Join Now  | 
Home About Contact Us Privacy & Security Advertise
Soccer America Daily Special Edition Around The Net Soccer Business Insider College Soccer Reporter Youth Soccer Reporter Soccer on TV Soccer America Classifieds
Paul Gardner: SoccerTalk Soccer America Confidential Youth Soccer Insider World Cup Watch
RSS Feeds Archives Manage Subscriptions Subscribe
Order Current Issue Subscribe Manage My Subscription Renew My Subscription Gift Subscription
My Account Join Now
Tournament Calendar Camps & Academies Soccer Glossary Classifieds
Borislow and 'infidels' make peace
by Paul Kennedy, January 19th, 2012 1:35AM
Subscribe to Soccer America Daily


MOST READ
TAGS:  jurisprudence, wps


[WPS] It was something few thought possible: maverick Dan Borislow, owner of magicJack with women's soccer superstars Abby Wambach and Hope Solo, not to mention rising national team star Megan Rapinoe and captain Christie Rampone, made peace with Women's Professional Soccer. MagicJack, kicked out of the league following the 2011 season, won't return to WPS in 2012, but it will continue as a barnstorming team with the five remaining WPS teams as its opponents. In return for the deal, Borislow agreed to put a stop to his lawsuit in the Florida courts against those he termed "infidels."

"It was a win-win-win here," Borislow told ESPNW's Beau Dure via email. "I won, the league won and my team won. The fourth win is actually the fans and soccer."

Tweeted WPS players' union executive director Jennifer Hitchon: "Successful WPS compromise: Suit dropped, league survives, unsigned players can play a few exhibition games."

WPS owners threatened to pull the plug on the league if Borislow won the lawsuit, and the compromise means the owners were concerned about that eventuality.

In an Olympic year when the league will be without many of its American stars, the loss of Wambach, Solo et al isn't as great as it might otherwise be, but it raises some doubts.

If WPS is counting on attracting the kind of crowds it did for the second half of the 2011 season when fans came to see the U.S. World Cup heroes, how does it expect draw when they won't be around for a good part of 2012?



2 comments
  1. David Huff
    commented on: January 19, 2012 at 12:01 p.m.
    The whole WPS league is becoming a laughing-stock, dropping down to 5 teams and not being able to hold onto it's 6th team with players like Solo, Wambach etc.

  1. John Riley
    commented on: January 19, 2012 at 12:05 p.m.
    This may be great for the most senior players who are trying to get through one final Olympic season without further injuries. But for players still in their prime this is like skipping the NBA season to play for the Globetrotters.


Sign in to leave a comment. Don't have an account? Join Now


AUTHORS

ARCHIVES
FOLLOW SOCCERAMERICA

Recent Soccer America Daily
Dwyer ties league record with 13th goal    
[USL PRO REWIND: Week 10] Dom Dwyer scored his 13th goal in 11 games for first-place ...
Atlanta takes over lead for first time    
[NASL REWIND: Week 8] Midfielder Danny Barrera broke a scoreless draw in the 85th minute goal ...
Di Vaio leads Impact past Union with hat trick    
[MLS REWIND: Week 13] Italian Marco Di Vaio's first-half hat trick helped the Montreal Impact beat ...
What They're Saying    
"I can't hold back until Monday. My friends and family already know my decision. Monday I ...
Sanderson's three assists carry Boston past Spirit    
[NWSL REWIND: Week 8] Englishwoman  Lianne Sanderson sets up all goals by Heather O'Reilly, Katie Schoepfer ...
U.S. U-18s settle for second behind Hungary    
[LISBON INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT] Needing only a tie to win the title, the U.S. under-18 national team ...
Bayern Munich finds European glory in Robben's redemption    
[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Arjen Robben skipped through Borussia Dortmund's defense in the 89th minute of the ...
Rogers-for-Magee, hometown boys return home    
[MLS SPOTLIGHT] Three months after announcing he was gay and retiring from soccer at the age ...
Tampa Bay and Atlanta eye outright lead    
[NASL SCHEDULE: Week 8] After winning their 2012 Soccer Bowl rematch with Minnesota United FC last ...
Timbers put unbeaten road record on line    
[MLS SCHEDULE: Week 13] The Portland Timbers sit third in the Western Conference with one loss ...
>> Soccer America Daily Archives