Efforts of the Dissolved Women's Professional Soccer League in the U.S. to Revive - 2004-03-16

The Women's Professional Soccer League in the United States, which was dissolved last October, has announced that it will hold two soccer festivals in June to revive the league. These festivals will take place at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota, and at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, from June 17 to 27. The National Sports Center is recognized in the Guinness World Records as the largest soccer complex in the world, featuring 52 standard-sized soccer fields and a 10,000-seat stadium. The Home Depot Center also has a dedicated soccer stadium that hosted several matches during the 2003 Women's World Cup in the United States, including the final between Germany and Sweden. All members of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team have committed to participate in the festivals. Tony DiCicco, the former head coach of the U.S. Women's National Team and one of the overseers of the committee to re-establish the Women's Professional Soccer League, stated that during these festivals, national team players will sign autographs for soccer enthusiasts and organize games for visitors. The Women's Professional Soccer League was established in 1999 shortly after the U.S. Women's Team's final victory in the World Cup, but the league was dissolved in 2003 due to a lack of support from major corporate sponsors. Sports officials in the U.S. are now hopeful to re-establish the league in 2005 and hold professional competitions.