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).