Comments on: Grading WPS in Year One http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/02/grading-wps-in-year-one/ A soccer blog featuring essays, news and photography exploring soccer around the world Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:59:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: naibaronza http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/02/grading-wps-in-year-one/comment-page-1/#comment-27884 naibaronza Sun, 03 Oct 2010 14:06:52 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=2649#comment-27884 Why was I so naive that I thought I’d never see video of Vasiliy Alekseyev again? All it took was Peter Wilt (with a little help from the internets). Why was I so naive that I thought I’d never see video of Vasiliy Alekseyev again? All it took was Peter Wilt (with a little help from the internets).

]]> By: Art History Lessons http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/02/grading-wps-in-year-one/comment-page-1/#comment-22278 Art History Lessons Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:33:08 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=2649#comment-22278 Has anyone mixed wps clubs with the MLS yet? Has anyone mixed wps clubs with the MLS yet?

]]> By: social mediamarketing http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/02/grading-wps-in-year-one/comment-page-1/#comment-20517 social mediamarketing Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:24:57 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=2649#comment-20517 Now a days only few women are going to play football professionally,all others are not ready for that. Now a days only few women are going to play football professionally,all others are not ready for that.

]]> By: LA Sol Folds: Good for the Future of WPS? | Pitch Invasion http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/02/grading-wps-in-year-one/comment-page-1/#comment-20325 LA Sol Folds: Good for the Future of WPS? | Pitch Invasion Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:36:28 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=2649#comment-20325 [...] the end of the day, if women’s professional soccer is to survive in the long-run, it has to be because it’s sustainable, not thanks to charity from Uncle Phil. And the [...] [...] the end of the day, if women’s professional soccer is to survive in the long-run, it has to be because it’s sustainable, not thanks to charity from Uncle Phil. And the [...]

]]> By: WPS season two hopes and dreams - - The Offside - Women's Professional Soccer blog http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/02/grading-wps-in-year-one/comment-page-1/#comment-9078 WPS season two hopes and dreams - - The Offside - Women's Professional Soccer blog Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:31:16 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=2649#comment-9078 [...] reflections and reviews out there on the internets. Although I did catch Peter Wilt’s post at Pitch Invasion which is good enough for me! Just read that one. So I say it’s time to move on to season two! [...] [...] reflections and reviews out there on the internets. Although I did catch Peter Wilt’s post at Pitch Invasion which is good enough for me! Just read that one. So I say it’s time to move on to season two! [...]

]]> By: WPS and Social Activism | Pitch Invasion http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/02/grading-wps-in-year-one/comment-page-1/#comment-9065 WPS and Social Activism | Pitch Invasion Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:39:17 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=2649#comment-9065 [...] sports as a social cause. A heated response to Chicago Red Stars  CEO Peter Wilt’s rather mild explanation of WPS philosophy on this point was drenched, typically, in dreary ideological twaddle: I’ll [...] [...] sports as a social cause. A heated response to Chicago Red Stars  CEO Peter Wilt’s rather mild explanation of WPS philosophy on this point was drenched, typically, in dreary ideological twaddle: I’ll [...]

]]> By: Michael Kajdas http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/02/grading-wps-in-year-one/comment-page-1/#comment-8951 Michael Kajdas Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:25:24 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=2649#comment-8951 I just read this article from last May about the Bristol Rovers holding a raffle to determine their jersey sponsor for the 2009-10 season and I thought I'd pass it along. Seems an unusual way to do things but maybe it's worth a try for the Red Stars too. Check it out: http://www.football-league.co.uk/league1/news/rovers-shirt-raffle-20090522_2248206_1663643 I just read this article from last May about the Bristol Rovers holding a raffle to determine their jersey sponsor for the 2009-10 season and I thought I’d pass it along. Seems an unusual way to do things but maybe it’s worth a try for the Red Stars too. Check it out:

http://www.football-league.co.uk/league1/news/rovers-shirt-raffle-20090522_2248206_1663643

]]> By: peter http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/02/grading-wps-in-year-one/comment-page-1/#comment-8860 peter Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:09:08 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=2649#comment-8860 Thanks for the comments. In my experience with pro teams camps (Milwaukee Wave, Chicago Power, Minnesota Thunder and Chicago Fire), the pro team will get the benefit of doubt the first year (rightly or wrongly) and be perceived as the local experts and register 300 to 500 kids. Good curriculum, access to players, good communication with parents, fun and professional atmosphere will result in good word of mouth which has always doubled or tripled camp size within two years. The team's own marketing engine helps greatly with this. Pro women's teams have a further advantage in that the competition for girls only camps with female instructors is slim yet the market is almost half of the total youth soccer base. Camps are more important for WPS and USL teams than for MLS teams as the reveneue represents a greater percentage of the team's gross revenue than in MLS. In all cases the camps are important marketing vehicles and in WPS, we are able to include the actual players for much of the instruction, which goes a long way in establishing the emotional connections needed to gain fans. Thanks for the comments. In my experience with pro teams camps (Milwaukee Wave, Chicago Power, Minnesota Thunder and Chicago Fire), the pro team will get the benefit of doubt the first year (rightly or wrongly) and be perceived as the local experts and register 300 to 500 kids. Good curriculum, access to players, good communication with parents, fun and professional atmosphere will result in good word of mouth which has always doubled or tripled camp size within two years. The team’s own marketing engine helps greatly with this. Pro women’s teams have a further advantage in that the competition for girls only camps with female instructors is slim yet the market is almost half of the total youth soccer base. Camps are more important for WPS and USL teams than for MLS teams as the reveneue represents a greater percentage of the team’s gross revenue than in MLS. In all cases the camps are important marketing vehicles and in WPS, we are able to include the actual players for much of the instruction, which goes a long way in establishing the emotional connections needed to gain fans.

]]> By: Marty Olson http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/02/grading-wps-in-year-one/comment-page-1/#comment-8859 Marty Olson Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:41:10 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=2649#comment-8859 For a public post, I thought Mr. Wilt did a really good job of breaking down the metrics, assigning realistic grades, and providing supportive thought from both a positive and negative standpoint. For me, two particular points interested me the most: providing comments from Mike Veeck; I think having him visit, observe, (even if it was an ad hoc type of scenario), and comment was a wise move. Mr. Veeck certainly learned entertainment business from his father, and appears to be highly respected in his own right for running successful businesses that provide high value entertainment for fans. On the other hand, I was somewhat disappointed by his 'gloss over' of the non-ticket revenue generation with respect to camps. While concluding it was a better business revenue add-on than most other cities, he didn't really give any meaningful feedback as to why, including why he would expect it to double or triple in ensuing years. There are no end to the camps that exist locally (Chicagoland) and relatively close (e.g Notre Dame), that would love to take your money - why is a WPS/Red Stars camp any better, and why should their revenues grow because of it? Just a question. For a public post, I thought Mr. Wilt did a really good job of breaking down the metrics, assigning realistic grades, and providing supportive thought from both a positive and negative standpoint.

For me, two particular points interested me the most: providing comments from Mike Veeck; I think having him visit, observe, (even if it was an ad hoc type of scenario), and comment was a wise move. Mr. Veeck certainly learned entertainment business from his father, and appears to be highly respected in his own right for running successful businesses that provide high value entertainment for fans.

On the other hand, I was somewhat disappointed by his ‘gloss over’ of the non-ticket revenue generation with respect to camps. While concluding it was a better business revenue add-on than most other cities, he didn’t really give any meaningful feedback as to why, including why he would expect it to double or triple in ensuing years. There are no end to the camps that exist locally (Chicagoland) and relatively close (e.g Notre Dame), that would love to take your money – why is a WPS/Red Stars camp any better, and why should their revenues grow because of it? Just a question.

]]> By: peter http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/02/grading-wps-in-year-one/comment-page-1/#comment-8817 peter Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:45:58 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=2649#comment-8817 I agree that not enough public emphasis was put on the playoff implications of the regular season. And I LOVE the playoff system as structured. No playoff system is perfect, but I think this one is the very best for this League. Sky Blue's Cinderella run was great for the League. LA's collapse was more due to their log road stretch at end of season, early clinching of 1st place and loss of Camile Abily than the playoff system. I don't think LA would've won even if it was a 7 game series. Over time, this system will show that it really rewards the regular season efforts. I am hopeful this structure will be retained for next season. I agree that not enough public emphasis was put on the playoff implications of the regular season. And I LOVE the playoff system as structured. No playoff system is perfect, but I think this one is the very best for this League. Sky Blue’s Cinderella run was great for the League. LA’s collapse was more due to their log road stretch at end of season, early clinching of 1st place and loss of Camile Abily than the playoff system. I don’t think LA would’ve won even if it was a 7 game series. Over time, this system will show that it really rewards the regular season efforts. I am hopeful this structure will be retained for next season.

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