It’s Definitely Time To Panic

After spending the day on the phone, trading emails and tweets, the fog has started to lift, the picture is a bit clearer, and it is not pretty for WPS.

For those who are catching up, last night Jeff Kassouf broke the news that the Washington Freedom and FC Gold Pride were set to announce that they were folding today. Rob Penner immediately tweeted that there were no announcements scheduled for today, leaving most of us wondering if there might be one scheduled for say, Tuesday.

All of us industrious soccer reporters immediately went to work and here is a recap of what has been uncovered today:

• It has been confirmed that both FC Gold Pride and the Washington Freedom missed the October 31 deadline to have their escrow payment for 2011 in to the league. The amount of the escrow payment has not been released, but sources say it is significant.
• The league has extended the payment deadline until mid-November.
• The expansion draft, scheduled for Thursday November 4^th has been canceled.
• According to WPS press consultant Rob Penner the league’s Board, individual teams and WPS CEO continue to explore all options and are working overtime on potential new investors, partners and other possibilities in order to secure the maximum number of teams for the 2011 WPS Season.
• The Washington Freedom issued the following statement today: “Washington Freedom continues to have conversations with prospective investors and strategic partners.  As previously reported, we are seeking investors and/or partners as part of a plan to align the team’s costs with its revenues so play can continue in 2011 and beyond.  We have been engaged in these conversations since early summer.  Contrary to reports, Freedom does not plan an announcement about its participation in the 2011 WPS season until it has had an opportunity to consider all proposals.  We appreciate the ongoing support of our fans, sponsors and supporters and remain optimistic about the future of Freedom and WPS.”
• The San Jose Mercury News reported today that SF Gold Pride was on the verge of folding and “is searching for new investors after owners Brian and Nancy NeSmith of Los Altos decided they could no longer afford losses in the millions.”
• The league will make a brief statement tomorrow.

FC Gold Pride GM Ilisa Kessler posted this as she signed off Twitter this evening

Gotta go. Keep fingers crossed this week for us. Or u can send us a sugar daddy or sugar mama! That’ll work too 🙂

While I appreciate her candor and the refreshing lack of spin, it doesn’t lend much confidence that FC Gold Pride has a snow balls chance of meeting the November 15 deadline if they are shopping for a sugar daddy two weeks out.

And, the Freedom’s statement may sound a little more official, but I don’t think even the most optimistic reading would lead anyone to concur that they have an investor any where close to signing on the dotted line.

It would seem from more than one conversation I’ve had today that the league feels it would be able to go forward with a minimum of six finically stable teams.

I’m generally a glass half full kind of gal and I’m trying to find some positives. The only one I can really come up with is that teams not having to travel to the West Coast right now could be a good thing. Even that’s pretty lame as far as positive spin goes.  After a hard days work, I am left feeling that unless a mysterious benefactor sweeps in and saves the day, both teams are toast. As a result, I’m sick to my stomach and definitely starting to panic. Is it just me?