The U.S. women's soccer team is "determined to promote
and pay themselves better than they believe the [U.S. Soccer
Federation] has," and has "arranged" its own 11-match indoor
tour across the country this fall, playing an "as-yet-
determined" world all-star team, according to Amy Shipley of
the WASHINGTON POST. The U.S. players' plans "conflict with
recently announced plans" by the USSF to send the U.S. team
on a tour to South Africa, Egypt and Australia from late
October through December. Shipley: "The schedule conflict
is likely to be among a number of issues between the players
and the USSF when they meet next week to negotiate a new
labor agreement." The U.S. players "agreed unanimously to
go ahead with" their indoor tour during a meeting Monday in
N.Y. Each player would be guaranteed "nearly" $50,000 for
the tour. U.S. women's team attorney John Langel: "We're
committed to this tour. ... It's not a lark -- it's a big
contract. ... Unless they do this [tour], they literally
cannot afford to leave their jobs and commit to the Olympic
and World Cup residency camps." Shipley writes that the
players "want to take advantage of their skyrocketing
popularity and demonstrate that there is a market" for a
women's pro soccer league. The tour will be handled "in
conjunction" with the SFX Sports Group and "has been in the
works since" April. SFX Sports Group spokesperson Stan Feig
said that more than 3,000 tickets have been sold for the
November 20 game at the MCI Center, even though only one
local ad "has appeared for the game." The tour begins
October 22 in Pittsburgh and concludes December 12 in
Tacoma, WA (WASHINGTON POST, 7/14). U.S. co-captain Julie
Foudy: "The one thing we've learned recently is that our
fans want to see more of us and more of soccer. We're
answering their call" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/14). SMG GM Hank Abate
said two months ago that he thought SFX was "crazy to have
booked" the women's team to play at Civic Arena. Abate:
"Now I'm grateful they're not as crazy as I thought. We got
lucky, real lucky" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 7/14).
