January 29, 2010 WHERE WILL MARTA GO? Salary may hinder her move
By Charles Cuttone Executive Editor
While every team in WPS might want to sign Marta, her hefty – and guaranteed – contract might be an obstacle. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
As a four-time World Player of the Year, and last year’s Women’s Professional Soccer Most Valuable Player, Marta obviously is the cream of the crop in the dispersal of the LA Sol, which folded on Thursday. But while most teams would be smacking their lips at the chance of getting the Brazilian superstar, her salary might be an obstacle for teams in the budget- conscious WPS.
“We’d be stupid not to take a look at her,” said Atlanta Beat General Manager Shawn McGee, whose club has the first selection in the dispersal draft. “We really have to look at salary cap issues and all the other challenges that come along with that. We’re on a tight salary cap and being a new team we’re on a lean budget,” said McGee.
“We’re building a new stadium and that takes a lot of money,” he said, “and putting together a team certainly does.
“We’re looking at it. I can’t tell you what we are going to do now.”
Sources within the league have indicated Marta might want to stay on the west coast, meaning a move to the Bay Area Gold Pride, where former Brazilian star Sissi is an assistant coach. St. Louis also has been mentioned as a possibility. A move to either team would require some trading. Marta’s salary, the largest in the WPS, has been reported at anywhere from $400,000 to $500,000. It is also believed to include marketing incentives from Puma and Amway Corp, which was the Sol’s shirtfront sponsor last season. That sponsorship reportedly would revert to any team signing the Brazilian star.
