Negotiations to host the Boston Breakers of the newly-born Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) at Tufts' Zimman Field collapsed in December when Somerville Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay rejected the deal. Kelly Gay said that quality-of-life complaints from local residents offset the potential benefits of bringing the Breakers to Somerville.
The mayor, who this month announced her reelection campaign, held two community meetings in December to weigh the ramifications of signing on with the Breakers. After hearing citizen concerns, she wrote a letter to Somerville residents stating that, while a professional soccer team would be a desirable addition to the city, worries over traffic, noise, and pollution were enough to keep the Breakers out of town.
"There was a strong faction present both pro and con," mayoral spokesman Sean Fitzgerald said of the meetings. "The mayor analyzed the community benefits package and the costs to the neighborhood carefully. She felt that it would be a great benefit but at too much overall cost to the city."
Kelly Gay's rejection came after the Somerville Chamber of Commerce President Steve Mackey presented her and residents with projected statistics that estimated the revenue the Breakers would bring to the community at $1 million.
The Breakers' benefits package, outlined by general manager Joe Cummings, included several incentives for the Somerville community, in addition to the national recognition that would be generated from televised games. Cummings and the Breakers offered game-day fundraising opportunities and equipment donations to Somerville Youth Soccer, as well as an annual $500 scholarship fund to a senior high school female soccer player.
But Kelly Gay felt the offer was not enough.
"Of particular concern was the lack of a strong scholarship fund and the timeline for the team's stay," Fitzgerald said.
Kelly Gay felt that the Breakers' time commitment was insufficient. The contract to play in Somerville would have been for a maximum of three years, after which the team would likely move to a permanent venue.
With the deal off, the Breakers went in search of a new home, and signed a contract on Jan. 12 to play at Boston University's Nickerson Field.
The mayor's rejection was met with criticism from several sources, including University administrators and Somerville Ward 6 Alderman John Connolly. Connolly, who grew up in Somerville, and whose three daughters play soccer in the area, led the fight to host the Breakers.
"My heart's broken," Connolly said. "I think it would have been a great chance for the city to sell itself."
Connolly said that while traffic concerns were valid, a plan to accommodate the influx of cars and people during the eight games over the summer would have been implemented. According to Connolly, about two-thirds of the residents at the second meeting were in favor of hosting the Breakers, and both Somerville Youth Soccer and Tufts endorsed the deal.
"We could have handled this. There were detailed parking arrangements, and the lots on campus would have been used during the summer. It wasn't going to impact neighborhood streets," he said. "A small group of people influenced the mayor... area residents, people who lived nearby, within a block of the campus."
Tufts' Athletics Department, along with Facilities, the Tufts University Police Department, and other departments, determined through an internal study that the school could deal with the increase in traffic.
"Once we decided that we could accommodate them, we all agreed that it was important that the city be invited to weigh in, because we recognized the challenges," said Barbara Rubel, the community relations director. "It's private property, and you could make an argument that we could have entered into an agreement without the city, but we wouldn't have done that."
Athletic Director Bill Gehling, a former Tufts soccer coach, whose strong connections to the women's soccer world were pivotal in opening negations with the Breakers, said he was disappointed that the mayor rejected the plan.
"People in my department put a lot of work into it," he said. "I don't think there's any question there would have been traffic issues. Whether the costs outweighed the benefits is another question.... A lot of effort was put into the proposal. In the end, politics won out."
University officials were also disheartened by the mayor's decision to nix the Breakers deal.
"It's a shame for the kids of Somerville," Provost Sol Gittleman said. "The Youth Soccer League has a wonderful bunch of kids who would have had an opportunity to meet a group of professional athletes."
