Who really believed that Women’s World Cup would not sell out Giants Stadium for the opener? In retrospect, FIFA’s original idea of playing all the matches at East Coast high school stadiums was ludicrous, and all the credit to USA ’99 boss Marla Messing for convincing it otherwise. Messing learned the art of sandbagging from her mentor, Alan Rothenberg, at World Cup ’94. Again, did anyone really think that the ’94 finals would not be a popular success? By starting out with low projections and coming in high, USA ’99 has an even bigger success on its hands than anyone would have believed. The big question is, what does it mean for the future of the women’s game? It appears inevitable that a women’s pro league will now be launched in 2001, after the Sydney Olympics. Was the record crowd of 78,972 at Giants Stadium indicative of the potential market for women’s soccer or were the disappointing crowds of 15,000 the next day in Los Angeles and Boston, two major girls soccer markets, closer to reality? MLS was able to use the momentum of a U.S. World Cup to get off the ground — after a year’s delay — in 1996. But where would it have been without the hard-core audience of ethnic fans, mostly Latino, who comprise the majority of the fan base in some markets? A women’s pro league will blaze a new trail if it can thrive on a core market of teenage girls, the primary audience at which USA ’99 has marketed. Probably the most discouraging sign was the report from the Giants Stadium opener that probably the biggest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for the pregame entertainment, musical group ‘N’ Sync. FANS, LET’S HEAR YOUR VIEW Click here to log onto (Soccer) American Graffiti. Then click on the topic titled “YOUR VIEW: The art of sandbagging” and respond to Paul Kennedy in 200 words or less. Best responses may be reprinted in Soccer America Magazine. If YOUR View is selected, we’ll send you a cool T-shirt and pin… Because You’re FANATIC.