Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer (abbreviated WPS) was from 2009 to 2011, the highest women's soccer league in the United States. Established in 2007 began on 29 March 2009 the league operation. The WPS was regarded as the successor to the WUSA.
History
Foundation
After the WUSA on 15 September 2003 ceased the operation of gambling for financial reasons, the " WUSA Reorganization Committee " was established. The work of the committee led to the founding of the organization " Women's Soccer Initiative, Inc." ( WSII ), whose aim was to promote women's soccer in the United States and the formation of a new league. After trials in the years 2004 and 2005, to start the WUSA again, had failed, the WSII the formation of a new league announced for 2008. Because of the Women's World Cup 2007 and the Olympic Games 2008, the start of the league in the fall of 2007 has been postponed to 2009. On January 17, 2008, the name and logo of the new league was presented. The logo includes a silhouette of former U.S. national team player Mia Hamm.
Team award
On September 7, 2007, the league, still under the working title " Women's Soccer LLC", the locations of the team officially announced. These were Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York / New Jersey, Los Angeles, St. Louis and Washington DC. In September 2008 it was announced that one has with San José found another location, but at the same time the operation of the game in Dallas due to could be taken up by problems with finding a suitable venue until a year later. So the game operation began on 29 March 2009 with seven teams.
Season 2009
Before the first season began the WPS could only conclude contracts with two sponsors. Also, most teams did not make it raise its own sponsors immediately. Another problem, which was still going on until just before the season, was the completing of some cadres.
During the 2009 season, new sponsors could be won. Thus, the financial situation of the league was more relaxed.
The first game in the Women 's Professional Soccer denied Los Angeles Sol and Washington Freedom at the Home Depot Center. Sol won 2-0. The game saw 14,000 spectators. During the first season, there were still some problems. For one, it was due to the odd number of teams problems when setting up the game plan, on the other hand there were many injuries on the end of the season and disciplinary decisions of the WPS Committee. Many teams lost this season more money than was taken. It took, for example, the Anschutz Entertainment Group, the consequence and sold Los Angeles Sol.
Winner of the first WPS was the Sky Blue FC, who could beat in the finals Los Angeles Sol.
Season 2010
With Philadelphia Independence and Atlanta Beat two new teams were added to the league. The proposed team of Dallas was first rejected because no suitable stadium could be found. Vice- champion Los Angeles Sol was disbanded on 28 January 2010, after the Anschutz Entertainment Group no successor fand.Saint Louis Athletica put the game operation on 27 May 2010, whereby the League continued to play with 7 teams.
Masters 2010, the FC Gold Pride.
Season 2011
The defending champion FC Gold Pride and Chicago Red Stars broke up before the season. Western New York Flash has been added. Washington Freedom was relocated to Boca Raton and called himself now magicJack.
Champion 2011 was the new team Western New York Flash.
Resolution
On 30 January 2012, announced that the 2012 season ausfällt.Am May 18, 2012 was finally announced that the WPS is finally resolved.
Complete list of clubs
- Atlanta Beat (2010-2011)
- Boston Breakers (2009-2011)
- MagicJack (2009-2011)
- Philadelphia Independence (2010-2011)
- Sky Blue FC (2009-2011)
- Western New York Flash ( 2011)
- Chicago Red Stars (2009-2010)
- FC Gold Pride (2009-2010)
- Los Angeles Sol (2009)
- Saint Louis Athletica (2009)
Mode
Through the regular season (2009: 20 games 2010: 24 games and 2011: 18 games) will qualify the top four for the playoffs. This will take place in three knockout rounds in mid-August in each one game, this after the regular season each better placed team always has home advantage. In the First Round of the third-place play against the Fourth, the winner hits the runner-up in the Super Semifinal. In the WPS Championship game then play the winner of this game and the best-placed team in the regular season of the championship.
End of the season is the WPS All- Star Game, a game of selecting the best player in the league against an invitee team. In the first season of the Swedish top club Umeå IK was to eingeladen.In the second season there was an All -Star game in the league. A team led by Marta went up against a team that was organized by Abby Wambach. Marta's Eleven won with 5:2. Was carrying the game in Kennesaw State University Soccer Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia.
WPS Championship game
Organization
Commissioner of the League was Tonya Antonucci. According to her, the WPS is to be established in contrast to the WUSA slowly and that they are the Major League Soccer takes as a model. This close contact should be linked, for example by what was shown that the WPS works with the marketing agency of the MLS or WPS many teams in the stages of the men's professional league played in order to increase profitability. Thus, a contract was concluded with the sportswear manufacturer Puma already for the first season, which equips all teams in the league modeled after the MLS.
The players in the WPS closed as in the MLS, the contracts with the league from and not directly with the team. At the start of the league, there were several drafts:
This was followed by further drafts for college players and is still on the market players. In addition, in February 2009 sample training of each team were held.