Seattle Sounders coach Sigi Schmid has welcomed the introduction of the new Womens Pro League.
The NWSL kicks off this weekend.
"Any time soccer succeeds, I think it's good for soccer," he told the Seattle Sounders. "Certainly we wish the women's league success and hopefully it'll do well. I know women's professional sports has been a difficult enterprise in this country - not just in soccer.
"I hope people don't look at it as, 'There's soccer not succeeding,' because it's a difficult proposition in all sports. The only reason the women's basketball really exists is because of support of the NBA. I want to see them succeed because it's soccer succeeding. I want to see them succeed because anytime you have professional athletes being able to compete and do well, it helps our World Cup teams and it's good for American soccer.""