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American Morning

Kickin' It

Aired May 28, 2003 - 08:34   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: It's been four years since the U.S. women's soccer team made history winning the World Cup before more than 90,000 fans at the Rose Bowl. Now everybody remembers that scene. Brandy Chastain's penalty kick, the shot heard, and seen, around the world. Ripping the shirt off didn't hurt either. Now the Super Bowl of women's soccer is returning to the U.S. after concerns about SARS in China prompted a change in venue for this year's tournament.
Lynn Morgan, president and CEO of the Women's United Soccer Association is one of those now who has the job of organizing this global event, that has only got four months to get put together instead of four years, as usual, and she joins us from Atlanta this morning. You see her there. And in Washington with us now is Mia Hamm, one of the stars of the '99 U.S. team. She's now playing for the Washington Freedom of the WUSA.

Ladies, thanks for coming out and talking with us about this this morning.

Mia, let's start with you. First of all, when you heard the news about China now saying they want the U.S. to run the tournament, when you heard that, did you think, this is a pleasant surprise, or you got to be kidding?

MIA HAMM, MEMBER, U.S. NATIONAL TEAM: Well, I think as an athlete and as an American, I mean, we'd love to see it here, but it was mixed emotions through this entire time, kind of waiting. First of all, we felt strongly that China was going to put on a wonderful tournament. They had in '91, and our expectations over there were we were going to play in sold-out venues. But just the unfortunate circumstances. I really believe FIFA and the powers that be really looked at this thing and tried to keep the safety and security of the athletes first and foremost.

HARRIS: Were you afraid of that? Were you afraid of going over there and contracting SARS, and have you talked to any of the other players, and had they expressed concerns about that, too?

HAMM: I think we talked about it. Obviously, you know, when these decisions were being made, it was first and forefront in the media. And the less you know about something, the higher the level of fear is. But you know, we tried to educate ourselves and, like I said, really put our trust in our federation, U.S. soccer and FIFA, to make the best decision possible.

HARRIS: The decision turned out to be a gift dropped in your lap, Lynn. How do you do something like this? How do you pull something like this off?

LYNN MORGAN, PRESIDENT & CEO, TEAM USA: Well, there is no question it's going to be a team effort. Certainly U.S. soccer is quickly pulling together an organizing committee that will work very, very closely together with both the WUSA, our male counterpart at major league soccer, and you know, no question, we've got a lot of work to do in a very, very short period of time.

But I have no doubt that we've got certainly the capabilities here in the United States with the great soccer family starting with U.S. soccer and we're looking forward to a great event.

HARRIS: Do you have any idea yet of exactly what it is you're going to need? I mean, how many stadiums are you going to need, and how are you going to get tickets and people in the right places with only a couple of -- or four months is it now, to put this altogether?

MORGAN: Four months. U.S. soccer is working on that right now. There are a number of venues that have been looked at. Certainly, what they're looking for is venues that are sizes that are appropriate for the number of fans clearly that we would be hoping to attract to this event. Probably in the neighborhood of four to seven venues would be the number. But, you know, they've already done an awful lot of work and have presented to FIFA their plan, and I think we'll unveil that pretty quickly here and get to work on selling some tickets.

HARRIS: Mia, say that guys pulled this one off again. You go in and get your girlfriends back together, you guys all go out there, you win again. Do you have to worry then about people saying, hey, wait a second, you had an unfair advantage here, you guys changed the venues on all of us at the last minute and kept it in your own hometowns.

HAMM: Well, I think, obviously, we're excited about playing in our country, and one of the things when people talk about you have four months, you have 4 1/2 months, we really believe that the fans here in the United States are some of the best soccer fans in the world, especially on the women's side of the game. They've come out and supported us with a WUSA and the women's national team, and despite the fact that we have such a short amount of time, we really feel that Americans always rally around big events, and this is going to be no different. I mean, from the East Coast to West Coast, we're excited about the potential.

You know, wherever this tournament was as a team, we are prepared to play. And now that we know as players, you know, obviously, help promote this thing, but make sure we're prepared, both individually and as a team, to do the best job we can.

HARRIS: One advantage you have is the rest of the entire country here at least knows more about you all, and about soccer, and about women's soccer. The WUSA really has been a very phenomenal success. I know the Atlanta Beat has gotten quite a bit of my family's money. At least this time around, you guys don't have to do a lot of publicizing about what it is you are trying to accomplish.

Well, we wish -- go ahead, you have something to say?

HAMM: Well, I think, you know, one of the great things about these athletes is we're never satisfied, and there is still so many young girls out there that want to see themselves both in the WUSA and on the women's national team, and this is another challenge for us, but it's something that, like Lynn said, as we work together, I think we'll accomplish.

HARRIS: All right, we'll be watching. Lynn Morgan, congratulations on the assignment and good luck. We'll let you go, because we know you're going to be busy for sometime.

Mia Hamm, always good to see you, and glad to have you with us this morning. Good luck.

HAMM: Thank you.

MORGAN: Thank you, Leon.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired May 28, 2003 - 08:34   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: It's been four years since the U.S. women's soccer team made history winning the World Cup before more than 90,000 fans at the Rose Bowl. Now everybody remembers that scene. Brandy Chastain's penalty kick, the shot heard, and seen, around the world. Ripping the shirt off didn't hurt either. Now the Super Bowl of women's soccer is returning to the U.S. after concerns about SARS in China prompted a change in venue for this year's tournament.
Lynn Morgan, president and CEO of the Women's United Soccer Association is one of those now who has the job of organizing this global event, that has only got four months to get put together instead of four years, as usual, and she joins us from Atlanta this morning. You see her there. And in Washington with us now is Mia Hamm, one of the stars of the '99 U.S. team. She's now playing for the Washington Freedom of the WUSA.

Ladies, thanks for coming out and talking with us about this this morning.

Mia, let's start with you. First of all, when you heard the news about China now saying they want the U.S. to run the tournament, when you heard that, did you think, this is a pleasant surprise, or you got to be kidding?

MIA HAMM, MEMBER, U.S. NATIONAL TEAM: Well, I think as an athlete and as an American, I mean, we'd love to see it here, but it was mixed emotions through this entire time, kind of waiting. First of all, we felt strongly that China was going to put on a wonderful tournament. They had in '91, and our expectations over there were we were going to play in sold-out venues. But just the unfortunate circumstances. I really believe FIFA and the powers that be really looked at this thing and tried to keep the safety and security of the athletes first and foremost.

HARRIS: Were you afraid of that? Were you afraid of going over there and contracting SARS, and have you talked to any of the other players, and had they expressed concerns about that, too?

HAMM: I think we talked about it. Obviously, you know, when these decisions were being made, it was first and forefront in the media. And the less you know about something, the higher the level of fear is. But you know, we tried to educate ourselves and, like I said, really put our trust in our federation, U.S. soccer and FIFA, to make the best decision possible.

HARRIS: The decision turned out to be a gift dropped in your lap, Lynn. How do you do something like this? How do you pull something like this off?

LYNN MORGAN, PRESIDENT & CEO, TEAM USA: Well, there is no question it's going to be a team effort. Certainly U.S. soccer is quickly pulling together an organizing committee that will work very, very closely together with both the WUSA, our male counterpart at major league soccer, and you know, no question, we've got a lot of work to do in a very, very short period of time.

But I have no doubt that we've got certainly the capabilities here in the United States with the great soccer family starting with U.S. soccer and we're looking forward to a great event.

HARRIS: Do you have any idea yet of exactly what it is you're going to need? I mean, how many stadiums are you going to need, and how are you going to get tickets and people in the right places with only a couple of -- or four months is it now, to put this altogether?

MORGAN: Four months. U.S. soccer is working on that right now. There are a number of venues that have been looked at. Certainly, what they're looking for is venues that are sizes that are appropriate for the number of fans clearly that we would be hoping to attract to this event. Probably in the neighborhood of four to seven venues would be the number. But, you know, they've already done an awful lot of work and have presented to FIFA their plan, and I think we'll unveil that pretty quickly here and get to work on selling some tickets.

HARRIS: Mia, say that guys pulled this one off again. You go in and get your girlfriends back together, you guys all go out there, you win again. Do you have to worry then about people saying, hey, wait a second, you had an unfair advantage here, you guys changed the venues on all of us at the last minute and kept it in your own hometowns.

HAMM: Well, I think, obviously, we're excited about playing in our country, and one of the things when people talk about you have four months, you have 4 1/2 months, we really believe that the fans here in the United States are some of the best soccer fans in the world, especially on the women's side of the game. They've come out and supported us with a WUSA and the women's national team, and despite the fact that we have such a short amount of time, we really feel that Americans always rally around big events, and this is going to be no different. I mean, from the East Coast to West Coast, we're excited about the potential.

You know, wherever this tournament was as a team, we are prepared to play. And now that we know as players, you know, obviously, help promote this thing, but make sure we're prepared, both individually and as a team, to do the best job we can.

HARRIS: One advantage you have is the rest of the entire country here at least knows more about you all, and about soccer, and about women's soccer. The WUSA really has been a very phenomenal success. I know the Atlanta Beat has gotten quite a bit of my family's money. At least this time around, you guys don't have to do a lot of publicizing about what it is you are trying to accomplish.

Well, we wish -- go ahead, you have something to say?

HAMM: Well, I think, you know, one of the great things about these athletes is we're never satisfied, and there is still so many young girls out there that want to see themselves both in the WUSA and on the women's national team, and this is another challenge for us, but it's something that, like Lynn said, as we work together, I think we'll accomplish.

HARRIS: All right, we'll be watching. Lynn Morgan, congratulations on the assignment and good luck. We'll let you go, because we know you're going to be busy for sometime.

Mia Hamm, always good to see you, and glad to have you with us this morning. Good luck.

HAMM: Thank you.

MORGAN: Thank you, Leon.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com