Women's Professional Soccer falters once again

There was a dream once that the United States would become the hub of women's world soccer. When the 1999 Women's World Cup drew to a close with Brandy Chastain's dramatic penalty shot, it gave the game legitimacy, followers and believers. Sadly, however, this did not translate to a professional league.

At one point there was a chance that women's soccer could piggyback on MLS in the early 2000s. At that point, however, MLS was undergoing contraction and reorganization. This may or may not have influenced the decision to remain as a separate entity. Thus, WUSA (Women's United Soccer Association) was born in 2000 but folded in 2003.

It always comes down to economics in world sports. For WUSA, a combined loss of $100 million was too much to bear. For MLS, significant losses also accrued early on but the league went to great lengths to stay viable until new stadiums and ownership allowed for some teams to make profits.

In 2009, Women's Professional Soccer made its debut as the premier league in North America. Names like Wambach, Marta and Solo highlighted the competition. It was thought (hoped) that these stars would capitalize on recent efforts (2008 Olympics) to catapult them to permanent sport status. The tournament included only six teams and problems with magic.jack caused it to suspend operations in 2012, despite the face that the ladies have qualified for the Olympics and could use competitive practice.

Will the ladies go to Europe? At least some of them will. The rest will take part in residency operations with friendly matches as warm-up for this summer's London tournament.

Sadly, it seems that women's soccer in this country is nothing more than an Olympic sport. By that we mean that it is closely followed during the Olympics and the World Cup but nothing beyond that. We all cheer for Hope Solo and Abby Wambach when they reach for glory but this dies down after the major international tournaments are over. Aside from a few friendlies, these athletes mostly go unnoticed. Such is the case for Olympians like Michael Phelps, among others.

Unlike the WNBA, which sees some profits in a few venues, the economics of of women's soccer haven't picked up at all. This is despite the fact that soccer is the number one sport for girls through high school and also has great importance in college.

So what will it take for women's soccer to be accepted as a year-to-year sport that matters? More support from fans? Ownership? Sponsors? Or maybe there should be an alliance with MLS. NBA subsidizes WNBA losses. If MLS is able to increase its revenue it could schedule women's games as doubleheaders with men's games. And let's try the Pacific Northwest for once. I attended a friendly versus Canada in a sold-out Jeld-Wen Field. And you have to start somewhere.

Poetic Justice: USA Women defeat Brazil

Photo credit: LA Times

Somehow the USA can't script their soccer better. Last year it was Donovan's goal in stoppage time at the men's World Cup. This year it was Abby Wambach in the 122nd of overtime to tie the match against Brazil to send it into penalties.

It was poetic justice in so many levels today. The score was opened in the third minute by Diana in an unfortunate own goal for the Brazilians. She would miss her penalty later.

Poetic justice because of fraudulent calls that gave away Brazil's goals and yet the USA still won the game. Having looked at the replay, the American Rachel Buehler went for the ball and contact with Marta was incidental in a close call that could have gone either way. It was the tying penalty for Brazil. Hope Solo saved the first shot but the play was disallowed because an American player ran into the 18-yard box before the penalty was taken. Marta put away the second kick.

Poetic justice for the fighting spirit against both Brazilians and bad refereeing. Marta's second goal (a beauty, by the way) came out of a play that should have been called back due to an obvious offside. Later on Erika would fake an injury and this added 3 extra minutes. These extra minutes allowed for Rapinoe's pinpoint center and Wambach's wondrous header to send the game to penalties.

It was poetic justice for the fans as well. The ESPN crew with Julie Foudy and Brandy Chastain screamed along with Ian Darke's call when Wambach scored the tying goal. Us fans throughout the world and at the stadium had been yelling at the screen for all the missed calls. But our disappointments were erased by the teamwork that USA players are known for. The stadium never gave up. The players put their hearts on the field. Their spirits never crumbled. And at the end, when things had gone so wrong, they believed in themselves and poetic justice was served.

Wambach's goal:

The girls came to play: From WUSA to WPS

Women's soccer. Nowhere on the planet is the sport more synonymous with females in professional sports than in America. Okay, let's skip out on ice skating, WNBA and LPGA. If you think soccer in the US then you think 7-8-9 year-old girls that you probably coach without having any knowledge of the sports' tactics or intricacies. Who cares, right? It's just little girls playing. Then there's the amazing Mia Hamm, "Bend it like Beckham," and who can forget Brandy Chastain? Her take-my-top-off to celebrate the goal made the Sports Illustrated cover and many national newspapers here and abroad. Why can't girls show off too?

And now comes their time. America's newest venture into female sports hopes to change a past tarnished by its previous incarnation, WUSA (Women's United Soccer Association), which failed horribly due to mismanagement, poor marketing, low attendance and a hyper-low budget (basic salary for low-level players was $7000 per year). Enter the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league. Revamped, renewed, refurnished, re-budgeted and reconstructed. I can only hope that this league sees it through the night that is an already overloaded American sports scene plus a bad economy.


I have to admit that I wasn't initially in favor of this league seeing the MLS struggle as it has (even through the Beckham circus). I think the stakeholders know what's important for the game and for the women in the sport in general. As I read a piece on MajorLeagueSoccer Magazine I agreed with the fact that this country has the premier level in play from the ground up (that's your little girls in the local park). No one can deny the strength of our NCAA leagues or our high school girls' teams.

WPS is now in the process of bringing in the considerable international-level stars that circle the globe. Incoming already is Brazilian Marta. An exquisite player with a keen eye for goal and who would give Mia Hamm certain competition. Players from other dominant leagues like Germany and Norway (also powerhouses in the female version of the sport) may find it hard to transfer to this side of the pond. The water's a bit cold still and WUSA's demise is fresh in many players' minds. Recent economic struggles domestically and abroad sure won't help things. But, as I always remark, there's plenty of room to dream.

Teams included are: Boston, Chicago, Bay Area, DC, LA, NY, St. Louis. Atlanta, Philly and Dallas will be the expansion teams for 2010.