The Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) league announced Friday
that operations for the Orlando Wahoos were suspended and
the team's players were assigned to the expansion Akron
Racers (WPF). In Orlando, Shannon Rose wrote that despite
the Wahoos' on-field success, they "weren't able to find
their niche in Orlando's competitive sports market" and that
they "had trouble filling the stands." Former Wahoos GM and
WPF Dir of League Services Anna Valentini said the local
sponsorship "wasn't where it needed to be to sustain a
team." WPF "still is negotiating with national sponsors in
hopes of reviving the team after next season." Rose added
that while it hasn't yet been "made official," AT&T Wireless
Services -- a league partner for the past two years -- "is
expected to announce a five-year contract" extension with
the WPF (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 11/7). In Akron, Jason Butler
wrote that the Akron team will play in the "soon-to-be-
renovated" Firestone Stadium with ticket prices ranging from
$3 to $7. WPF President John Carroll: "We as a league will
be investing $1M to get the team up and running, and we
fully expect to lose half of that" (BEACON JOURNAL, 11/7).
