Eight-team women’s soccer league set to begin play in Spring 2013

It doesn’t have a name yet. That detail is still being worked out, as are most of the details of the new eight-team women’s soccer league that will be run by U.S. Soccer. The important thing: The league’s going to happen.

U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati made that clear in Wednesday’s announcement, saying teams in Boston, New Jersey, Western New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Kansas City, Seattle and Portland — teams selected based on a number of factors (independent assessment of accountants, grass roots considerations, geography) — will begin play in March or April of 2013. The 22-game season will run until September or October. Teams will play each other at least three times.

As of yet, there’s no national television deal. No national sponsors have been announced, but there’s a handshake deal place with one company. Stadiums, team names, salary structures, player allocation – these details will be revealed in the couple of weeks.

But here’s what we do know:

• U.S. Soccer will fund and run the league office.
• They will also finance the inclusion of up to 24 U.S. Women’s National Team members. Some players may elect to pass on the league, but U.S. Soccer is committed to supplying up to three players per team.
• The Canadian and Mexican federations are also subsidizing talent. Canada will pay for up to 16 players (conceivably, two per team) while Mexico will provide a minimum of 12.
• Player and team preferences will be considered when allocating players.

We also know some of the federations’ key motivations: Sustainability and development.

Costs for the individual teams will be kept low by U.S., Canadian, and Mexican soccer subsidizing the teams’ most expensive talents. Game day facilities will be selected with cost in mind (no more Toyota Park or Home Depot Center). Teams were selected to both create a national footprint and manage travel (coast-to-coast teams, but in clusters). The lower costs will mitigate the amount of private sector investment needed to keep it afloat.

But the federation representatives made no bones about it: Giving their players a place to develop ahead of Canada 2015 was a key motivation. It’s why federations — not a private entity — are backing the latest attempt at a women’s league. The new league will give CONCACAF’s three biggest nations a place to foster talent ahead of the next World Cup.

With so many details yet to be finalized, it’s difficult to make too many assessments about the league. The thing doesn’t even have a name yet. Still, it’s hard to see today’s news as anything but an extremely positive development. Women’s soccer league or no women’s soccer league? It’s a pretty easy choice, one that’s easy to support.

That the league is focused on sustainability at its onset means fan support is more likely to be rewarded. That support was left floundering after three-year windows slammed shut on the Women’s United Soccer Association and Women’s Professional Soccer.

Who knows whether the new league will ever see year four, but at least there is a new league — a league that seems to know what it’s up against.