Women's Professional Soccer League: Will It Outlast the Disaster that Was WUSA?

The Women’s Professional Soccer League is still in it’s infancy, having just brought it’s second season to a close. Attendance numbers look promising and there are plans for the expansion of the league going into 2011, but will this second try at a women’s professional soccer league in the United States garner better results than its 2000 “WUSA” counterpart?

The 2010 WPS season ended with a championship victory for the FC Gold Pride, who defeated the Philadelphia Independence, 4-0. For the game, 5,228 fans gathered to watch the match at Pioneer Stadium in Hayward, California, just 100 people shy of a sellout. The match featured some of the best female soccer players in the world, including Christine Sinclair, the top Canadian goal scorer, and league MVP Marta, arguably the most recognizable and most eminent player in the women’s game today. 

Despite the strong showing for the championship bout, the future of the WPS is still dubious. Attendance records have not been strong throughout and have dropped 18 percent from last season.

Lack of support has been attributed to the poor state of the economy. Owners seem to be hemorrhaging money, with teams like Sky Blue FC and FC Gold Pride sustaining losses of up to $3 million per season. 

The first attempt at a women’s professional soccer league in the United States, the Women’s United Soccer Association, lasted for three paltry seasons. Much like its contemporary, the WUSA did not record profits within the three years of it’s existence—totaling roughly $100 million in cumulative losses.

The WPS’ saving grace may be that organizers have learned from the WUSA's mistakes. Expectations are much more realistic and budgets have been drastically reduced. So far, these measures seem to be working, as the WPS goes into its third season with the addition of a Western New York franchise and retaining its sponsors.

Ultimately, the most important element for the WPS to become a profitable and stable league is the growth of a female soccer fanbase—a new generation of Americans who have grown up both playing and watching the sport.