The WPS Desperately Needs Some Tattoos

Found this the other day. Thought it was amazing for two reasons:

What Happened to the War?

Dear GerryM the GM, Hof the Boss and the marketing peeps at Sky Blue FC,

um...what happened? 

Wasn't there a war going on? Did I miss the white flag? I know the league-wide Defend Your Turf campaign kinda stole your thunder, but can we get a video showing the "cease-fire" or peace talks or whatever? Give us a tweet, at least!

It's not that I'm against peace on the Jersey shore, more that my curiosity is beginning to fester.

Thanks!

-Julie

WPS Fantasy - Warning: Not for All States

Trolling through the Facebook-verse I came upon this situation. Which raised a big question in my mind: Huh, what?

The Devil's in the Details

I found some fun little tidbits about the Phantom Trade when researching my last post...

Are You On the Ball? The WPS Wasn't...

Imagine a player 1v1 with the goalie, no pressure from behind and plenty of space in the box, blasting the ball on-frame but well over the goal. She didn't panic, she just had a bit of a brain fart at a horribly inconvenient moment. 

When pondering the current WPS snafu, that's one of the little scenes that plays in my mind. All things considered, they were going at the right goal with the ball at their feet after having done a nice little dance to get past the entire defence. So their hearts were in the right place.

For those of you not on Twitter, for a brief moment today there was quite a snickering as people realized (and shared) this unfortunate fact: the WPS approved a trade that involved a phantom draft pick. 

3 Rules for a Persuasive #FollowFriday

Twitter really is just a way to share information, so it's not surprising that phenoms such as #MusicMonday (#MM) and #FollowFriday (#FF) have grown quite popular. Not only are you joining in a huge communal effort (and we're all just sheep at heart), but you are also simultaneously expressing your individuality. 

This is the music I am listening to. These are the people I recommend you follow. Doesn't really matter if the tweets are read, if anyone actually listens, because you've been accepted into the mass of tweeters talking about the same thing. The act is the reward, in a way.

Ok, but what if you actually want to achieve something with your hashtags? Here are some tips for optimizing your use of CURRENT hashtag trends, particularly #FollowFriday.

1. Be Specific

2. Keep it Simple

3. Be Concrete, Give Context

Sky Blue FC Twitter War - TEAM GM!

Props to Jersey's Sky Blue FC for starting this twitter war, as Melissa say's ...

Small audience and small budget means WPS has to do a pretty good job being inventive when it comes to advertising and publicity.

If you’re a fan, particularly an out-of-stater, this is a great chance to specify what kind of free Sky Blue FC swag/gifts prizes you want to win for your vote. Hoff is openly looking for ideas and as he is the $$$ behind the operation, if he agrees to it you’re probably set. 

WPS 09 Championship Game: A Behind-the-Benches View

I had a crew of people at the '09 WPS Championship game and finally found time to cut something together. Hopefully will have a few more videos coming out cut from on-the-field footage I have of other games. Pass the video around if you like it! There is something addictive in YouTube, I swear. ;) 

Soccer Strategy Part 3 - Extra Thoughts On Strategy

Soccer Strategy Part 2 - What is more important, winning or quality of play?

Soccer Strategy Part 1 - What is more important, star players or quality of play as a team?

What Makes Me a Fan of a Team and some Social Media Tips

A few months ago I was talking to Jason Lemire (GM of Pali Blues) about social media, Facebook in particular, and he asked what the difference was between a friend and a fan. I was in a contemplative mood and spent a few minutes going on about how a friend comes to a game and enjoys it, but a fan wins or loses with the team. At the end of my musings I realized he was asking about friends vs. fans on Facebook (friends are for profile pages while fans are for fan pages).

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).

Los Angeles Sol: A Brand Lost or a Franchise Folded?

Just a Piece

Though this was a shocking announcement, it is not like it was totally unexpected. In mid-January ASN was writing about the ownership transfer and raised the possibility of a last minute pullout, Sacramento Monarchs style. Sadly they hit it on the nose and the Sol situation became the same story of league-scramble followed by franchise-closure.

The Egg before the Chicken: Crowds and US Soccer

So what is it about soccer that attracts the largest and most passionate crowds across the world and yet only has this slowly growing “handful” in the U.S.? And I know this is a bit misleading as the sport is one of the most played in the US showing it as a quite popular sport to play, but playing is a far cry from following.