ABSTRACT
On 10 July 1999, the United States women’s soccer team played a tense and exciting (if sloppy) World Cup Final against highly regarded China. After two gruelling hours of scoreless soccer, the game was eventually decided on penalty kicks, won by the United States 5–4. Two things about the final stand out: first, the game drew a crowd of over 90,000 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Second and even more remarkable was the 11.4 television rating, which was simply phenomenal for that or any other time.[ 1 ] It rated much higher than any men’s national team game or any game that the MLS had offered on network television up to that point. To this day, it is the highest rated soccer match ever shown on American television. It was hoped by organizers that the momentum built by and for women’s soccer would carry on to the creation of the WUSA (Women’s United Soccer Association). While the league averaged 8,100 fans per game in its first year, attendance faltered in the ensuing years. Additionally, television ratings were abysmal, and the league ceased operations after only three years.
