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TEAM STROMMEN AND CHANGE    27th October 2009  

 

There is a well-known saying that nothing can be certain except for change.

 

Toppserien League Nears End:

 

Certainly this is true at Team Strommen in these last few weeks of the Toppserien season,  and in the weeks before the finals of the Norway Cup.

Team Strommen welcomes the two Clubs promoted to the Toppserien league in 2010: Donn and Linderud

 

Team Strommen's last regular match of the season is against bottom of the 2009 table, Fortuna-Alesund. However, the Fortuna Club has a loyal following and is looking to end the season in style. They are planning to set a new European record for attendance this weekend, even though they will be relegated in 2010.

 

The old record was 9, 416 spectators and this attendance was recorded in a match in Sweden between Linköping and Umeå. Fortuna's plan is that everyone in Ålesund city will know about the record attempt. There has been excellent marketing  with good coverage in local newspapers, on Sunnmøre TV and Radio Ålesund. TV2 has also said that they will be at the game. 

The Fortuna Club has promised to print up flyers and "wallpaper the city." The cost of admission to the Color Line Stadium is a contribution - anything from 50 cents to 1,000 kroner, and there will be great door prizes.

 

 

Changes in women's soccer in Norway

 

Most Toppserien 2010 women's Clubs are seeking better marketing in 2010, more paying people in the stands, and more consolidation with established Men's Clubs to allow better Club profitability and player contracts.

 

For Team Strommen, this means, among other things, that the team will change name to the LSK Women FK - the Lillestrøm SK Women Soccer Club. In 2010 the women's Club will remain a separate entity, but it will work in cooperation with Lillestrom Soccer Club, and the aim is eventually to be completely integrated with this Men's Club. Next season the women will wear their yellow jerseys full-time, instead of just for away matches as occurred this season.

 

Better marketing and attendance figures will allow the women's game to become financially more stable, and allow better professional contracts. As an example, reports show that the total salary for all the women's team at Arna Bjorner in 2009 was only $ $128,715 Cdn , while for the Sandviken women's team it was only $ 87,000 Cdn. By comparison, one men's player Erik Huseklepp earned $1,060,860 Cdn. Of course, the men bring in larger crowds, more money and more interest, and the women's game must seek to do the same.

 

Of course, some Toppserien women players receive no salaries at all, while others at the top of the game like Erika Skarbo of Arna Bjorner earned $35,000 Cdn from her Club. She also received a salary from the Norwegian National Team. With the lure of WPSL contracts, more money in the European Leagues and the UK Women's League planned for 2011, Norway is seeking to set up more professional structures and salaries to attract and keep its top players.

 

Team Strommen's Junior Team:

 

A bright light for the future of the Club has been the performance of its Junior team this year. Team Strommen won the Junior Women's Norway Cup 2 - 0 against Trondsheim-Orn.

 

The Norway Cup and Preparation

 

The highlight of the Norwegian soccer season will be on 7th November, with the finals of the Norway Cup at the National Stadium.

 

As part of the preparations, Team Strommen took on the LSK Junior Boys team. The practice was excellent for learning to play at a much faster, and more physical pace. The women may even have surprised the boys by scoring the first goal against them.

 

The women's team hung in well and launched some good attacks, but they did lose the game eventually. More matches are scheduled as part of the build-up to the finals.

 

 

 


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