The vast number of USWNT supporters can help provide host cities with a powerful, short-term economic boostGETTY IMAGES
The USWNT has a "level of support unmatched in women's sports, attracting thousands of fans wherever it plays," as each of the nine French cities hosting the FIFA Women's World Cup have "clamored for the Americans," according to a front-page piece by Andrew Keh of the N.Y. TIMES. Reims Tourist Office Marketing & Commercial Dir Alexandre Bariteaud said of the USWNT, "When you host the team, you know their fans will make their way." For officials in places like Le Havre, which will host today's game between the U.S. and Sweden, the "horde of supporters, even over a few days, can provide a powerful, short-term economic boost for businesses and, potentially, a long-term increase in international name recognition." No visiting team but the USWNT can "guarantee the same benefits." Attendance in the other World Cup host cities has been "inconsistent through the early stage, with a few games played in front of mostly empty stands." Fans of women's national teams "simply do not travel in similar numbers" to men's, but the "American fans are the exception." Before the opening match of the tournament, FIFA announced that 130,905 tickets were "allocated to people from the United States, second only to those from France and more than those from all 22 other nations combined." Every match involving the USWNT was "sold out before the tournament began" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/20).
PICTURE-IN-PICTURE? The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Laine Higgins writes American soccer fans are "facing a dilemma this summer," as the title games for the Women's World Cup and Concacaf Gold Cup are "on the same day, July 7, a few hours apart." Soccer officials have "tried to sell this as a potentially historic day for U.S. soccer, if both national teams make it to their respective title matches," but "no one else is very happy about it." U.S. fans have had to "choose between going to France to support the women's team or staying home to support the men." Many believe the Women's World Cup "simply deserves its own moment clear of competition." A source said that U.S. Soccer and Fox execs "asked Concacaf to consider moving the men's final, which also coincides with the South American regional Copa America championship game," to Saturday July 6, but Concacaf "declined" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/20).
