 Interview with Donna de
Varona
by Rick Crow
Donna de Varona made her first splash on the sports
scene when, as a 13-year-old, she was the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic
swimming team at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. After winning two gold medals
at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the Most Outstanding Female Athlete in the
World award, de Varona started her broadcasting career in 1965 with ABC,
where she covered several Olympiads. Administratively, she has served on
two Presidential Commissions and spent five terms on the President's Council
on Physical Fitness and Sports. From 1976-78 she was a consultant to the
United States Senate during the preparation of the United States Amateur
Sport Act; and she was a major advocate of Title IX legislation. In an effort
to help bring the athletic experience to as many women and girls as possible,
de Varona teamed up with Billy Jean King and several other sports activists
to organize the Women's Sports Foundation. A member of the Board of World
Cup 1994, de Varona experienced the excitement of the world's most popular
sport, and now as a soccer mom, she can't wait to share her passion for
soccer with a new generation of young players first-hand.
WSW - As chair of the 1997 Women's World Cup organizing committee, what
are your challenges during the next 27 months?
DDV - It will be a challenge getting the word out that the Women's World
Cup is coming to America. I think that if we had seen more women's soccer
on television at the Olympics, it would be an easier job. And I also think
the challenge - and this is FIFA's job - is to pick a broadcaster that will
promote the games ahead of time and give the women good viewing hours.
I'm really encouraged about the Women's World Cup. I believe that we have
the best things possible in place to support this event. One of the advantages
we have is the great grassroots support. We had tremendous participation
during the men's World Cup and I expect it will be back in 1999 for the
women.
WSW- A few weeks before the 1994 World Cup, a poll
revealed that over 50% of the American public did not know that the world
cup would be played in the United States. How can you avoid a situation
like that in 1999?
DDV - I think that 1994 was such a success that it will help us as we prepare
for 1999. But I also think we have to lock up our deal with television very
soon so that we can incorporate promotional time into that effort.
WSW - It seems that the Women's World Cup organizing
committee has forged strong links with the Women's Sports Foundation. How
important is it to work with groups like this who are dedicated to promoting
sports for women and girls at the grassroots level?
DDV - I was one of the founders of the Women's Sports Foundation along with
Billy Jean King. That's one good thing we already have in place. We network
through a number of women's organizations, girls' clubs, Girl Scouts, educators
and the collegiate sports community. We'll have to make good use of this
networking capability as we prepare for 1999.
WSW- What do you think about the tremendous growth
of soccer in the United States?
DDV - The soccer associations in each state have done an excellent job providing
playing opportunities for children and promoting the sport. They've had
a long fight, especially in the school systems where fields were made for
other games. So, they've gone out into the community to lobby for support.
I think that community support is essential for sport to survive in America,
not necessarily school support, because budget cuts go right to sports in
this country. The community will have to pick up the slack, and I think
that soccer, with its club system, can lead the way.
WSW - What makes soccer such a great game for women
and girls?
DDV - I've always been passionate about promoting sports for kids - both
boys and girls. As far as team sports are concerned, I think that 1996 was
a turning point for women. Young girls need to learn to be teammates. Soccer
teaches girls how to deal with pressure in little bits - not huge bits.
Some young women in the business world have never dealt with this pressure
before.
WSW - How did you become a soccer mom?
DDV - I have a soccer son who's nine and a soccer daughter who's seven.
Last season I was running from field to field like all soccer mom's do.
I'm great at bringing snacks for the players, and I also bring coffee for
the moms and dads.
WSW - So you're the complete soccer mom?
DDV - I am indeed. (Chuckles)
© WSW May/June 1997
 What They Said
by Rick Crow
At the March 19 press conference held to introduce the staff of the 1999
Women's World Cup Organizing Committee, questions about the upcoming event
were fielded by Donna de Varona, Marla Messing and Hank Steinbrecher.
On the challenges the Organizing Committee will
face over the next 27 months:
Marla Messing
- The challenges are awesome. When I look at the men's World Cup and the
Women's World Cup, we basically have to do everything we did for the men's
World Cup. In some aspects it will be on a smaller scale. The numbers may
be a little smaller, but every single operational area and functional area
has to be developed and implemented, just like we did for the men's World
Cup. With the men's World Cup we started about four years in advance, so
our work is definitely cut out for us.
First of all, we need the corporate community to support us - sponsors,
marketing partners and licensees. I think that's the first step. We need
the communities and civic-minded people to support us so that we have strong
venues. And then, we need to get to the public. So, I think you start out
with the corporate community, you get out to the civic community, and then
you get out to the public. Those three groups will be integral to the success
of the event.
Hank Steinbrecher - The challenge for the 1999 Women's World Cup
is to continue the positioning of this tournament as a breakthrough event,
as the top-notch women's sports event in the world. To do that at this level
costs money, so we have to immediately go out and seek sponsors. But, the
ultimate challenge is to go out and get lots of people in the stands. We
want players to play before huge crowds and that is something we can never
lose focus of. It's important for every person to see the U.S. Women's National
Team play, so our plan is to schedule them across the country. They will
play in every venue, and so will every other team, so it's not a disadvantage.
On increasing public awareness of WWC '99:
Hank Steinbrecher -
The first step was announcing Donna de Varona as chair. She's a very visible
woman. We also intend to make this a cause-related event. The Women's Sports
Foundation will work very closely with us on this event. We have a tie with
the WSF that goes back seven years. We expect them to help us a great deal.
I've met with Donna Lopiano, their executive director, and we'll do a number
of events together. So I think you'll see a heightened awareness as we get
closer to 1999.
Marla Messing - I think that if we can get the corporate community
to help us, they can certainly help in generating awareness. The deal we
have made with the Women's National Team should help generate awareness,
if we can get them out into the communities and really promote this event.
Nobody can promote the event better than they can. And then, our own internal
marketing. We need to have a strong marketing and advertising plan so that
people are aware of the event within 60 days of it taking place.
On getting licensed merchandise on the market:
Marla Messing
- I hope by Christmas of `98 that we'll have licensed merchandise on the
market.
Hank Steinbrecher - To be honest with you, I think that's too late.
I'd like to push it quicker, and I think you'll see that it will be quicker.
I think Marla feels that's a good time frame, but I'd like to see it out
earlier.
Q. Do you plan to use other U.S. Soccer events
to promote and call attention to the 1999 Women's World Cup?
Marla Messing
- Everybody is working for soccer today, whether you work for U.S. Soccer,
whether you work in one of the youth soccer associations. Ultimately, we
all have the same goal - and that is to help the sport grow and take it
to the next level, which is something we continue to do. We should be using
each others' events and programs to help everybody else. We're in favor
of that. If we can help one of the other soccer organizations, we'll do
that. And we hope that all other soccer organizations will work with us.
On the role of the state associations in promoting
the Women's World Cup:
Marla Messing
- The state associations will be invaluable. They represent the grassroots
of soccer which historically has supported women's soccer. I think they'll
be involved in a number of different ways: certainly as spectators, as volunteers,
helping us with our operations and our festivities....opening ceremonies
and things like that. I think they'll play a strong role in helping us market
tickets.
Hank Steinbrecher - We're going to be working very closely with the
state associations on what they think is the best way to get out and sell
tickets. The rank and file have got to carry this event. It's not like the
men's World Cup.
© WSW May/June 1997
 On July 8, 1997 the logo for FIFA Women's
World Cup USA 1999 was unveiled at a press conference in New York City.
Rick Crow reports on the prepared statements and answers to his questions
from WWC '99 organizers.
Marla Messing
Q. Was the low attendance at the 1997 Women's European Championship discouraging?
Marla Messing - We really didn't look at those numbers and think
that's a reflection of what 1999 is going to look like. We look at the USA
vs. England match on May 9 in San Jose, California drawing 17,000 people.
This is the largest commercial market in the world and this is the largest
commercial market for women's soccer. So again, those numbers don't discourage
us. People will come out for big events, and they'll come out to see the
pinnacle event in virtually every sport. While we won't have the Olympic
name attached to us, we will have the World Cup name attached to us and
we think that's just as important and meaningful to the American public.
Q. Will you have a liaison with the more than 18 million people who play
soccer in the USA?
Marla Messing - Yes we are. (Editor's
note - On August 4, Kit Simeone, current USYSA Director of Operations, accepted
the position of Director of Grassroots Development for WWC '99, an appointment
to which Messing alluded but was not free to announce at the press conference.)
We think that this event will be supported by the grassroots. In the case
of '94, because the tickets were sold so fast, a lot of those soccer players,
recreational players, soccer participants and soccer families never had
the opportunity to purchase tickets. We think this is an opportunity for
them to be part of this World Cup, and so for us it's very important to
connect with the youth. We have a great relationship with USYSA and with
AYSO and we intend to have more formal relationships with those organizations.
Q. Do you still plan on waiting until December of 1998 to put licensed
merchandise on the market?
Marla Messing - Ideally
it would be out on the market sooner, but the reality of that business is
that there are long lead times. We may be able to get pins, key chains and
some of the easier to manufacture items out but again, given the long lead
times, I think Christmas of '98 is a good target for us to start seeing
merchandise in the market.
Alan Rothenberg
Q. Do you think there will be some non-FIFA sponsors who will want to
get involved in this unique event?
Alan Rothenberg
- No doubt about it. The opportunities that are offered to companies are
so broad; the demographics in women's soccer, in women's sport are really
a higher scale than in men's. You have higher-educated, higher-income, more
families, more females. I've seen various studies showing women being responsible
for 83 percent of the purchases in this country. Obviously there are a lot
of companies who are not traditional sponsors of men's sports who open up
their eyes widely when they see the opportunity to sponsor women's sports.
I think we'll do very well in that regard.
Q. How important will it be to get the U.S. National Team back on the
field and on television next year?
Alan Rothenberg
- We think it's very important. We've got the best team in the world. The
more this team gets exposure, the more the American public is going to like
it. When the Federation signed the latest contract with the women's national
team, we did something very unique, because concurrently we had the Women's
World Cup organization sign contracts with all the same athletes to be spokespersons
for the Women's World Cup, so this will be very helpful.
Q. Why doesn't U.S. Soccer allow sponsors to buy exclusively into the
women's program. I understand that they have to buy into the entire national
teams program?
Alan Rothenberg - That's the way it
is currently structured, so we're legally bound through 1998 to do it that
way. When our new contracts come up, we'll take a took at it.
SELECTED QUOTES FROM FORMAL PRESENTATIONS
Alan Rothenberg - "In 1994, we also had the benefit of the advice
and counsel of people who weren't working on a day-to-day basis, but helped
us an awful lot. We are now about to create a board of advisors for the
1999 World Cup so that we can get advice and council from people of prominence
and ability throughout the country.
This morning we would like to announce the first of those people: the
commissioner of Major League Soccer, Doug Logan."
"We have just created something called U.S. Soccer Properties....Things
have progressed so fast and so far in women's soccer in this country that
the USSF has now created the United States Soccer Properties, which will
be responsible for all the marketing, sponsorships, licensing, servicing
of sponsors and other marketing efforts for soccer in various parts in this
country. Dan Flynn, who is going to be the president of U.S. Soccer Properties...
is now setting up an office in New York City.
One of the first clients for U.S. Soccer Properties is the Women's World
Cup. U.S. Soccer Properties will be assisting in the marketing efforts for
the Women's World Cup."
© WSW September/October 1997
World Cup Venue Interviews
By Rick Crow
After the November 19, 1997 press conference announcing
the venues for WWCup '97, Rick Crow interviewed members of the WWCup '99
Organizing Committee.
Hank Steinbrecher
WSW: Traditionally the inaugural game is
played in the host nation's capital. Why was New York/New Jersey selected
for the opener?
HS: It's the capital of the world. And
all things being equal, the committee made a decision that this would be
a great place to begin and the Meadowlands had a significant bid to do that.
There were a number of other cities, of course, that bid for the opening
game. This bidding process was very competitive. I would almost put it on
a par with 1994. Of course, in 1994, very few people knew what they were
getting into when hosting the men's World Cup.
WSW: Will venues not selected be able to participate
as hosts to warm-up games?
HS: We would certainly like to host a couple
of friendlies and we'll be taking the team around the country. We're going
to have to replicate the kind of traveling that this tournament will require.
So we'll be going to different cities.
WSW: Does the U.S. men's team's qualification
for France have a positive effect on the 1999 Women's World Cup?
HS: While many people said that it wouldn't
be the end of the world if the men didn't qualify for France, it would have
been close. It wouldn't have killed the sport, but it would have significantly
set it back. With the men competing in 1998 and that heightened activity
around the sport itself of branding and marketing, there will be a positive
spin for the women's World Cup. We'll be doing a lot for the Women's World
Cup wrapped around our games.
WSW: There was virtually no mention of the Women's
World Cup in Italy in 1990 and the USA in 1994. Will FIFA use France '98
as a springboard for 1999?
HS: Most likely not. A lot depends on what
we do. And we have plans to be fairly aggressive within the American venues.
WSW: Sounds like you're pushing it harder than FIFA.
HS: We're pushing this as far as we can push it. We're going to expand
the envelope as far as we can.
WSW: How important is it for the different U.S.
Soccer programs to support and promote each other?
HS: We're one sport. Soccer is the most
egalitarian sport known to mankind. Anybody can play and both teams do support
each other. There has been a lot of talk about doubleheaders as we prepare
to go to France. That will be worked on. We don't know if that will come
to fruition or not.
WSW: After winning the 1991 Women's World Cup,
U.S. Soccer abandoned the team for a year. How could this happen on your
watch?
HS: It was very easy. We had no money.
So it was very easy to say that under my watch in 1992 they didn't have
a full schedule. We didn't have the resources to do it and we were singularly
focused on the success of the men's World Cup. I will tell you though, that
as soon as we had the resourcesfinancial and staffto do it, the Federation
made a commitment and said, "We're doing this and we're doing it right."
There were no stones unturned for the women's team in preparation for the
Olympics. In the evolution of the Federation over the last seven years,
certainly the women have had a solid focus of our attention.
WSW: Since Women's World Cup licensed merchandise
will not be available until late 1998, will there be a push to sell U.S.
Women's National Team items next year?
HS: I have to tell you that I get those
comments from the rank and file all the time. But I believe that I want
to let the experts make the decisions. And the experts in this field, who
are doing this licensing, whose money is on the table in terms of guarantees
to us...we are going to take their advice. They are the experts and their
advice is that we don't flood the market with that kind of merchandise yet,
that you hold off, that you build awareness and create a demand.
*Note Steinbrecher did not answer the question.
Doug Logan
WSW: How will Major League Soccer help the
1999 Women's World Cup?
DL: I certainly think it should help a
lot. I told Alan and Marla a year ago that we're going to wind up being
the best partner of the 1999 World Cup and we're committed to that. We think
it's good for the overall sport in this country. We got an awful lot of
help from the 1994 World Cup, both financially and human resources and otherwise.
We hope to give back a little to the sport. We're certainly partners in
this thing and any way that we can help, they know that they can call on
us.
WSW: What are the concrete and visible ways
MSL will support this event?
DL: All you have to do is look at our billboards
at our games. For a year now we have been stating very clearly what our
position is with the Women's World Cup. We're going to be doing a wide variety
of promotions. We're going to be assisting in the distribution of tickets.
I think that you may even see during the World Cup some complimentary events.
Our staffs in each of the respective cities that the Women's World Cup will
be taking place in will be playing a role in putting on some of the games.
I think you will see all of our game-day programs include not only advertising
support but copy. We expect a wide-ranging role, but we're here in a supplementary
fashion rather than a direct fashion.
Kristine Lilly
WSW: What do the venue announcements mean
to you and your teammates?
KL: It's such an important step in getting
to the World Cup itself. And it's exciting for us to be a part of it and
to see the efforts and commitment from the Federation and the interest from
the media. This is the biggest women's soccer event ever and it's in the
states, so we couldn't be happier.
WSW: Will fans at the 1999 Women's World Cup
be knowledgeable fans or curiosity seekers?
KL: We'll have both. We get the fans that
are constantly at all the games and you get the new fans. At every venue
we'll talk to fans and they'll say, "This is the first game we've seen,
we love the way you play, we had a great time." We're always excited
to play in front of big crowds. Coming off the Olympics was an excitement
we'll never forget. And to see what they're doing with the Women's World
Cup: the stadiums will be bigger and I think there will be a lot of people
interested in watching the Women's World Cup.
© WSW January/February 1998
An Interview With Kit Simeone
Kit Simeone accepted the position as Director of
Grassroots Marketing for WWC '99 in September 1997. Since that time she
has toured the country in her efforts to publicize and sell the event to
the millions of Americans who are involved in playing, coaching and organizing
soccer at state and local levelsthe grassroots supporters of the game. Recently,
she answered questions about her activities with WWC '99 for Women's Soccer
World.
WSW: Please tell us what your basic job description covers, including
what you are expected to produce for the committee.
KS: My job as Director of Grassroots Marketing for the 1999 FIFA Women's
World Cup is to develop and implement ways in which to promote the event
and ticket sales to the soccer and community grassroots markets. I began
working with the Organizing Committee in mid-September of 1997.
WSW: What has been the main procedure for your
grassroots involvement clinics?
KS: The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Grassroots Marketing program kicked
off in the Fall of 1997 during a "marketing blitz" held during
Columbus Day. This program was very simplehave WWC representatives attend
Columbus Day tournaments located in potential markets, and have a high level
of visibility. The program was successful due to the information we gathered
for later promotions. We also met a lot of enthusiastic and hard working
volunteers, with whom we are still working.
The overall Grassroots Marketing plan that has
developed consists of three major elements. The first element is an outreach
program to the millions of soccer players and families in the United States,
through the existing structure of soccer organizations and groups. These
organizations include American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), United
States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) and United States Amateur
Soccer Association (US Amateur Soccer). Other groups include high school
soccer organizations, colleges and universities and independent soccer groups
such as Soccer Association for Youth (SAY), YMCA and YWCA soccer programs
and parks and recreation soccer programs.
The second element is an outreach program to various
clubs, organizations, events and civic groups. These groups are sports and
non-sports related and include such organizations as the Girl Scouts of
America, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Rotary, Lions and other civic
clubs and various festivals and events which draw families.
The third element is the structure of the outreach
program itself. The program is designed to educate fans and potential fans
about Women's World Cup. They are offered the chance to sign up for ticket
and volunteer information, purchase tickets on-site at selected events during
the private sale in May and become an active part of the event.
The objectives of the Grassroots Marketing program are very simple:
- 1. To inform the soccer community of the chance
to see World Cup soccer again in the U.S.
- 2. To give the soccer community the first opportunity
to volunteer and purchase tickets to Womenís World Cup.
- 3. To educate organizations and individuals outside
of the soccer community, especially women and girls, about the event, its
size and scope, and its impact on girls' and women's soccer, specifically,
and sports in general.
- 4. To sell tickets and fill the stadiums.
- 5. To recruit volunteers willing to work prior
to and during Women's World Cup.
- 6. To make each group involved feel a part of
the event.
- 7. To bring U.S. national team players and foreign
national team players to as many promotional activities as possible, to
help young girls and women meet their role models.
WSW: Which areas of the country have you covered
so far?
KS: Since the initiation of the program, the grassroots marketing staff,
volunteers and other Women's World Cup staff members have been in all of
the venue communities at least once, in most cases several times. We have
been in a total of 22 states at approximately 40 promotions. This has all
occurred within a six-month time period! However, that hard work paid off
quite well. Awareness of the event has been raised by actually going directly
to the soccer communities.
WSW: What sort of reception have you had?
KS: The reception we have received all over the U.S. has been phenomenal!
Our staff and volunteers have been treated very well, and every soccer workshop,
exhibit, show or meeting organizer has offered us complimentary exhibit
space, time to speak at a luncheon or dinner and a chance to be an integral
part of their event. We have brought players to many of the events and they
have been treated with the utmost respect and courtesy by their hosts. The
players have been quite a hit with the kids and adults. All of the soccer
organizations that have member publications have graciously given us complimentary
space in their spring issues for our private sale. They also run our monthly
Cup Report updating Women's World Cup activities on a regular basis.
WSW: What sort of suggestions have you received,
both positive and negative?
KS: I have not received one negative suggestion at any event. In fact, at
virtually every promotion, organizers and attendees alike have complimented
the Organizing Committee on its decision to have this type of marketing
program.
WSW: Any particular part of the country that
shows more interest and support than other areas?
KS: I don't know that I've seen any one area of the country show more support
or interest in the event, rather a very broad spectrum of support from all
50 states. Obviously, the largest amounts of preliminary ticket sales have
come from those areas closest to our venues. The northeast, which has the
largest concentration of venues and a total of 15 out of the 32 games, has
been extremely enthusiastic during the initial promotions and sales. However,
as we are now attending more promotions in the West and Midwest, we are
seeing the same amount of enthusiasm and desire to purchase tickets as we
have in the Northeast. We also have received phone calls, letters and ticket
orders from Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota, Nebraska, Texas, Georgia and almost
all other states in the union. Our real challenge lies in the southern part
of the country, since there is no venue in this area. There is an interest
there from teams that wish to travel to a number of games. Our goal is to
reach these teams more effectively during the next couple of months.
WSW: How does the soccer community view the
World Cup committee?
KS: The soccer community has a special relationship with and exhibits tremendous
support for the U.S. Women's National Team. That has also been evident for
us at the Women's World Cup. We hope to build on that relationship and support,
and keep our relationship with the soccer community strong and mutually
beneficial.
WSW: Are you recruiting volunteers to work at
the world cup venues? If not, why not?
KS: We are recruiting volunteers for the eventactively recruiting them!
We have collected thousands of names over the last six months from persons
interested in volunteering for this event. During most promotions, we don't
have the time to ask people about volunteer dutythey ask us how to sign
up! Our Director of Promotions, Laurie Piai, along with the six Venue Directors,
is developing our volunteer program and job descriptions.
WSW: Does your experience so far suggest that
most of the tickets available will be sold, thus eliminating the need to
downsize the stadiums?
KS: The images from the 1996 Olympic matches always pop into my head when
privately projecting ticket sales. Those stadiums were filled with soccer
fans, sports fans and those just wanting to "be there." I feel
that similar crowds for Women's World Cup are achievable. We live in a society
that supports sports and large events in general, and there is a huge and
growing enthusiasm for women's sports. My 10 year-old niece still watches
her favorites Mike Modano, Michael Jordan, Emmitt Smith and Penny Hardaway,
but she now watches and emulates Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo, Gabrielle
Reece and Kristine Lilly. She's already asked how many Women's World Cup
games she can attend with me!
WSW: Are you concentrating mainly in the youth
areas since you worked closely with them before and they have always been
the biggest group of support for women's soccer?
KS: The Grassroots Marketing efforts are focused on not only the youth soccer
groups, but also on the amateur soccer groups and civic, social and general
sports organizations for girls and women. I know the youth market best because
of my involvement with U.S. Youth Soccer for four years, but over the years
I also have been involved with amateur soccer programs. With the help of
our National Soccer Coalition Chairman, Marilyn Childress, I am learning
more about the amateur soccer market and meeting helpful and enthusiastic
members. Because of the size and scope of the overall youth soccer market,
Julie Bushman, my co-director based in Los Angeles, handles all aspects
of grassroots marketing within AYSO. She has done a tremendous job in this
area and has formed some good working relationships within that organization.
WSW: Please tell our readers what they should
do if they want to get involved. Where to call, who to call, what is needed
the most, and please use us to get whatever message you would like to as
many soccer people as you wish. We will give you as much space as you need.
KS: My message to your readers is simple: DO NOT MISS THIS EVENT! I've been
involved in soccer for almost 15 years, and have never seen more enthusiasm
for and support of an event. I also see, on a day-to-day basis, the commitment
this Organizing Committee has to making this the most spectacular event
ever seen, and to promoting women's and girls' soccer, and sports, for the
next generation of female athletes. Let's fill the stadiums to capacity
and watch our team regain the World Cup at home.
If you would like more information about ticket
packages call 1-800-WWC-TIKS (1-800-992-8457), or e-mail us at WWC99@aol.com.
Remember: the private ticket sale to the soccer family begins May 1 and
ends May 31. Call the number above and make sure you are on the mailing
list for this ticket sale. During this sale you will be able to purchase
venue packages at a discount. Tickets are expected to go quickly. Once this
sale is over, tickets go on sale to the general public at regular prices.
© WSW May/June
1998
Q & A WITH ALAN ROTHENBERG
Q: In recent months, the Women's World Cup has been in the news.
What progress has been made since Donna de Varona was named chair of the
organizing committee?
Alan Rothenberg: We've made a lot of progress. We've solicited bids
from cities. We got a whole group of great bids in, then we narrowed it
down to 12 finalist stadiums, nine finalist cities. We've been working on
logo development, we been working on corporate sponsorships and television
rights with FIFA and ISL. All those are in place so that now we can start
going out and getting corporate sponsorships, licensees, T.V. contracts
and by the fall have our venues in place. Shortly after that we start selling
tickets and get it up and running.
Q: Do you think that FIFA sponsors that supported the 1994 World
Cup will come back for this one?
Alan Rothenberg: My assumption is that the Women's World Cup will
parallel very closely the men's World Cup of 1994 in terms of corporate
sponsorship and support.
Q: Do you think there will be some non-FIFA sponsors who will
want to get involved in the unique event?
Alan Rothenberg:
No doubt about it. The opportunities that are offered to companies are so
broad; the demographics in women's soccer, in women's sport are really a
higher scale than in men's. You have higher-educated, higher-income, more
families, more females. I've seen various studies showing women being responsible
for 83 percent of the purchases in this country. Obviously there are a lot
of companies who are not traditional sponsors of men's sports who open up
their eyes widely when they see the opportunity to sponsor women's sports.
I think we'll do very well in that regard.
Q: How important will it be to get the U.S. National Team back
on the field and on television next year?
Alan Rothenberg:
We think it's very important. We've got the best team in the world. The
more this team gets exposure, the more the American public is going to like
it. When the Federation signed the latest contract with the women's national
team, we did something very unique, because concurrently we had the Women's
World Cup organization sign contracts with all the same athletes to be spokespersons
for the Women's World Cup, so this will be very helpful.
Q: Before the men's World Cup in 1994 there was a survey that
appeared in several big media outlets stating that more than 50 percent
of all Americans didn't know the World Cup would be played in the United
States. What can be done to avoid this disaster in1999?
Alan
Rothenberg: I would hardly characterize the1994 World Cup as a disaster.
I think it was an overwhelming success.
Q: Not the event, but the lack awareness of the event before it
started.
Alan Rothenberg: I'll take 50 percent of
the American public. That's close to 150 million people. We'll have a build-up
program and that's one of the reasons why having corporate sponsorship and
good television contracts, because those people will bring the event before
the public's eye frankly more than we can do.
Q: The corporate community can get the message out to the general
public, but what will be done to educate the nearly 20 million girls, women,
men and boys who play soccer in this country about the Women's World Cup?
Alan Rothenberg: I think it just grows. Compare what
you have to explain to people today to 10 years ago. People are learning--the
World Cup has helped them, MLS has helped them, the Olympics have helped
them and I think the Women's World Cup will help them some more. With each
generation of Americans who play the game and now watch the game are starting
to understand the nuances of what is a qualifier? What is a cup competition?
They're learning.
Q: Why doesn't U.S. Soccer allow sponsors to buy exclusively into
the women's program. I understand that they have to buy into the entire
national teams program?
Alan Rothenberg: That's the
way it is currently structured, so we're legally bound through 1998 to do
it that way. When our new contracts come up, we'll take a took at it.
Q: U.S. Women's Cup has been going strong since 1994. Why did
U.S. Soccer take it over from Region I when the organizers didn't want to
give it up?
Alan Rothenberg: That should be a national
program. lt shouldn't be a regional program. lt was great to see Region
I do what it did to get it started, but the rest of the country deserves
to participate.
Q: Will Region I be able to hold another tournament with another
name?
Alan Rothenberg: I assume they could hold some
kind of regional tournament. Any state or region that wants to put on a
tournament is free to hold one if it meets the standards.
©copyright 1997 Women's Soccer World
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