Sad but a reality in professional Women’s soccer

This weekend marked an all-around achievement for the Rose City girls the Portland Thorns, winning their second shield since their inception in the National Women’s Soccer League.

As many, state the importance of soccer taking off in the States and its growth and success in several professional franchises in Major League Soccer, North American Soccer League and United Soccer Leagues.

Especially this latter one with Cincinnati FC setting all time attendance records for a lower division squad and making all sorts of headlines, that is touted for a possible MLS franchise because of their followers vast show of support.

Still one thing that irritates me or annoys me whatever you want to call it, is the lack of support for women’s professional soccer, especially here in the states as some of the ten squads currently participating, barely surviving.

With its anemic attendances and lack of support, many of the East coast squads of the NWSL are barely making ends meet!

However, the Pacific Northwest always is raising the bar in the great support of their squads and especially in the NWSL- the 2017 flamboyant champions Portland Thorns leading the way.

Getting all the support from their followers here in Portland, Oregon to an average of 17,000 plus per game, this is the only squad that has its attendances in double digits followed vaguely by the Orlando Pride with round 8000.

With Portland, Oregon setting the tone as Soccer City USA- with both of its squads and now  the Thorns, since their start in league play these being among the top attendance setters and in the NWSL since day one.

These lasses play a wonderful and majestic game of football, a very exciting one.

Especially when the USWNT record shows off three Women’s World Cups, Olympic golds and many other achievements these have delivered.

Let us honor their efforts with our presence and all around support!

Living in San Diego I remember vividly when we had the San Diego Spirit from that failed Women’s United Soccer Association, as the Spirit playing in Torero stadium with a mere 7000 seat venue, still San Diegans showed their support.

Unfortunately, many squads were not making it and the reality hit when the league folded due to a lack of support and sponsorship, wow not that stinks, as the same when the NWSL had in its first year a solitary sponsor in Nike.

Now the number has grown to four in Nike continuously being a strong entity followed by Cutter, Thorne and another major sponsor in Lifetime channel, suddenly we are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel but unfortunately in a slow motion.

So far, the league going into its fifth year the attendance somehow have become a little better, but not as we expected, with cities like Boston, Chicago, Kansas City , North Carolina, Sky Blue and Washington Spirit in the average of 3000.

That does not cut it out for these squads multiple expenses and not making it too attractive to potential sponsors, still the attendances in its franchises have seen a sort of improvement but slowly.

In addition to the start of this association in 2013 with an average of 375, 763 in its first year with all of this franchises.

In 2017 these numbers have increased to a 609, 960.

Still the my frustrations don’t end when the announced attendance of over 8000 fans was announced in a major championship match this past Saturday in the match between Portland and North Carolina.

Come on folks you missed out in all the almighty action that women’s soccer delivers.

Despite the game importance in Europe, the support for Women’s soccer is far lower than the US, but we can show our support to these amazing lasses, when they display the game in the field with pure class and genuine show of technique.

Let us make a crusade to support Women’s soccer, catch the action folks!

 

Post Contents and Property of Fern Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved

Photos Credit and Property of © 2017, NWSL All Rights Reserved.