Today's article in the Herald-Mail:
What's next for women's pro soccer?

Do you think there is still a future for women's pro soccer?

soccer is not a sport :-)

I take it you are a not a fan?..I understand. I find that sport rather dull. Like watching paint dry.

Webmaster, how come we added another topic to the board (which no one is going to write in unless to critize)? Soccer is about as interesting as watching paint dry. Womens Soccer never had a chance and probably never will. With attendence in the 1-5 thousands I doubt many investors will ever back it again.

The unfortunate thing is no women's sports are as interesting as the men's...just the way it is--I love watching the male football players--testosterone on parade..

Since soccer is not really popular at all in this country I'm not surprised with this at all. I'm even surprised that the male league is still up and running.

But the sport is up and coming. There are LOTS of kids playing, starting at 4. My daughter said she would drop her 4 dance classes if she had to, just to be on a travel team. We went to see the Columbus Crew (men) when we were in Ohio. It was fun. Never been to see the United or Freedom (or even the Orioles) even though we live an hour away, though. I think the men will stick it out. Surprised WNBA has lasted, for the same reason txex mentioned. Gotta have the testosterone.

No question soccer is growing in popularity, but I think it will be a VERY LONG time before mainstream America begins to take it seriously. Tons of more people still watch Martinsburg High in football, but almost none in soccer.

The other problem is that young kids play, but by the time they are teens they are usually playing a different sport-like basketball/football/baseball. They have a better chance at a scholarship in those sports.

Hopefully they'll bring it back eventually. There's plenty of discussion on various soccer forums about what went wrong and what they should've done to make it more successful. There are a ton of things that could've been done differently, and everyone has a different opinion about what it's going to take to pull off a successful pro women's soccer league. While it lasted, I was a fan. I wish they could've gotten more sponsors and much more TV air time on the big networks, but maybe next time.

My hope is that the rapid growth in competitive youth soccer programs we're seeing across the nation will lead to a much bigger talent pool and fan base within about 5 years or so. Maybe then they'll be able to pull it off.

Soccer is most popular sport in the world. If you ever play it or take the time to learn a little about it and develop an appreciation for what's going on, you'll discover that it's VERY exciting. The womens' game is really not so much boring compared to the mens' game as it is different.

The only reason Soccer hasn't taken off very well here in the States is because they don't stop the action enough for commericals, so the TV networks hate to cover it. But as more and more people experience it firsthand, it will become much more popular. At least in my opinion. . .

I find it very boring to watch, and I've tried to enjoy by seeing my nephew who plays.

Sorry Romulus, I am having my home painted, and I can honestly say that I would much prefer to watch a soccer game! LOL

The reason I put this topic here is because soccer is growing in popularity in the US and I think that women's soccer has (had?) a better chance of success than most women's sports.

I am saddened by the news of the WUSA, as is my daughter. It is just as important for young women to have the sports icons they can identify with as it is for the young men. And I would much rather have my daughter identify with someone like Mia Hamm than one of the Redskinettes :-)

I have watched WUSA games on TV and have been to see the DC United play. It reminds me of baseball, way better to be there than to watch it on TV.

My daughter played soccer for more than 10 years, at increasing levels of competition, before a chronic knee problem took her out of the game for more than a year, and she lost her love for high-level competition. She still talks of playing for her High School next year "just for fun" (Note - High School is generally very low-level competition for soccer, unlike other sports). By the way, while they wasted a year trying various non-surgical treatments for it (ya gotta love "managed care"), once they finally went in and fixed the problem - with ease - she recovered quickly and won't have any long-term problems.

So I gained my appreciation for the sport from watching my daughter work her way up through the competitive ranks. As I watched her and her teammates learn new skills and tactics, and saw how difficult some of them can be to use effectively in various game situations, I came to appreciate the sport as too few other Americans can.

I want to mention one interesting point: at the highest levels, I've seen better women's soccer from the highest-level competitive youth teams than I usually saw in WUSA. That's why I'm so bullish on the future of the sport for women. I think we're going to see much better and more entertaining play in the near future, as the hordes of competitive players who took up the sport after the 1999 Women's World Cup come of age. Even if they don't continue to play, as they join the ranks of adult consumers surely there will be a much better chance of success with a pro league.

The analogy to baseball is apt. It is FAR better in person than what they show on TV, at least as far as WUSA, MLS, and International games played here. The problem is that U.S. cameramen have spent way too much time covering American Football games. Soccer isn't a good sport for the close-ups they seem to favor. The occasional close-up is okay, but you lose so much when you can't see enough of the field. It's far better when you can see the whole field of play, and see how the teams react to one another from one end to the other, not just where the ball is at the moment. Soccer is simply a "bigger" game, and in the U.S., the cameramen haven't learned how to cover it properly.

Sorry to be the messenger of bad news, but Soccer is not a sport that will get any ratings. It may be fun for people to watch live and play but as for retaining an audience in the United States or Canada , it just aint happening. It's like Olympic style wrestling (which I love), Great sport but it's only interesting to people who have been apart or watched for years. That's why you don't see professional Freestyle or Roman-Greco wresting teams. Before you say "there is pro wrestling", that stuff WWE is fake and not representive of the "Real" sport.

Bottom line is, if the sport doesn't attract a paying crowd or Sponsors, it's as good as dead. I too think it is fantastic little girls have Mia Hamm as role models, but WUSA needs to relize they can't attract MLB or NFL type crowds and keep the league small like Major League Indoor Soccer http://www.misl.net/ . That way they can get by with 2-5 thousand averages and still get sponsors to donate. But they tried to sell this league as a huge type of deal with sponsor promises of 10-12 thousands in attendence and lucrative tv deals. It just doesn't have that big of a fan base to be succesful like the NHL,NBA,NFL,etc....

Just heard 4 different companies are going to try to salvage the operation. But they of course said they need additional sponsors to make it work...good luck..

Even if you have sponsers you have to have an audience.

It's a shame it folded.At least with soccer you could actually SEE the damn ball! Not like hockey!Even with the help of the camera men I have trouble finding the puck!

I thought I was the only one who can never follow a puck--even though they claim they highlight it...
I still would rather watch hockey--at least there is the risk of a fight...more testosterone...

If the U.S. Women do as well in this WWC as it appears that they will, they'll probably be able to sign on a few more sponsors and revive WUSA.

Of course then it would appear that the whole cancellation thing was just a scam. Then again, who's to say it isn't?

Alas, they took 3rd place. The rest of the world is catching up to us, that's for sure.

World Cup Fever isn't gonna amount to anything this time around.

Maybe they can do something to bring more attention to the W league? I've been to a couple of W league games, and they compare favorably. After all, a very respectable number of the WUSA players came from there, and hopefully will return there. One big plus - you don't pay RFK Stadium prices!