e-Zine February 2004 Authority in Women’s Sports™ by Brian Straus Heartbeat Detected – WUSA will play in 2004 Exclusive to REAL SPORTS Nearly four months after the heads the committee charged with WUSA folded on the eve of the reorganizing the league. “There’s World Cup, women’s soccer in the something going on in 2004. It’s United States still has a pulse thanks possible that the last weekend, June to the efforts of former Boston 26, will be the end of the WUSA. But Breakers General Manager Joe at least there’s no abruptness to it. Cummings and league founder John Maybe this will be a farewell tour, or Hendricks. a celebration. At least everyone will go into it saying we understood.” While Hendricks has been meeting with potential sponsors Here is what we know: The interested in financing a relaunch in doubleheaders will take place the 2005, Cummings has finalized a weekends of June 11-13, June 18-20 more realistic business plan for a and June 25-27 at different venues. smarter, revamped WUSA. He also Proposals were sent to 24 sites and has been making arrangements for the league reportedly is interested in three doubleheader “festivals” this taking the events to new markets, June that will keep the WUSA name although Cary, N.C. is a likely option. alive in case Hendricks is able to The weekend will include a Saturday come through. doubleheader, clinics, appearances and other activities designed to reach Cummings discussed the future of out to fans and potential sponsors. the WUSA with REAL SPORTS last Cummings said that all players who week. want to take part in the festivals will “It wasn’t that the league ended, it be flown in, paid a $1,000.00 was the abrupt way it ended. It was appearance fee plus a per diem, but so sudden, and we headed right into will not necessarily play in one of the the World Cup and didn’t have time two games. The competing teams to grieve,” said Cummings, who will wear the uniforms of WUSA Page 2 February 2004 Authority in Women’s Sports™ by Brian Straus clubs but will be limited to 16 players “We said at the beginning that we and likely will have to borrow from wanted to build a million dollar home other teams in order to fill out their but we only had $100,000. We never rosters. Which teams will play at came up with a way to run a league which sites has not yet been based on the revenue we had coming determined. in.,” Cummings said. “I’ve finished in The festivals will be funded the past week for John some tiered through contributions from current plans of what it might look like to run a investors, ticket revenue and any league if all the sponsors don’t come sponsors Hendricks can secure. The in, so we don’t have to come in hoping availability of players from outside we get $20 million. A full year before North America is doubtful, and some we start the league again, we’ll be WUSA veterans who already have able to say ‘we have x millions of secured full-time jobs or are unable to dollars”. Then I’m going to cross- train at a professional level through reference on the spreadsheet and 2004 may opt out. Some players, like know what the league looks like as a San Jose’s Brandi Chastain, already $10 million league. The players might have signed with domestic minor get paid $20,000 on average, and half league clubs while others are of them might have second jobs, and considering spending the summer in there might only be 10 TV games and Europe. no league preseason. There’s a model for whatever we bring in, and By the time the festivals we’re not going to start the league in conclude, the future of the WUSA 2005 unless the dollars on the should be clear. When the league revenue side match up perfectly. We folded in September, Hendricks said have a business model that will match he needed to secure eight up with six or seven different levels of sponsorships at $2.5 million apiece to actual revenue.” relaunch. Cummings has spent the past several months devising ways But what are the chances of the league could return at various signing those sponsors? Cummings levels of sponsorship commitment. said negotiations remain promising, Page 3 February 2004 Authority in Women’s Sports™ by Brian Straus and that there have been no “cold WUSA team owners obviously calls”. Major companies have been would have to make a few hires, and contacting the league since would pay the local MLS club a September, and Hendricks has sent maintenance fee, but would save letters of commitment to each hundreds of thousands of dollars in interested entity with a mid-February salaries. In addition, each WUSA deadline. Cummings and Hendricks owner would be responsible for the will know what their new league will financial health of his own club – there look like - or if it will exist at all - by the will be no shared losses. end of the month. “ The teams function A couple of things are likely - independently and decide how they there probably will be new markets for want to run their teams. I’ve done a a handful of the eight teams. There model of how a team could function has been a great deal of talk since the and lose a half million dollars,” World Cup about combining front Cummings said. “Investors can decide office and ticket sales staffs with how much they want to put into the Major League Soccer teams, saving league and how they want to run their an enormous amount of money that team. Losses will occur on a team would have had a couple of WUSA level, not a league level. There likely franchises on the road to breaking will be some kind of franchise fee even. Cities where there already are each year. There will be league MLS teams, especially markets like people who do some work on behalf Columbus, Los Angeles, Dallas and of the teams.” Chicago where soccer specific If Hendricks and Cummings can stadiums already exist or are being match sponsorship revenue with one planned, are very attractive. of their 2005 models, then the league Officials with Major League office could reopen in July, Cummings Soccer reportedly have been said. [RS] receptive to those ideas. Page 4 February 2004 Inside Scoop™ by Mel Greenberg “Wait till the end of January!” That used to be alert that meant And in the Colonial Athletic we might get to see some clarity in Association, Hofstra beat Old Dominion, how the NCAA tournament picture the same contingent that had beaten would look. Yet as parity of some Penn State in December. sorts arrives on the women’s Stanford, considered rock solid in the collegiate basketball season, how Pac-10, lost to Southern Cal. about, “Wait till the end of February!” Texas Tech suffered a loss when Jia Since we last checked in at the Perkins was sidelined by what was start of the New Year, much has categorized as an unspecified health happened. problem not considered to be life Connecticut’s unbeatable image threatening. got a little roughed up. First Duke As the end of the month arrived made an impressive rally from a deep another national showdown loomed. deficit at the same time the two-time Tennessee was to visit Duke. By the time defending NCAA champion Huskies the two powers hooked up, the Vols had suffered an improbable collapse and moved up to No. 2 in the AP poll, setting the Blue Devils emerged from the up a 1-2 free-for-all in Durham. hostile Hartford Civic Center with a Duke was a favorite because, well, triumph on a three-pointer at the the Blue Devils had the win in Hartford buzzer. and shouldn’t be nearly as rattled as a So perhaps the Blue Devils are for year ago when Connecticut visited as a real? That’s the way it seemed, No. 2 before a sellout crowd that especially after Connecticut took included the Cameron Crazies. another hit, soon thereafter, with a Big Bad assumption. East Conference defeat at Notre Duke missed a bunch of open shots Dame. in the second half and Tennessee Meanwhile, within the conference claimed the victory and moved to No. 1 wars, those same Irish several days for the first time since the week of Feb. later lost at West Virginia. Just when 26, 2001. Rutgers seemed to have its act The triumph became bittersweet when together, the Scarlet Knights were it was learned that starting point guard upset at Syracuse. Loree Moore had suffered an ACL injury Page 5 February 2004 Inside Scoop™ by Mel Greenberg in the second half and would be lost for In that regard, a deal was announced in the season. which all-star Shannon ``Pee Wee’’ All of that set up intrigue over the Johnson was sent to the San Antonio next national showdown when Silver Stars for the No. 4 overall pick, Connecticut visits Tennessee, Feb. 5. among other considerations. Late breaking news occurred in Whether the Sun can use that to Lawrence, Kansas, as we were ready to work its way up the ladder for a shot at email this report, with the announcement Taurasi remains to be seen. that veteran Kansas coach Marian Also, what remains to be seen is Washington, a member of the next who the new coach of the Washington Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Mystics will be following the sudden inductee class, had decided to take at resignation of coach Marian Stanley.