Women’s US Soccer Team 2011

Growing Pains

This success/optimism did not extend to the Sol, though, as after AEG failed to sell the team it was announced that the Sol would be disbanding.  As AEG had given the Sol back to the league, a dispersal draft was held to distribute the players to the remaining eight teams. This was not the case when the Saint Louis Athletics suddenly and unexpectedly ran into financial problems and folded mid-May. The league schedule had to be re-done, and all of Athletics’s players became free agents. Most were signed by the Atlanta Beat, who had only earned one point until then and ultimately finished the season at the bottom of the table. 

The other expansion franchise, the Philadelphia Independence fared much better, finishing third on the season and ultimately losing the WPS Final to the incredibly dominant FC Gold Pride. Around the same time, WPS announced the addition of a western New York franchise for the 2011 season, spawning from the existing Buffalo Flash organization.  Despite these strong showings, overall attendance for 2010 was noticeably down from 2009, and one team (the Washington Freedom) made public mid-season that it was looking for new investors.

More problems came to light early in the off season. Four teams – FC Gold Pride, the Chicago Red Stars, the Boston Breakers, and Washington – all missed the payment deadline for a large up-front escrow meant to prevent what happened to St. Louis from happening again. Ultimately, the Gold Pride could not find the necessary money and folded. Chicago was given a thirty-day extension but announced in December that they would not play in 2011. Washington and Boston ultimately were able to make their payments, leaving six teams for the 2011 season.

The WPS is growing as a club and with a great fan base will in years to come, with the winning they’re showing in the past couple of years can be a great team and sport.  Fans like to support winners, and that’s what we have here.