WUSA revival looking more like reality

In the meantime, the biggest challenge for Antonucci is getting the remaining investors signed up and getting them to move in concert with one another.

"We don't want to be in a situation where we got the business model right the second time around but we created an operation challenge for ourselves by not preparing early enough in 2008," Antonucci said. "Every market is moving independently. We need all of them together on the same time line so that we can go to the next phase, which is actually standing up the league and standing up the teams. It's herding sheep."

If Antonucci can get those remaining investors on board, then her reputation as a miracle worker should be secure.