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 , 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, , 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

“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 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 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 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. least a three-week leave of absence to Neither Stanley nor the Mystics handle a health problem, also considered would comment, but there are indications not life threatening. that Stanley suffered the same late Lynnette Woodard, one of the all- Winter Surprise from Mystics timers in the sport, was named interim management that former coach Tom head coach in Washington’s absence. Maher received several years ago when he thought he was attending a morning WNBA meeting to discuss talent and the upcoming draft and learned that Over in the pros, the WNBA decided Washington wanted to go in a different to make some noise. The league direction. announced its schedule, including a The name being mentioned the national TV opener on May 22 when the most is former NBA star , will visit the which would continue a trend in . backgrounds of WNBA coaches. Some Why are we not surprised? former WNBA coaches who could be The Mercury, which has the overall candidates, if that’s the way the Mystics No. 1 pick, is likely to choose want to go, are (Indiana), Lin Connecticut collegiate star Diana Dunn (Seattle), (Cleveland), Taurasi, although the Sun is working and Brian Agler (Minnesota). hard to move up in the draft. Page 6 February 2004

Inside Scoop™ by Mel Greenberg WNBA – Free Agents and (now retired), Houston’s and Beginning Feb. 1, free agents are Ukari Figgs, Indiana’s Bridget Petttis, allowed to be signed. The restricted list, , Nikki McCray, and meaning players’ previous teams have , Los Angeles’ , ten days to match the offer or give up the , Nicky McCrimmon, rights, consists of: Charlotte’s Dawn Vanessa Nygaard, and Sophia Staley, , and Charlotte Witherspoon, New York’s Elena Smith-Taylor, Connecticut’s Debbie Baranova and , Black and Taj McWillliams-Franklin, Sacramento’s , San defending champion Detroit’s Astou Antonio’s LaTonya Johnson and Tausha Nidiaye-Diatta, Ayana Walker, Elaine Mills, Seattle’s and Rita Powell, , and Kedra Williams, and Washington’s , Holland-Corn, Houston’s Cynthia who is also retired. Cooper, Dominique Canty, , Pollyanna Johns Kimbrough, Wooden Award and Tiffani Johnson, Minnesota’s Kristi Harrower and Michele VanGorp, New Speaking of lists, the Wooden Award York’s , Crystal competition for the first female recipient Robinson, Linda Frolich, Tamika has been pared down to 20 contenders Whitmore, and , Phoenix’s (alphabetical), LSU’s , Maria Stepanova and , Duke’s , Colorado’s Tera Sacramento’s , Bjorklund, Arkansas’ , Hamchetou Maiga, and La’Keshia Frett, Tennessee’s Shyra Ely, Florida’s San Antonio’s Andrienne Goodson and , Houston’s Chandi , Seattle’s Alisa Burris and Jones, Penn State’s , , and Washington’s Kansas State’s , Arizona’s and Keisha Brown. Shawntinice Polk, Rutgers’ Cappie The unrestricted list, which includes Pondexter, Stanford’s , those not named core players, consists Texas’ Heather Schreiber, DePaul’s of Charlotte’s Rushia Brown, former Khara Smith, Texas’ Stacy Stephens, Cleveland players , Nina Connecticut’s , Georgia Bjedov, Eva Nemcova, and Tracy , Kansas State’s Kendra Henderson, Connecticut’s , Wecker, Minnesota’s , and Purdue’s . [RS] Page 7 February 2004

Olympic Preview – Athens Greece by Brian Straus

Miss Congeniality Need Not Apply

(First of a seven-part series)

Women’s field hockey has been an The Americans will play in New Zealand Olympic sport since 1980, but despite against Spain, , Japan and South the popularity of the game in high Korea in first-round pool play through schools and colleges in the United States March 24. Placing in the top two the Americans have won only one guarantees a spot in Athens - finishing bronze medal (1984). third or fourth puts the United States in a The effort to secure gold in Athens four-team playoff for the final berth. will commence March 18 in New Veteran midfielder , 37, the Zealand, where the United States will be team’s oldest player by nearly eight one of 10 teams vying for the five years, will be one of six holdovers from remaining berths in this summer’s the United States’ last Olympic effort on tournament. Five spots already have the 18-member team. Fuchs is still going been awarded (host Greece and the strong. She led the team with eight goals champions of the Americas, Europe, in the 2003 Pan Am Games and tallied Asia, Africa and Oceania). The United six during a recent nine-game series States did not qualify for the 2000 against Canada and Ireland in California. Olympics but won silver at last year’s [RS] Pan American Games. It finished fifth at the 1996 tournament in Atlanta.

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