After news of the Los Angeles Sol ceasing operations, the order for the dispersal draft on Thursday, Feb. 4, is as follows:
Round 1
1. Atlanta Beat
2. Philadelphia Independence
3. FC Gold Pride (Bay Area)
4. Chicago Red Stars
5. Boston Breakers
6. Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY)
7. Washington Freedom
8. Saint Louis Athletica
Round 2
9. Saint Louis Athletica
10. Washington Freedom
11. Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY)
12. Boston Breakers
13. Chicago Red Stars
14. FC Gold Pride (Bay Area)
15. Philadelphia Independence
16. Atlanta Beat
Round 3
17. Atlanta Beat
18. Philadelphia Independence
19. FC Gold Pride (Bay Area)
20. Chicago Red Stars
21. Boston Breakers
22. Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY)
23. Washington Freedom
24. Saint Louis Athletica
As discussed previously, the schedule will stay at 24 games for each team:
In 2010, eight teams will each play 24-game schedules from April 10-September 12 including six original WPS teams – Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Gold Pride (Bay Area), Saint Louis Athletica, Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY) and Washington Freedom – and two expansion teams, the Atlanta Beat and Philadelphia Independence. The top four finishers in the regular season will qualify for the 2010 WPS Playoffs scheduled for September 19-26.
Playoffs running into late September could overlap 2011 Women’s World Cup Qualifiying, though Antonucci is aware that some dates need to be avoided.
“We are obviously working very closely with U.S. Soccer and with CONCACAF and we have checked all the dates with the other qualifying – Asian qualifying, etcetera – so we are staying off of those dates,” she said. “We certainly don’t want to create a conflict of losing any of those players to those types of qualifying tournaments and things. That is very much part of our strategic thinking.”