(February 4, 2004)                                                                                          Hot News Main Page

WUSA NARROWING LIST OF COMMUNITIES
TO HOST SOCCER FESTIVALS IN 2004
Women’s Professional Soccer League Returns With Series of Soccer Festivals in June

WASHINGTON, D.C. - (Wednesday, February 4, 2004) - More than 15 communities are vying to host the WUSA Soccer Festivals in June of 2004, WUSA officials announced today. The league will play several matches in 2004, staging at as many as three, four-team WUSA Soccer Festivals, with a full re-launch of the eight-team women’s professional soccer league planned for 2005.

While the venues and dates are not yet set, the WUSA will stage as many as three doubleheaders 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 the following WUSA markets: Atlanta, Boston, Cary (NC), New York/Long Island, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Jose and Washington, D.C. In addition, Rochester (NY), Minneapolis/St. Paul, Carson (CA), Chicago, Denver, Columbus (OH), Ft. Lauderdale, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Hampton Roads (VA) are markets interested in hosting the WUSA Soccer Festivals.

“The response has been fantastic,” said Joe Cummings, co-chairman of the committee to re-launch the WUSA. “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.”

All of the U.S. women’s national team stars of the WUSA are committed to play in the WUSA Soccer Festivals, which also may include several of the international standouts. The WUSA coaches from 2003 will be asked to guide their teams in the 2004 exhibitions. There will be no draft for the top college players, but many college seniors may be placed with different clubs to showcase their talents next to the current WUSA stars.

“We’re pleased to have all of the U.S. national team players competing in the WUSA Soccer Festivals,” said Tony DiCicco, co-chairman of the committee to re-launch the WUSA. “This is an important year for women’s soccer with the Athens Olympics on the horizon. These WUSA Soccer Festivals will showcase the best players in the world on the field while also providing incredible access to the athletes at ancillary events that will occur during the weekend.”

The WUSA Soccer Festivals will serve as a bridge for the league as it prepares to return with a full operation in 2005. These soccer festivals will bring the WUSA brand to the forefront of the American sports landscape as the athletes being final preparations for the Summer Olympic Games in Athens in August.

WUSA officials will announce by the end of February the venues for the WUSA Soccer Festivals. Ticket information for the WUSA Festivals will be made available as soon as the sites and dates are determined. Soccer fans are encouraged to check WUSA.com for information updates.

Featuring the best women’s soccer players in the world, WUSA athletes include U.S. stars Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Briana Scurry, Abby Wambach, Kristine Lilly, Julie Foudy and dozens of international stars such as Germany’s Birgit Prinz, France’s Marinette Pichon and Norway’s Dagny Mellgren. The eight WUSA teams that competed during the 2003 season were the Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Carolina Courage, New York Power, Philadelphia Charge, San Diego Spirit, San Jose CyberRays and the Washington Freedom. 

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[Source: For Immediate Release Contact: Dan Courtemanche - Home Office Phone: (404) 659-3205, Mobile (404) 759-0216, Email: dancourtemanche@pioneerneon.com, www.WUSA.com]