Ladies’ Secret: Women’s Soccer League Has Six Investors
By Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large
The defunct WUSA is reborn. Officials at a non-profit called the Women’s Soccer
Initiative Inc. (WSII) are set to announce this week that six investors have committed
start-up funding to a new women’s pro soccer league that would begin in ‘08 and
play a 20-game schedule, from April to October. WSII CEO Tonya Antonucci said
the league will operate on a franchise model and hopes to launch with eight teams,
but will start with six if necessary.
INVESTORS: Antonucci said it will cost each investor $1.5-2.5M annually
to operate a team in the new league, and she identified the six initial investors
as: John Hendricks, founder of The Discovery Channel and an original investor
in WUSA, who has rights to a DC franchise; AEG, which has rights to greater L.A.
and will play its games at The Home Depot Center that also houses the MLS Galaxy
and Chivas USA; a St. Louis group, headed by attorney Jeff Cooper, who’s been
leading an effort to get an MLS franchise to the city; Jack Hanks and Brent Coralli,
who will head a Dallas group that will likely play in Pizza Hut Park in Frisco,
Texas, home to the Hunt Sports Group-operated MLS FC Dallas; a Chicago group,
whose team will play on the same Toyota Field pitch that is home to the AEG-operated
MLS Fire, that includes Peter Wilt, the first President & GM of the MLS Fire who
is also part of the effort to bring an expansion MLS franchise to Milwaukee; and
Soccer Initiative LLC, a thus-far-nameless/faceless group that is looking at a
number of Western cities.
BIG BROTHERS: Clearly the league is looking to the MLS for far more support
than the original WUSA. “We believed during that league’s first iteration, and
still believe today, that a strong and vibrant women’s league would be great for
the game of soccer. So we are working to see how we might help,” said MLS Commissioner
Don Garber. Various industry sources said that Soccer United Marketing, MLS’ sales
and marketing arm, is close to signing an agreement under which it will sell for
the reborn women’s league. Garber said that and other issues, including possible
doubleheaders with the two leagues, have not been finalized.
MOVING FORWARD: Antonucci said that enough of the funding has been raised
to go forward with the league. There are also additional start-up costs, including
posting of a bond to insure continuity of the teams and league, but she would
not elaborate on those costs. The USSF unanimously approved an application sanctioning
the creation of the league, which allows national team players to play.
HISTORY LESSONS: WUSA lasted three seasons and had $40M in funding, before
folding in ‘03. What will make this league more viable? “We’ve crafted a business
model that is realistic in terms of revenues and sustainable in terms of measured
growth,” Antonucci said. Team names have not been determined. The league may or
may not be called WUSA. “Some of us believe there is equity in ‘WUSA,’ others
want something new,” said Antonucci. WUSA’s intellectual property rights are owned
by the Women's National Team Players' Association. Antonucci said she’s had initial
broadcast discussions with cable and broadcast outlets.
|
Related Stories By Company
|
Related Stories By Sport
|
WPS Regular Season Attendance
August 11, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Bay Area WPS Team To Unveil Club Plans
November 14, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
San Diego, Vancouver Seek Soccer Teams
June 18, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Boston, N.Y. To Join Women's Soccer League
April 18, 2007 :
SportsBusiness Daily
WUSA Eyeing '08 Re-Launch
January 3, 2007 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
Catching Up With RSL President Bill Manning
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
MLS Commish Sits For Wide-Ranging Q&A
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Will Handball Harm Henry's Marketability?
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Hansen Formally Buys 49% Stake In RSL
November 19, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Would RSL Win Create Issue For MLS?
November 18, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
|
