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HENDRICKS OFFERS SMALL OLIVE BRANCH TO MLS ON WOMEN'S LEAGUE

          As the WUSA yesterday announced the selection of its
     first eight markets, plus eight alternate markets, for the
     league's scheduled launch in April 2001, USA TODAY's Peter
     Brewington writes that the WUSA and MLS are "talking about
     combining forces, but there are major obstacles."  The WUSA
     "wants to operate as an independent league in tandem with"
     MLS, but MLS "says a formal marriage makes more sense."  
     WUSA officials "are trying to persuade MLS not to submit" a
     women's pro league bid to the USSF for sanction, as the WUSA
     has "offered to share TV cable time and cooperate on
     building soccer-specific stadiums and scheduling
     doubleheaders."  Brewington: "One concern for MLS is that
     [the] WUSA has lined up rival investors in MLS cities." 
     U.S. women's soccer team MF Julie Foudy said, "WUSA is the
     only league we will play for" (USA TODAY, 4/11).  Foudy: "We
     feel you need that directed focus, that energy that is
     solely on the women's game" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/11).
     Team member Carla Overbeck: "This is a very well-thought-out
     league.  I think it will be the premier league for women's
     soccer" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/11).  Overbeck: "With [the] WUSA,
     we know they are committed to women.  If we were with
     another league -- which hopefully, that won't happen -- we
     wouldn't be the focus" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/11).  Despite
     WUSA touting player agreements with members of the U.S.
     Women's World Cup team, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said
     that he "believed that the letters of intent would be
     meaningless" if the USSF sanctions an MLS women's league.
     Garber: "Our assumption is if U.S. Soccer approves our
     application, we would have players who would want to play in
     our league" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/11).  Hendricks: "We're ready to
     cooperate.  But it's important to have an investment group
     solely behind the women's sport" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 4/11). 
          GOALS: Though Hendricks said that "no definitive plans
     have been made" about venues, each stadium "would need to
     hold" between 5,000-15,000 fans.  Hendricks: "We're looking
     for attendance to be between 6,500 and 10,000.  But someday
     we could have 20,000 or more" (PHILA. DAILY NEWS, 4/11). 
          N.Y. AREA: In NJ, Colin Stephenson writes that Rutgers
     Univ. and the Mitchell Athletic Complex on Long Island "are
     the favorites to host" a N.Y. team (STAR-LEDGER, 4/11).
          BOSTON: WUSA adviser Lee Berke tells the BOSTON GLOBE's
     Susan Bickelhaupt, "We do have some prospects in and around
     the Boston area.  Ideally, we'd like a stadium that holds
     between 10,000 and 15,000.  So we'll look at retrofitting
     current facilities and eventually building separate soccer
     stadiums" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/11).  Also in Boston, Jim Baker
     writes that Boston Univ.'s Nickerson Field is a potential
     site for a Boston franchise (BOSTON HERALD, 4/11).
          WASHINGTON, DC: Hendricks said that RFK Stadium "is
     being considered as a home" for the DC franchise, but "only
     on a short-term basis."  THE WASHINGTON POST's Amy Shipley
     writes that WUSA execs "also are considering smaller
     venues," including the Univ. of MD and George Mason Univ. 
     In other news, Hendricks said that Katy Button, a policy
     advisor to Hillary Rodham Clinton at the White House, "will
     become" Dir of Soccer Operations for the franchise.  Button
     "will join" the WUSA in mid-April (WASHINGTON POST, 4/11).
          OTHER MARKETS: In Atlanta, Wendy Parker writes that the
     WUSA's "minimum seating" requirement of 5,000 "probably
     means" the WUSA's Atlanta franchise will play in a high
     school stadium (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/11)....In Orlando,
     Centroplex Dir Bill Becker, whose facility "handles" the
     Citrus Bowl, said, "We love women's soccer, but does the
     league really need a 70,000-seat stadium?  It really needs
     something more intimate" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/11). 

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