Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) Launches Social Networking Site

Exclusive Olympics content from U.S. players and WPS coaches at
fans.womensprosoccer.com

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- On the eve of the U.S. Women's first
soccer match in the 2008 Olympic Games, Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) has
launched a social networking site at http://fans.womensprosoccer.com, giving
soccer fans around the world an opportunity to interact with each other while
viewing exclusive content such as live chats, reporter commentary, and player
blogs. The theme? "Beijing Now. WPS Next."
"All eyes are currently on Beijing, as the world's greatest domestic and
international soccer players go for the Gold," said Tonya Antonucci, WPS
Commissioner. "It's only fitting that WPS give fans worldwide a place to come
together and rally around these Olympic athletes before many of them put their
talent on display professionally in our League next April.
"From the beginning, we have said that WPS will be unique in that we will
provide Fans unparalleled interaction with our players and each other; this
site is the first step in fulfilling that promise," added Antonucci.
Among the site's highlights is the "Top Town Video Challenge," featuring
special guest judge Brandi Chastain, former U.S. Women's National Team member
and star defender for the WUSA San Jose CyberRays. Now through Tuesday,
August 26th, fans are encouraged to visit http://fans.womensprosoccer.com and
submit their home videos explaining why their city is the "Top Town" when it
comes to soccer -- either as a 2009 inaugural WPS market (Boston, Chicago,
Dallas, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington D.C.), a
future city (including Philadelphia, slated for a 2010 expansion team), or a
prospective WPS city (such as San Diego or Atlanta, top candidates for
near-term League expansion). Chastain will choose the winner, who will be
awarded an all-expense-paid trip for two to an upcoming WPS event.
"What I love about soccer is the passion -- the intensity, the spirit, the
celebrations. I can't wait to see fans' videos expressing that same zeal as
they aim to prove that they're living in America's greatest soccer community,"
said Chastain, a native of San Jose, Calif. "Like soccer, I expect this to be
a competition filled with tricky moves and surprises, and I'm looking forward
to the challenge of picking the winner."
In addition to the "Top Town" video challenge, the WPS Social Networking
site will supply fans with news and content that is unavailable anywhere else.
Hosted by Ning.com, site features will include: -- Live online chats with
Tony DiCicco -- current head coach of the WPS
Boston Breakers who led the USWNT to the first-ever Olympic gold medal
awarded in women's soccer in 1996 -- during each U.S. Women's National
Team game beginning with the match against Japan on Saturday, August 9
at 4:45am ET
-- Regular blogs from U.S. players Cat Whitehill and Leslie Osborne, who
will provide direct access to the U.S. Women's National Team (including
Osborne's pre-recorded video interviews with her teammates) and their
own perspective on missing the 2008 Olympic Games due to ACL injuries
-- Beijing "behind the scenes" blogs from Chicago Red Stars Head Coach
Emma Hayes and General Manager Marcia McDermott
-- Olympic soccer commentary from ESPN.com's Graham Hays
-- Links to worldwide coverage of each game including post-game match
reports, news and video highlights
-- Interactive poll questions and discussion forums
-- WPS and U.S. Soccer event calendars, including details of the League's
post-Olympics allocation of the U.S. Women's National Team,
international draft, and player combines

About Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
The mission of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) is to be the premier
women's soccer league in the world and the global standard by which women's
professional sports are measured. Play kicks off in the spring of 2009, with
WPS teams based in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York,
St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. The league will expand to eight teams by 2010
with the inclusion of Philadelphia. For more information, visit
http://www.womensprosoccer.com.
SOURCE Women's Professional Soccer

Jennifer Peters of Fleishman-Hillard Sports Business, +1-314-982-9167,
jennifer.peters@fleishman.com, for Women's Professional Soccer