After watching some of the NCAA volleyball tournament and the big crowds they get, it made me think, is the NCAA thinking too small for women's soccer? This is the best women's soccer country on the planet. There is a giant subculture of women's soccer players and families. Why do they play their season opposite college football and the NFL? Well, I know the answer: because they always have.
So here's my idea of the day:
Move the women's soccer season to the spring when most games are played after college basketball ends and work with some network like ESPN or FS1 to market the heck out of the sport. Like a College GameDay type show, Wrap-up shows, SportsCenter highlights, etc. To an extent, they do this with women's college basketball but nobody cares because its opposite men's basketball. In the spring, its just MLB and NBA Playoffs and no mainstream college sports.
NCAA Women's soccer is what, the 4th or so best women's soccer league in the world? Maybe if they move the men's game to August-May they can move the women's game to like March-July with the College Cup being played right after the College World Series. Maybe even a World Cup style 32 team Group stage or something like that.
So here's my idea of the day:
Move the women's soccer season to the spring when most games are played after college basketball ends and work with some network like ESPN or FS1 to market the heck out of the sport. Like a College GameDay type show, Wrap-up shows, SportsCenter highlights, etc. To an extent, they do this with women's college basketball but nobody cares because its opposite men's basketball. In the spring, its just MLB and NBA Playoffs and no mainstream college sports.
NCAA Women's soccer is what, the 4th or so best women's soccer league in the world? Maybe if they move the men's game to August-May they can move the women's game to like March-July with the College Cup being played right after the College World Series. Maybe even a World Cup style 32 team Group stage or something like that.