Like any new league, the WPS has faced many challenges as it struggles to establish itself. Women’s professional sports in general are no strangers to these hurdles. There have been baseball, soccer, basketball, golf, tennis, volleyball, hockey, and even football leagues. Some of these leagues have had success and others weren’t able to survive. So what could the WPS learn from other women’s leagues that have launched (and sometimes failed) to make a go of it?

This week’s chat will look to find that winning formula or at least unearth the reasons for the success or demise of those leagues.

Q1: The Winners: WNBA, LPGA, WTA, WPS

  • What impact does the sport dynamic have on the success of a league (team vs. individual)?
  • How does timing impact the success of a league?
  • What are the top 3 reasons for the success of women’s professional sports leagues?

Q2: The Losers: AAGBL, WBL, WUSA, WPVA

  • How do societal norms impact the survival of leagues?
  • What are the difficulties in starting a league for a sport that has already had an unsuccessful attempt?
  • What are the top 3 reasons for the success of women’s professional sports leagues?

Q3: The Future

  • What is next for women’s professional sports?

Join us on Monday at 8pm ET to throw your thoughts into the mix. Just log on to Twitter, Tweetchat, or Tweetgrid, and use the #WPSchat tag.