QUESTIONING BRANDI: In Milwaukee, Bob Wolfley wrote
that while it's "all in fun," it is a "bit dispiriting to
learn" that Brandi Chastain posed nude for Gear magazine,
"and that becomes her calling card on the David Letterman
show and hence her signature to a mass audience." Wolfley:
"It's deflating because that's the only thing many casual
observers of sports or soccer are going to know about her"
(JOURNAL SENTINEL, 6/20). In Pittsburgh, Lori Shontz, on
Chastain: "It's bad enough when men objectify women. It's
worse when women do it to themselves" (POST-GAZETTE, 6/19).
CORPORATE SUPPORT: CNN's Susan Lisovicz examined
corporate America's interest in women's soccer on
"Moneyline" and noted that the WWC has attracted 11 major
sponsors for the '99 event. adidas' Will Villota said that
40% percent of soccer athletes are women, but "women-
specific products only represent five to ten percent of the
footwear market. So there's tremendous growth opportunity."
Gatorade VP/Equity Development Cindy Alston, on using Mia
Hamm in the company's marketing: "We believe that sweat has
no gender" ("Moneyline," 6/18)....Burns Sports President Bob
Williams, on the marketability of female athletes: "Only now
are we getting any action for team sport players, like
Sheryl Swoopes in basketball and, now, in a very large way,
Mia Hamm in soccer" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/20).
ONE MORE NOTE: In Boston, Murphy & Martins note that
the "unhappiest people" at yesterday's Foxboro games "had to
be" Revolution season-ticket holders, "most of whom ended up
in seats far worse than their normal locations." Team GM
Brian O'Donovan sent a letter to all season-ticket holders
explaining that FIFA and not the team "had all control over
yesterday's seating arrangements" (BOSTON HERALD, 6/21).
