You would think Peter Wilt would be tired of having people ask him why the new women's soccer league will succeed when the last one couldn't.

The Red Stars president has been answering that question ever since 2006 when it was announced Chicago would be getting a Women's Professional Soccer team.

But, according to Wilt, he likes getting the question.

"It's the right question to ask," the former Fire president said. "If I wasn't on the inside, I would ask the same question."

Wilt enjoys explaining to people that WPS has a better business model than its predecessors. The player and staff salaries are significantly lower than they were in the Women's United Soccer Association, which folded after three seasons in 2003.

The seven WPS teams will also benefit from a stronger international player pool than there was eight years ago.

"I didn't watch [WUSA]—I wasn't a fan of it," said Red Stars coach Emma Hayes, who adds only four or five countries took women's soccer serious back then. "Now there's a pool of about 12 countries. Each [WPS] team has a lot of quality."

The Red Stars' roster is led by Brazilian forward Cristiane, who finished third in FIFA Player of the Year voting in 2007 and 2008, and forward Lindsay Tarpley and midfielder Carli Lloyd, who both won a goal medal with the U.S. team in the 2008 Olympics.

Defender and fellow gold medal winner Kate Markgraf is also on the Red Stars roster but is pregnant and will miss the 2009 season.

"I've been really impressed with the chemistry that developed naturally," Tarpley said. "The international players came in and we've gelled as one unit."

The Red Stars will open their 20-game schedule on the road Saturday against St. Louis Athletica in Edwardsville, Ill., and will open at home April 19 against Sky Blue FC.

Read more at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-03-red-stars-chicago-apr03,0,5774258.story