Record crowd expected for Wambach's homecoming

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Jul 19, 2011

[WPS] They're giving away Abby Wambach bobbleheads on Wednesday when she returns to her hometown of Rochester, N.Y., with magicJack for its WPS game against the Western New York Flash, but no giveaways are needed (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, 7:30 pm ET). The game is expected to be a sellout and the crowd could reach 15,000 at Sahlen's Stadium for the return home of Wambach, her magicJack teammate Hope Solo and Flash players Alex Morgan and midfielder Megan Rapinoe, the four biggest stars of the U.S. Women's World Cup team.

No, there is no rest for the weary.

After five weeks in Europe, the U.S. women, runners-up to Japan at the Women's World Cup, flew to New York on Monday.

On Tuesday, Wambach appeared on "Good Morning America," and she and Solo then did the "Late Show with David Letterman."

Wednesday's game has attracted so much interest that bleacher seating has been added and should help set a WPS attendance record.

The WPS record is 14,832 for defunct Los Angeles Sol's opening game in 2009.

The first Flash-magicJack game in May drew 8,076 fans -- more than the Flash had attracted for its first three home games.

Wednesday's game should give WPS a needed shot in the arm. It didn't get a boost from its first six games since its Women's World Cup break. They averaged less than 2,300 fans a game.