FAST COMPANY's Jessica Leber wrote under the header, "The Embarrassing Lack Of Diversity In U.S. Women’s Soccer." USSF Diversity Task Force Committee Chair Doug Andreassen is "dissatisfied with the status quo." He believes it is time that the soccer governing body "devote more resources to increasing diversity and lifting up underserved communities." He said that unlike many other sports leagues, U.S. Soccer "has no paid staff focused on improving diversity in the sport, other than a staff liaison for the committee that also has other responsibilities." Leber noted diversity is "better in high-level men’s soccer, but not by leaps and bounds." Soccer is "becoming a more popular sport" in the U.S., which makes the "imperative of expanding access to the game in the U.S. more important" (FASTCOEXIST.com, 7/9).
LOCATION ANALYSIS: THE HOCKEY NEWS' Ken Campbell noted when the NHL officially opened the expansion process in June, it was "generally assumed that the price tag for a new franchise would be set" at $500M. But sources said that the price "has not been set and, in fact, it may vary depending upon location." It is believed that if Toronto were to get an expansion team, the fee "would be somewhere" in the $600M range -- which, "contrary to popular belief, would include an indemnity payment" to the Maple Leafs -- but might be somewhere in the $350-450M range for Quebec City (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 7/14).
FINDING A NEW FORMULA: MOTORSPORT.com's Steven Cole Smith reported former Circuit of the Americas Managing Partner Tavo Hellmund and financier James Carney head a U.S.-based investment group "looking to buy a Formula 1 team." Hellmund "developed the Circuit of the Americas track" and cut the deal with F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone to bring the series back to the country. More recently, he "has spearheaded the return of F1 racing to Mexico City after a 23-year absence" (MOTORSPORT.com, 7/14).
