The WUSA suspended operations just prior to the kick-off of last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, after it failed to reach sponsorship targets.
Now though it is eyeing up a 2005 return, and has been buoyed by more than 15 communities bidding to host three WUSA Soccer Festivals in June this year.
The plan is for the four-team festivals to whip up interest, ready for a return on an eight-team league a year later.
While the venues and dates are not yet set, the WUSA will stage as many as three double-headers on different weekends in June featuring all eight WUSA teams playing a minimum of one match each. One of the festivals may be designed in an All-Star Game format.
The current list of communities interested in hosting the WUSA Soccer Festivals include: Atlanta, Boston, Cary (NC), New York/Long Island, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Jose and Washington, DC, Rochester (NY), Minneapolis/St. Paul, Carson (CA), Chicago, Denver, Columbus (OH), Ft. Lauderdale, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Hampton Roads (VA).
Said Joe Cummings, co-chairman of the committee to re-launch the WUSA: “The response has been fantastic.
“In addition to the interest among the eight WUSA cities, some of America’s soccer hotbeds are among the markets we are considering. The feedback we’ve received from these markets is one of many reasons why we’re excited about the future of the WUSA.”
WUSA officials will announce by the end of February the venues for festivals.
