The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- October 25, 1999

World Cup kicks soccer to new level

Women's college game gains support in wake of summer's exciting events

BY VANESSA ABELL
STAFF WRITER

One of the biggest sports stories of the summer was the record-breaking attention received by the Women's World Cup.

The nation was captivated by soccer players, some of whom went from virtual unknowns to household names in just a few weeks.

Could the attention given the international game translate into a higher profile for women's intercollegiate soccer? It looks that way, especially if institutions make efforts to harness the sport's current momentum -- both in terms of fans and sponsors.

The final game at the Rose Bowl between the U.S. and China -- with 90,185 fans cheering on the teams -- established an attendance record for a women's sporting event.

The World Cup final also drew an estimated television audience of 40 million, making it the most-watched soccer game ever on U.S. network television -- nearly double last year's men's final and even more than the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup.

The event even got the attention of the world. Ticket sales for the World Cup totaled 650,000, and the global television audience for the 32 World Cup matches was an estimated one billion.

That attention seems to be trickling down to the college game. Many teams are seeing record-breaking attendance numbers early this season in the World Cup's aftermath.

Youth soccer is booming across the country, too. And those youths are finding their heroes, not only on the U.S. national team, but on college campuses across the country.

Now, NCAA schools are looking to capitalize on this booming interest in women's soccer by encouraging fans of all ages to come and root for their women's soccer teams. Institutions are marketing the games as affordable family entertainment.

Kira Davis, a member of the under-14 San Diego Surf club, is a big fan of women's soccer. She recently was among the 2,800 fans who witnessed the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill's 2-1 win over the University of San Diego. Davis also was one of the attendees at the World Cup final match.

"People were excited (at both games)," she said. "It's about helping promote women's sports, and soccer is probably one of the best women's sports to play and to watch because it is so competitive."

Growing fan base

Santa Clara University assistant sports information director John Callan chronicled an attendance record in the women's home opener against nearby rival Stanford University. The crowd of 3,844 was the largest regular-season gathering in Santa Clara history for either the men's or the women's programs. (The previous regular-season high of 3,714 was established in 1996 when the Santa Clara's women matched up with the University of Notre Dame.)

Santa Clara also is proud of alumna Brandi Chastain, a dominant national team player who scored the clinching goal with her penalty kick in the U.S. win over China. Chastain also is married to Santa Clara coach Jerry Smith.

"Just having Brandi leaking that she'll be here (at a home game) makes a difference in the attendance," Callan said.

Callan admits that there has not been a significant increase in marketing efforts by the staff. He said after the U.S. victory, the staff congratulated Chastain on her World Cup performance by taking out a full-page ad in the San Jose Mercury News to praise her accomplishment. A color photo of Santa Clara's 1999 squad was included.

Chastain may not be the only cause of the increased attendance, but she certainly has not hurt the fan base of Santa Clara women's soccer.

Santa Clara also makes the most of autograph sessions after games to promote the student-athletes and to allow the fans contact with the players. (The NCAA also is planning an autograph session at the Women's College Cup to allow the fans to interact with the student-athletes in a one-on-one setting.)

National trend

Other women's soccer programs are enjoying the enthusiastic response brought on by the Women's World Cup.

Debbie Warren, chair of the Division I Women's Soccer Committee and associate athletics director/senior woman administrator at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, has seen firsthand a dramatic increase of interest in women's soccer.

Before the college season had even started, Alabama held a youth soccer clinic. "We had 800 (participants) attend the clinic," said Warren. "Previously, 300 was the highest number we had."

Alabama administrators also were pleasantly surprised by the attendance at a preseason scrimmage.

"More than 800 people came for an alumni game that we didn't market on our schedule cards," said Warren. "And 100 percent of alumni came back for that game."

Warren also said the Alabama women's soccer team has met with increased enthusiasm away from Tuscaloosa. For one preseason trip to Orange Beach, Alabama, the mayor of the city had proclaimed the day as the University of Alabama Women's Soccer Team Day.

Those who market college soccer also are finding the women's game to be an affordable entertainment alternative. At the same time, some programs that before had difficulty drawing nonpaying customers are finding they can now charge admission.

Another financial benefit has been increased corporate sponsorship at the games. With more and more fans attending games, more and more sponsors are giving their support, along with promotional items that are being used as prizes for fan giveaways.

Callan has seen increased support on his campus. "There is more commitment from the community in terms of game sponsors paying for giveaway game programs," he said.

Santa Clara also has used schedule posters with action shots and Santa Clara computer screen savers at its games.

The Women's College Cup also figures to prosper. Ticket sales have been brisk for the 1999 final at Spartan Stadium on the campus of San Jose State University. Administrators are hoping for a capacity crowd of 31,000 for the event, which would triple the previous attendance record set last year at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.

Women's soccer -- both on the international level and the collegiate level -- looks to be a hot topic for some time to come.