Northern California fans of the San Jose CyberRays and the Women's United Soccer Association -- which announced earlier this week that it has shut down operations -- received a glimmer of hope Friday. A committee has been formed to save the WUSA, according to USA Today, which reports the group will hold a meeting Monday.
On the eve of the Women's World Cup, committee members "already have heard from interested investors, including large financial institutions, apparel and shoe companies and furniture retail companies."
It will take an estimated $30 to 35 million to run the league next season, and the committee, like the WUSA before it, is looking for eight investors "at $2.5 million each annually, with the rest of the costs covered through local sponsors, ticket sales and apparel sales."
San Diego midfielder Julie Foudy told USA Today the league suspending operations "was a wake-up call to a lot of people. They didn't know how dire our situation was. Now that it's gone, they're saying we should have done something."
Thursday, San Jose CyberRays star Brandi Chastain told ESPN: "We've had a dozen or more phone calls from sponsors and companies and individuals who are interested in making sure that professional women's soccer exists in this country."
Attorney John Langel, legal advisor to the WUSA players, told the Philadelphia Inquirer: "We have a small window to pursue it, maybe 30 to 45 days. The goal is to have a WUSA product in the year 2004, with appropriate investor and sponsor support." Langel added, "Sports has been analyzed as a media buy. This won't sell as a media buy. Right now, it has to be sold as a cause."
http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2003/09/15/daily42.html
On the eve of the Women's World Cup, committee members "already have heard from interested investors, including large financial institutions, apparel and shoe companies and furniture retail companies."
It will take an estimated $30 to 35 million to run the league next season, and the committee, like the WUSA before it, is looking for eight investors "at $2.5 million each annually, with the rest of the costs covered through local sponsors, ticket sales and apparel sales."
San Diego midfielder Julie Foudy told USA Today the league suspending operations "was a wake-up call to a lot of people. They didn't know how dire our situation was. Now that it's gone, they're saying we should have done something."
Thursday, San Jose CyberRays star Brandi Chastain told ESPN: "We've had a dozen or more phone calls from sponsors and companies and individuals who are interested in making sure that professional women's soccer exists in this country."
Attorney John Langel, legal advisor to the WUSA players, told the Philadelphia Inquirer: "We have a small window to pursue it, maybe 30 to 45 days. The goal is to have a WUSA product in the year 2004, with appropriate investor and sponsor support." Langel added, "Sports has been analyzed as a media buy. This won't sell as a media buy. Right now, it has to be sold as a cause."
http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2003/09/15/daily42.html
