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Events Attractions

WWOC CONFIDENT OF ATTRACTING FANS TO EVENT'S LARGE VENUES

          The '99 FIFA Women's World Cup Organizing Committee
     (WWOC) formally announced the eight venues to host its
     soccer matches and "rather than the modest tournament
     originally conceived when the U.S. made its bid for the 1999
     World Cup, the committee opted for major stadiums,"
     according to Ike Kuhns of the Newark STAR-LEDGER.  For a
     complete site list, see yesterday's DAILY.  But "concerns
     over whether women's soccer has developed enough of a
     following to fill such large venues were put aside by" WWOC
     President & CEO Marla Messing.  Messing: "We believe this is
     an Olympic-sized event.  This is the world's championship of
     women's soccer and, as the women play more and more, their
     fan base grows bigger and bigger."  Messing said the WWOC
     was faced with a choice of 5,000-10,000 seat stadiums or
     60,000-70,000 seat facilities.  Messing: "We would rather
     see the event reach its potential and we definitely feel
     that for certain games, the opening game, the final game,
     the U.S. games ... we will fill the stadiums.  For some of
     the first-round games, we're not expecting to fill the
     stadiums, but if we can put 20,000 in there rather than
     10,000 we're very happy" (STAR-LEDGER, 11/20).  In N.Y.,
     Jere Longman adds that some U.S. Soccer execs have estimated
     an average attendance of 25,000 (N.Y. TIMES, 11/20).  
          CALLING ALL STATIONS: The Women's World Cup Finals
     includes 32 games scheduled from June 19-July 10, 1999. 
     Messing: "Our job is to generate awareness.  We're not where
     we need to be, but the (U.S.) team is going to play about 30
     games between January of '98 and June of '99. ... As far as
     our financial objectives for the tournament, they're really
     to break even" (USA TODAY, 11/20)....Tickets are tentatively
     scheduled to go on sale in March (NEWSDAY, 11/20)....In
     L.A., Randy Harvey notes that the World Cup finals will be
     played at the Rose Bowl, and adds, "The Rose Bowl and L.A.
     Sports Council deserve credit for bringing the 1999 Women's
     World Cup final to Pasadena.  But why weren't more games
     awarded to the Rose Bowl?" (L.A. TIMES, 11/20). 

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