Will the LA Sol Return in 2011 or Will the WPS Expand Elsewhere?

With the closure of the LA team it is only logical that rumors begin to fly around about expansion into San Diego or Seattle or Vancouver (or here or there, I’ve heard a lot of places named…good sign, loads of interest I guess).

I am all about expansion, and the Vancouver W-League team seems to be getting some crazy attendance numbers, but it would be quite a waste to not return to LA. Years spent developing the community support, an inaugural season that established them as Champions, that legacy will stick with the franchise when a new team is organized.

Granted, the marketing team at AEG responsible for the Sol were not playing with their A-game and seemed to have a tendency to throw money at big banners and gestures rather than really work the grassroots, so the community is not as developed as other franchises. 

But if a new ownership group can be found in the early stages of the 2010 season, that gives the Sol management a season to focus on further developing the roots laid down with AEG/Blue Star’s money.

Ok, with 90% AEG’s money.

And let’s pause a second here to say that for all the negative things being said about AEG, they did absorb 90% of the loss that could have been more burdened on their ownership partners at Blue Star LLC. That is an important positive that’s been downplayed.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Sol fan and will continue to refer to my favorite players as “Sol players on loan to…” and therefore will not forgive AEG for pulling out after ONE SEASON. And if they had always planned on pulling out after one season, why didn’t they have a new ownership group in place for season #2? Wouldn’t that be a part of “establishing” an LA franchise?

Bring the LA franchise back in 2011, I don’t care if they’re the Sol or the Pali Blues ;) or whatever else it gets named. As long as Naimo and his crew are back on board, as long as the club get’s a few players back from their 2010 loans…I’ll be happy.

Back to Canada…I think the WPS should wait on bringing Vancouver into the league until they can also bring in the W-League rivals in Seattle. Those two teams are a killer duo and would bring a strong pre-existing rivalry to the WPS. 

Gotta love a good rivalry, eh?