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| Folded? Suspended? Revived? (November 2003) |
By Jim Sheldon
As of deadline, the fate of the WUSA was still in limbo. The surprise September 15 announcement that the women’s league was “suspending” operations caught almost everyone off guard.
The timing – five days before the start of the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup – was roundly ridiculed as a distraction to the players and a damper on promotion of the Cup.
To date, it seems to have had almost the opposite effect. The U.S. team remained focused in its first-round games, a committee met to discuss a survival plan for the WUSA and the soccer community seemed re-energized.
How long that energy lasts may hinge on the U.S. performance in the rest of the Cup and how successful the committee, which includes incoming NSCAA President Joe Cummings, is in developing and selling a new business plan.
A U.S. victory in the Oct. 12 final would be a huge plus, but it’s hardly guaranteed. This is by far the deepest field in the history of the Women’s World Cup. And, even a title may not overcome likely unfair comparisons to the 1999 Women’s World Cup.
The U.S.-hosted Cup in the summer of ‘99 was an overwhelming success, with outstanding television ratings and attendance. That was a World Cup that was three years in the making in terms of promotion and organization.
This World Cup had four months of lead time after the May announcement to move the tournament from China to the U.S. There is little chance ratings and attendance will match 1999, given the full sports calendar in the fall. Regardless of the outcome on Oct. 12, expect to see media potshots at the sport.
Meanwhile, the committee will try to salvage the WUSA’s future. A plan for an abbreviated 2004 season – one that would end before the Olympics in August – is gathering steam. Not only may the season be shortened, but teams may share venues. As many as half the league’s eight teams may play “home” games in another city while maintaining operations in their true hometown.
The idea will be to keep the league viable and visible through next summer, with the expectation that the pieces will be in place to return to a normal format in 2005. The major piece that will have to be in place will boil down quite simply to money. Without new investors and sponsors, there won’t be a future for the WUSA.
It will have to start with committed investor/owners. The WUSA may have made a critical mistake in its original business plan by allowing corporate ownership. A corporation’s commitment ultimately is going to be judged by the bottom line. If that bottom line is written in red ink, which it was to a significant degree in the first three years of the WUSA, management and shareholders ultimately will pull the plug.
Contrast that with the long-established model for other professional leagues in this country. The NFL may never have made it out of its early days without the commitment of individual owners like George Halas in Chicago and the Rooney family in Pittsburgh. The old AFL never would have forced a merger with the NFL if not for the likes of Lamar Hunt and Ralph Wilson.
The fact that MLS is still with us after eight seasons and seems to picking up momentum is attributable largely to the dedication of individual investors like Hunt and Philip Anschutz. That type of personal commitment to the sport is what is needed in the WUSA. League founder John Hendricks – one of only two individual investors in the WUSA – will need to find more like-minded people willing to invest for the long term.
The issue of attracting new sponsors is trickier. Some of the league’s original sponsors, including adidas and Nike, were criticized in the media for not supporting the league to a greater extent.
Guess what? They’re in business. They did commit to the league and, as part of that commitment, they expect a reasonable return on their investment. The WUSA isn’t a charity. Sponsors aren’t in the philanthropy business.
Attracting sponsors is going to require a sound business plan and evidence of committed investors. From there, it’ll be a matter of patience and numbers (i.e., attendance, ratings and product sales). Sponsors looking for a quick splash aren’t likely to find a revived WUSA very attractive. Ones with a longer-range vision and a willingness to let the sport mature will be needed.
However, that maturation will only occur if the soccer community responds. As a soccer fan, if you’re not attending and watching, don’t be surprised if any WUSA’s revival is short-lived.
In the April-May issue, this space was devoted to three pivotal issues facing women’s soccer in 2003. The first was the Bush administration’s review of Title IX. That hurdle was crossed when the administration elected to keep Title IX intact. Another hurdle was defending our World Cup title. You’ll know the answer to that by the time this reaches your hands.
The third hurdle was the survival and strengthening of the WUSA. That’s a story that may continue for the rest of the year.
Let’s hope it isn’t a hurdle too high. |
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