WUSA shuts down

Discussion in 'NWSL' started by nsa, Sep 15, 2003.

  1. roarksown1

    roarksown1 Member

    Mar 30, 2001
    Playa del Rey, CA
    Club:
    Hamburger SV
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Be careful what you wish for...I'm sure it's coming soon.
     
  2. JMU Soccer!

    JMU Soccer! New Member

    Jul 19, 1999
    I hate to see the league go, but it's obvious that the initial investors over-estimated their fan base from the attendance results of the '99 WWC.

    Getting lots of people to have the enthusiam to come and cheer rampantly for athletes representing their country is easy.

    Getting lots of people to have the enthusiam to come and cheer ramptantly for a team that is only 2 or 3 years old is quite difficult. A rabid fan base takes time to build and I'm figuring their attendance expectations were just to high for the amount they invested.
     
  3. Beau Dure

    Beau Dure Member+

    May 31, 2000
    Vienna, VA
    Is it only in this country that leagues exist or fold -- with nothing in between?

    Honestly -- do you ever hear of a league in the developing world "folding"? Seems to me they have peaks and valleys, and some thrive while others don't.

    I suppose it's because this country's geography necessitates a huge supply of capital to meet travel costs. But still, I wonder if it's possible to set up a league structure that weathers storms and just accepts the occasional downturn as part of life.

    Perhaps if the next version of the WUSA starts smaller and builds from the grass roots, that can happen.
     
  4. Beau Dure

    Beau Dure Member+

    May 31, 2000
    Vienna, VA
    Attendance was roughly in line with what they first imagined. I think they were naive in other matters -- start-up costs, sponsorship, TV revenue, etc.

    How are England's women's teams doing this year?
     
  5. SgtSchultz

    SgtSchultz Member

    Jul 11, 2001
    Parts Unknown
    I am indifferent to the plight of the Woman’s game. The tragedy is people lost their jobs doing something they truly believed in and enjoyed. Life is not fair. However, investors deal with the bottom line. They obviously felt the WUSA did not warrant further investment. Why do people expect or should I say demand investors pour money into a bucket that is leaking so much? The WUSA was a business and therefore had to accept the realities of market forces.
     
  6. Treetaliano

    Treetaliano Member

    Jun 29, 2002
    San Diego
    Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out
     
  7. LifeOfBrian

    LifeOfBrian New Member

    Mar 18, 2003
    Club:
    --other--
    Women's football in the UK
     
  8. JMU Soccer!

    JMU Soccer! New Member

    Jul 19, 1999
    True True, though I do recall it seemed that they estimated the attendence figures right the first year, but they didn't figure in how heavily the novelty would wear off.

    Who knows though? I don't have access to the league's financial statements.
     
  9. JMU Soccer!

    JMU Soccer! New Member

    Jul 19, 1999
    Bingo
     
  10. Ajax65

    Ajax65 New Member

    Feb 28, 2000
    Miami
    Club:
    Miami FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is a sad day for womens soccer, but I expect that another league will develop. I only hope that the MLS realizes that their survival depends upon attracting famlies, men, and women. There is no separate but equal fan. I also hope that this puts the pressure on the MLS promotion people to do a better job getting the message out about the MLS.
     
  11. nordby1

    nordby1 Member

    Sep 4, 2001
    SAN DIEGO
    Club:
    Lillestrom SK
    Nat'l Team:
    Norway
    Norwegian Toppserien

    I agree that the Frauen Bundesliga, Damallsvenskan, and the Norwegian Toppserien are all close, but over the past four years Toppserien has probably been the most competitive league and has actually provided the WUSA with the most players (9). German club FFC Frankfurt and Swedish club Umeå IK have won the first two UEFA Club Championships for women, but in Norway there are three very good clubs that challenge for the league title each year and several other clubs that can compete with the top three.

    Trondheims-Ørn is on top of the table this season, but finished third last season behind league champions Kolbotn and second place finisher Asker. During the previous seven seasons Trondheims-Ørn, Asker, and Kolbotn have won all of the league championships and none of these clubs have finished lower than fourth place. Unni Lehn (Carolina) and Ragnhild Gulbrandsen (Boston) will be returning to Trondheim while Hege Riise (Carolina) and Anita Rapp (New York) will return to Asker (Linda Ørmen already returned to Asker this season on loan from the New York Power).

    In an article just posted a few minutes ago at the Norwegian website "toppserien.com" it was reported that Kolbotn is going to attempt to sign Dagny Mellgren who was the all-time leading scorer in WUSA history. Dagny had originally decided to return to play for her hometown club Klepp on loan from the Boston Breakers, but now Dagny is apparently a free agent since there was no prior commitment for her to return to her previous club Arna-Bjørnar. In the same article Ragnhild Gulbrandsen is quoted as saying that she would like to see Trondheims-Ørn sign her former Boston Breakers teammates Kate Sobrero and Kristine Lilly who are also on the USWNT WC squad.

    Kolbotn vil ha Mellgren
     
  12. Chris Caron

    Chris Caron New Member

    Feb 6, 2000
    Wilmington
    I killed the WUSA

    Don't get me wrong...i'm not a bleeding heart that feels at fault for 9/11, the hole in the ozone layer, sweat shop conditions for those making $150 shoes.

    But in the case of the WUSA I'd have to say that I did help shut it down.

    Even before 1999 I was of the opinion that Mia Hamm et al were good soccer players. That in the women's game the ball move with great skill and there were more highlight moments than in the men's game. The thing was that where in the men's game one has to appreciate the professional foul and the lack of a Pele, that in the women's game there seemed to be better movement and skill...overall athleticism aside.

    But even knowing that I had never been to a Women's national team match or a full season WUSA game. I live only a little under two hours from Raleigh/Cary. When the Courage and Washington Freedom came to my hometown, Wilmington, NC, I did buy my ticket early though and was excited to see some of the national teamers. I have always been a DC fan so I prefered the Freedom over the Courage and didn't see much point in going to a Courage match. I did watch the matches on TV up to a point...if I had nothing better to do. I agree though that scheduling the match against the MLS was about dirt dumb...I would often switch between games, especially if neither had a DC team featured. But I think I would end up catching about 10 matches a season, plus the All Star and Founders Cup game.

    This past preseason I knew that Washington and Carolina were coming down and wanted to get some autographs on a DC flag I had. I could have ordered a Washington Freedom jersey, but chose a UNC Football Jersey replica.

    The players were all very nice and personable, they turned out to be smaller in stature than they appear on TV (the Costa Rican nats must be all under 5'6") but they could play. I have my favorites, though some of them don't play for Washington or Carolina.

    I'd have to agree that the WUSA was mismanaged and not organized very well...what was the point of having all of two clubs out west? The whole thing of having to cover X amount of regions in the USSF to get the Div 1 tag sucks for all involved also.

    I hope that this isn't the end of the league and considering that the Southeast is getting the shaft from the MLS I would like to go to some WUSA games. I think I needed more of a reason to go before now. I think that if this is a rallying cry during the WWC that i'll answer it, maybe get some Freedom merchandise if it's available...maybe even some Courage merchandise if they change that ugly logo...PS female lions don't have manes WUSA, Rory just came across as a gay lion...shave the mascot or make the lion male.

    I'm really sorry that the WUSA maybe gone. Like some of you others that went through the NASL demise I know how the diehard WUSA folks are feeling...it's as if we don't have real clubs in the USA (gee we don't do we...TBM and MFFC just went poof in the MLS). I was 13 at the time and my interests in pursuing soccer seemed to dry up along with the opportunities.

    The WUSA shutting down may not be a tradgedy but all over the world there is disappointment...the equivalent of the EPL, Serie A, and La Liga has shut down. A poorly run cultural icon and aspiration for women is leaving the scene, where will the two girls from Bend It Like Beckham go now?

    I also feel bad for american boys...I believe there is something to be said for a household in which both the parents are knowledgeable and love the sport that their kids are participating in and at least my wife was able to appreciate soccer by watching Mia Hamm.

    Also I feel bad...all mongering aside.... the women nats did get there first and I for one have found a continued hope for the men's national team by their efforts and example.
     
  13. nordby1

    nordby1 Member

    Sep 4, 2001
    SAN DIEGO
    Club:
    Lillestrom SK
    Nat'l Team:
    Norway
    WUSA Was the Best Women's League in the World

    I started out as a fan of European men's soccer in the mid to late 80's and gave the MLS a chance in the early years making the 2 1/2 - 3 hour drive each way up to the Rose Bowl several times to watch the Galaxy play. Ultimately I felt that the quality of play in the MLS just wasn't worth the effort and expense and that I would much rather get up early on the weekends and watch the EPL at my local British Pub and also take 3 hour lunch breaks from work to watch the UEFA Champions League on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

    One of the main reasons why I became such a huge fan of the WUSA was because it was the best women's league in the world. I knew very little about the WUSA prior to the league's 2001 spring training that was held at the ARCO Olympic Training Center. I had followed the '99 WWC and the 2000 Olympics very closely and at ARCO during that week in March 2001 I was able to watch all or part of six different matches and saw most of the top women players in the world up close in person.

    I think that the San Diego did a good job supporting the Spirit and I actually did see Spirit gear being worn around San Diego on a regular basis. It has been very common for me to see people at my health club wearing Spirit shirts and once I even saw a guy at a bar in Mission Valley on a Saturday night wearing a Julie Fleeting Spirit jersey.

    I would be willing to give the MLS another chance if San Diego eventually does get a team here. In the meantime I will watch as much of the WWC as I can over the next four weeks and will also continue to watch the EPL and the UEFA CL. I'm also planning to take a trip to Scandinavia during the next six months so that I can have the opportunity to watch my favorite women's club, Kolbotn, compete in the UEFA Women's Club Championships.
     
  14. RedZion

    RedZion New Member

    Aug 8, 2003
    Here's some insight from the Boston Globe

    http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/articles/2003/09/16/problems_were_sizable/

     
  15. Klee

    Klee Member

    Feb 24, 2001
    Chapel Hill, NC
    "Great Sport Defeated by Bad Bottom Line"

    Here's an excellent New York Times column by George Vecsey (Link) with a tribute to John Hendricks.
     
  16. Tsunami

    Tsunami Member

    Oct 16, 2000
    SD, CA
    Club:
    Arsenal LFC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Union-Tribune Article

    WUSA's end not a shock for Spirit - But it's still a big blow for players, by Mark Zeigler

    http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/tue/sports/news_1s16spirit.html
     
  17. Beau Dure

    Beau Dure Member+

    May 31, 2000
    Vienna, VA
    Yeah, some blow-hard guy at USATODAY.com made the same point in his column.
     
  18. Bravehart3

    Bravehart3 Member

    Sep 15, 2003
    Mississippi
    I just pray that this untimely announcement dosent effect the play of our national team in the W-World Cup.
     
  19. Beau Dure

    Beau Dure Member+

    May 31, 2000
    Vienna, VA
  20. TOTC

    TOTC Member

    Feb 20, 2001
    Laurel, MD, USA
    This is true, Fear. All they reached out to were 10-to-14-year-old girls whose tastes can change from Buffy to Britney faster than you can say "Lisa Leslie."

    There has never been any 10-to-14-year-old female (short of Anastasia Onassis, Paris Hilton, Lisa Marie Presley, or Ivanka Trump) with disposable income. Like all four of these individuals, they rely on their PARENTS for money.

    There was an interesting comment (the Post story) from one female soccer fan from The District who says she was "soccered out" from going to two Champions' World Tour matches.

    Do we now demonize Chuck Blazer?
     
  21. TOTC

    TOTC Member

    Feb 20, 2001
    Laurel, MD, USA
    I talked to the brother of one GM yesterday. He believes there will be a war between the W-League and the WPSL.

    One of the two (I believe the WPSL is in the best position to do this) will drop the amateurs from its ranks and try to go for WUSA alumnae, despite the hefty appearance fees that some may command. Hamm and Akers commanded $10,000 per game in the mid-1990s, Lilly and Scurry much less, IIRC.

    I project the pay scale of a pro WPSL may actually run like box lacrosse, where you get paid more for winning the game than losing it, and a player's income is generated more in personal sponsorships than in being salaried from the league office.

    But long-term, the league that drops the amateurs will lose out, I think. The W-League would get all of the WPSL's young developmental talent in one fell swoop.

    Remember, Beau, the W-League went to two divisions in the late 90s. The W-2 was all-amateur, the W-1 allowed paid pro players. But no team with a paid player, IIRC, could have an NCAA-eligible athlete on it. This, of course, did not bother teams with seasoned players like the Maryland Pride and the Long Island Lady Riders. It made it much more difficult for the W-1 amateur teams like the Central Jersey Splash to compete.
     
  22. TOTC

    TOTC Member

    Feb 20, 2001
    Laurel, MD, USA
    Or Kornholio. He called the WUSA's folding "inevitable." Wanker. Go stalk your daughter's softball team or something.
     
  23. AvidSinger

    AvidSinger New Member

    Sep 6, 2002
    Massachusetts
    No amount of lobbying is going to change the fact that people didn't show up for games or watch them on TV. Corporations are not in the charity business, and they will only sponsor a league if doing so provides the corporations a benefit in the long run.

    If you were the CFO of a corporation, would you spend millions on a league that only drew an average of 6,000 per match?
     
  24. TOTC

    TOTC Member

    Feb 20, 2001
    Laurel, MD, USA
    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: WUSA shuts down

    I think Jay is making a fine point here. It needs to be sold "right."

    The WUSA was not initially sold as a "women's sport." Its first game was "Mia vs. Brandi." The stars were held up in the firmament.

    The model eventually devolved into the screaming kids in the stands during the commercials.

    The WNBA, however, is being sold correctly. Market the stars (Lisa Leslie and the Sparks vs. Swin Cash and the Shock).

    It has also taken on good hooks: "We Got Next," "Basketball is basketball, athletes are athletes."

    Limited marketing towards the GLBT community has worked in many places, including Washington, New York, and Los Angeles. But if you notice, Sue Wicks came out last year and it didn't make a ripple. People don't care about the WNBA's gender and/or orientation issues. They like a game they can relate to rather than being played above the rim!
     

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