MLS and the WUSA announced yesterday that the two
leagues have agreed to work together in the development of a
women's pro soccer league and will join on the coordination
of marketing and promotion, scheduling and stadium
development. With the deal, MLS said it will not apply to
U.S. Soccer to operate its own women's league. USA TODAY's
Peter Brewington writes that under terms of the deal, MLS
"will get access to millions of dollars worth" of commercial
time on cable channels controlled by WUSA investors. In
addition, one of the WUSA's investors -- Cox Communications,
Comcast or Time Warner -- "will invest" in an MLS expansion
team in 2002. MLS Commissioner Don Garber, on WUSA
investors: "We got them to expand into our league. That's
big." Brewington writes that despite the agreement, MLS and
the WUSA "will remain fairly autonomous." Garber: "They do
their thing; we do our thing." Brewington notes that the
teams "might share" doubleheaders in markets such as S.F.,
DC, Boston and N.Y., where both leagues will have teams, but
there "is no talk of WUSA teams regularly playing next year"
in MLS stadiums. Another area where "both can benefit is
the development of soccer-specific stadiums." Garber, asked
if either side came out ahead in the deal: "Victory is the
wrong word. This was mutually beneficial. There are no
losers. The winner is the sport of soccer" (USA TODAY,
5/24). But in N.Y., Jere Longman writes that "bargaining
from a position of strength," the WUSA "emerged victorious"
yesterday, as the deal "represented a watershed moment in
the history of women's sports" in the U.S., given that MLS
"essentially acceded to the terms demanded by the upstart
women's league." Longman added that the agreement "could
lead to ... the eventual operation" of a women's expansion
team by MLS and a men's expansion team by the WUSA. Longman
also writes that MLS will "be able to promote itself through
commercials on the cable networks that are underwriting the
women's league, expanding its reach toward the middle class
and upper-middle class suburban audiences that the W.U.S.A.
is expected to attract" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/24). WUSA Chair John
Hendricks: "We are providing multi-billion dollars worth of
media time, but we are also benefiting from the years of
operation of MLS" (CONTRA COSTA TIMES, 5/24). In San Jose,
Jody Meacham writes that the WUSA "won an unprecedented
victory for gender equality with a combination of financial
clout and media muscle that no women's sports team had ever
brought to bear." ABL co-Founder Gary Cavalli, on the WUSA-
MLS deal: "It's significant that an existing men's league
would recognize the efforts and accomplishments of a start-
up women's league and choose to back off and work
collaboratively" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 5/24). Garber and
Hendricks said that "no money or equity changed hands" in
the deal and that the two leagues will "remain separate
legal entities." Hendricks said the two leagues will be
able to "draw from the other's strengths." Hendricks, on
the benefits of the deal: "Our losses would certainly be
worse without this agreement. We feel like we can learn a
lot from their experience" (WASH. TIMES, 5/24).
MEETING OF THE MINDS: Garber, on MLS' plan to start a
rival league: "We came close, and had the application ready
to go. But at the 11th hour John Hendricks and I had a
meeting of the minds and decided that we'd like to
cooperate" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/24). In Ft. Worth, Blane
Bachelor writes on the deal: "The hope is that the plan will
build support for soccer in general, while giving both
leagues inroads into markets" (STAR-TELEGRAM, 5/24).
Hendricks: "From our side, there are a number of cities that
are not part of our target launch that are interesting and
important to us. Markets like Chicago, Houston and Los
Angeles will be important to us. We wanted to get the
agreement in place, and then focus on the markets where it
makes sense to both leagues" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/24).
Hendricks: "We are a little light in terms of Central United
States, and I think both ... Houston and Dallas, are areas
that we have under consideration" (STAR-TELEGRAM, 5/24).
SOCCER DRIBBLES: In Chicago, Bob Foltman writes under
the header, "Where Are All Those Soccer Fans? MLS
Attendance Declining Annually." Foltman: "[MLS] entertained
its largest crowds of the season this past weekend. But
current figures indicate another year of declining
attendance" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/24). For more, see (#30).
ASSIGNMENTS: The WUSA has assigned players to its
initial franchises, and USA TODAY's Peter Brewington reports
the league tried to place players near their hometowns. Mia
Hamm will play for the DC team, while Brandi Chastain and
Tisha Venturini will play for the S.F./San Jose team and
Julie Foudy will play in San Diego (USA TODAY, 5/24).
