The National Professional Fastpitch softball league has finally officially acknowledged the folding of the Washington Glory, in an announcement otherwise devoted to the formation of a replacement team. The Glory had played two years in northern Virginia, the first of which at George Mason University's softball stadium.
The USSSA Pride, to be based in central Florida, will assume the Glory player contracts and Glory's placement on the 2009 pro softball schedule. The NPF's alliance with the United States Specialty Sports Association effectively saves the players from losing their summertime jobs and saves the league from a potential shutdown.
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This blogger would never wish ill for the women who devoted their time to build a successful franchise in the Washington, D.C. area market so to the extent that those players are saved, it's a good thing. Unfortunately, the metro D.C. fans who devoted their own time and effort to support the franchise apparently won't get the same reprieve as the players.
Local fans who spent money in advance for Glory season tickets will instead have to fight in an Alexandria bankruptcy court just to get pennies back on the dollar. The bankruptcy of the Washington Glory owner combined with the failure of any parties to offer restitution to the Glory fanbase has effectively burned professional softball in this market.
The Glory collapse should also serve as a warning shot across the bow for fans in the remaining NPF franchise cities. Supporters in metro Rockford, Chicago, Philadelphia, Akron and now central Florida should take note of how fans here lost both their team and their money. This can happen to them.
______________________Labels: sports, washington glory, women's pro softball
