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Leagues and Governing Bodies

Record Crowds Turn Out To Welcome Women's World Cup Champs Back To NWSL

The NWSL is basking in the momentum generated by the U.S. win in the FIFA Women's World Cup, highlighted by the Chicago Red Stars defeating the Houston Dash last night "before a record crowd of 13,025" at BBVA Compass Stadium, according to Jaylon Thompson of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. While there was a "grand ceremony" for the three U.S. players on the Dash, none of the six WWC participants on the club --including three from the Canadian team -- played. Dash MF Carli Lloyd said, "All three of us would love to play and I think the thoughts were to try and get some minutes, but we have been on a roller coaster. There are a lot of factors. ... I think it's in the best interest for us to watch and sit this one out." Thompson notes each U.S. player "got a standing ovation as their name was announced to the crowd, which broke the Dash's previous attendance mark of 8,097 set last year in the team's first game" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/13). In Houston, Madlin Mekelburg notes the U.S. players in their first game since the World Cup "were met by a boisterous and uncharacteristically large crowd" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/13). Meanwhile, in Seattle, Matt Pentz noted a "season-high announced crowd of 5,778" was on hand Saturday night for the Seattle Reign's 4-2 victory over the Western New York Flash (SEATTLE TIMES, 7/12). In N.Y., Brian Lewis noted Sky Blue FC drew a crowd of 3,014 -- "more than double their average" -- for Saturday's 1-0 home win against the Portland Thorns. All four U.S. players on the two teams' rosters were in attendance, but fans "never got to cheer" the women's national team players, "since a communication gaffe led to them not being announced" (N.Y. POST, 7/12).

TRYING TO KEEP THINGS GOING: Sky Blue FC D Christie Rampone said that she is "optimistic the popularity of the national team can carry over to the NWSL." Rampone, the only member of both the '15 and '99 WWC championship teams, said, "Keep the momentum going. That's what we're here for and what we want to see happen. Obviously, we're all coming from a big stage and hopefully we'll bring that emotion and momentum back with our (professional) teams" (NEWSDAY, 7/12). She added of the NWSL, "The league’s young and new, and we’re starting to get more internationals coming over. Hopefully we’ll get more people aware and get more sponsors involved. It’s not going to happen overnight just because we won. But it’s still our job to keep it going. … The product on the field is great. All the intangibles off the field that continue to grow. Unfortunately, it’s money, and that comes with sponsorships. We hope that that comes on board with this victory.’’ Sky Blue coach Jim Gabarra said, "It’s a two-sided coin. We have to do the work to make sure these people had a good time and come back. It’s also up to people who’re sitting at home on their computer and they think they’re supporting the game, they’re not really supporting the game. They need to come out to games" (N.Y. POST, 7/12).

IN A BETTER SPOT THAN ITS PREDECESSORS: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Ian Thomas reports NWSL clubs are "expecting increased ticket sales for their matches for the remainder of the season, as both the league and the individual clubs plan to highlight the national team players in their local markets." Those sales will "provide a much-desired boost for a league that has averaged about 4,200 fans a match over its first three years of play," but it also "harkens to previous post-World Cup bumps that did little to sustain the sport long term." The WUSA launched in '01, but it "folded after three seasons with cumulative losses" of more than $100M. Similarly, WPS debuted in '09 and a number of "attendance records followed in the wake" of the U.S. team's run to the WWC final in '11. But that league also folded "just before the start of its fourth season in 2012." NWSL Commissioner Jeff Plush: "The difference now is that we were pleased where we were at going into the World Cup. Now, we’re even more pleased. We've been able to take learnings from those other leagues, and it wasn’t all negative. I’m very confident about our future.” Red Stars Owner Arnim Whisler said, "NWSL should be able to absorb this attendance and sponsor growth and use it to get a few more teams past break even (and) move to expansion and even more league stability" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/13 issue). In K.C., Sam Mellinger wrote, "It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see women’s soccer making for a viable, growing and profitable professional sport. ... You just need an open mind, reasonable standards and the information." Part of what has "doomed previous attempts at women’s soccer is an ambition unrestrained by reason that pushed two leagues beyond the boundaries of sound business." If past failures "were at least in part about women’s soccer living beyond its means, this version is about restrained spending." Plush said, "We’re trying to run it like any other business. Revenues have to grow. Expenses will grow over time, but they’re going to grow in a prudent and sustainable way" (KANSASCITY.com, 7/11).

STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT: In Philadelphia, Jonathan Tannenwald wrote about the NWSL expanding to the city and noted launching new soccer teams "is never easy, and it's certainly never cheap," but if "ever there was a time, it's now." If that means "getting more help from MLS owners and front offices with marketing savvy, I can't imagine that most of the women's soccer community would object in the way that some used to." And if that means some people "get off the fence about taking a financial loss for the sake of unearthing" the next Lloyd, then they "should be applauded for their willingness to do so." Tannenwald: "I would hope that the NWSL does better than WPS did at researching the stability and character of ownership groups that come along" (PHILLY.com, 7/12). FS1’s Aly Wagner said having NGBs pay the salaries of their national team members in the NWSL is a “good start financially” for the success of the league, but "now it’s really about pumping money in to get media behind it, to let people know these games are going to be aired on Fox.” Wagner: “That right there is going to build the momentum and people again are going to see … this is still a good product.” FS1’s Kyndra de St. John said there is "some parity in the league” and many of the teams are in cities “where you already have an MLS team, so you can build off that soccer culture” (FS1, 7/10).

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