e. interactive games with the fans, mini-games, off-field events inside the stadium, etc.)

And the jersey idea could top it all off. Or I mean... top off. Or... off with the top. You get the drift. And as a result, more butts will be in the seats to cheer their ladies on. And wink at them for a great performance (especially if they win).

You wanna survive? Get more creative. Get more sexy. And step up the marketing efforts with a significant increase in "fun marketing". Enough with this "Defend your Turf" crap. It is not working. The time is now to fully reconfigure and reconstruct your marketing strategies/objectives/tactics to optimize (as much as possible) better results. Honestly, the WPS needs to reinvent the wheel on this. They are barely better than the WUSA in this particular regard, and that's not saying much at all. Just a decrease of about 1,000 fans (per match avg.) from year 1 to year 2, that's all (that's only over a 20% decrease, no big deal, right)?

The biggest factor for success is what you do in between Year 1 and Year 2. It's not how many show up the first time. It's how many that come back, and how many new additional fans or markets you win over. The WPS is not getting it done with fans on that in Year 2.

 

That's why the women can have their own tradition.
Why would they have to "follow" the men?

 

Also, the WPS should have taken note from the WUSA that being "non-sexy" doesn't work in a women's professional sports league (WNBA is the exception to the rule since it's a traditional power revenue sport in America).

I mean, the only primary different thing that they are doing from the WUSA, is the individual team franchise model as opposed to the whole league macro model. So instead of the league collapsing at once, we'll just let each individual franchise collapse one by one, until we're down to less than two teams. That's what's gonna happen, if that is the "only" significant change they've made from the WUSA. Because technically in theory, they kept about everything else the same (exactly parallel, congruent, or at least vastly symmetric to the WUSA). They thought just changing the business model was the only real cure that was needed. Well, they were wrong. Now's the time to "enhance" their marketing. You have young healthy women with legs. You have a fun sport. You can make it more sexy. You can make it more fun for the fans. The WUSA failed at once. The WPS is failing (right before our eyes) one by one with each franchise (one at a time).

Some of you might think: "But why sell out" ???
Did the WTA (women's tennis association) sell out?
Did the sport of volleyball sell out by wearing virtual tight underwear around their bum?
Did the sport of beach volleyball sell out because their wearing a bikini?
Did the sport of swimming and diving sell out?
Did the sport of lacrosse sell out because they are wearing a skirt?

Look, no skirt is needed in soccer. Just a more "sexy" appeal... that's all. It would significantly help the league. Do it wisely. Do it right. Do it conservatively. But they have to do it. It's the only way they will survive long-term. That's how they can bring in some new markets.

Because nearly everyone in America loves "sexiness", and entertainment, and hollywood. Keep the game pure (nothing fake please). Just add a little more sexy. That's it. It's that simple.

That's the movement WPS should go in.

-WPS Movement

 

Honestly, who cares how many jerseys you end up with from the other team (so who cares how many teams are in the WPS). Heck, give the jerseys back during the next game (an hour before that game), and do the same jersey top off tradition over again at the end of the next game (wash, rinse, repeat). The main point isn't who ends up with what jersey or how many. The main point is simply this .............

 

And if this were to happen more often at WPS matches (in front of the front row seats), then you could charge more money, LOL. Why does this (from the video below) only seem to happen to the men? ............

*LINK*
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcE9ksG1xJs&feature=related"]YouTube- Após dividida, Gattuso cai e deixa a cueca à mostra, aos 52 segundos do 2º tempo[/ame]

 

+1 Plus-one.

 

The WPS needs to be careful to not settle for this rapid decrease in attendance. They are dangerously on pace to only achieve an average of around 2,000 in attendance per match next year in 2011 (at the current rate of regress and overall decrease that they are on pace for at this moment right now). If they go through another 20-25% decrease next year in attendance (like this year so far), then it will disband the league entirely (and all its franchises). Which means this league wouldn't have lasted any longer than the WUSA (3 years tops). As of right now, technically... they're on pace for that if they don't make any changes to positively influence attendance in the right direction.

This league has done nothing but move backwards since Jan. of 2010 (around the time we got the news about the Sol). The 2010 calendar year has been a tragic disaster and a horrifying nightmare for WPS so far, after a fairly successful overall inaugural season in 2009. This is a deteriorating climate on the rapid downfall. 2010 symbolizes a collapse in the league. You need growth in the 2nd year to symbolize future success and stability. Right now, this symbolizes more disbanded franchises and an overall disbanded league, which is the complete opposite of any growth.

If I were you, enjoy the league as much as possible now.
It may not last much longer now.
Just ask the Sol and Athletica fans.
Looks like the amateur W-League will win again (they are the only ones with stability).