Who Will be the Next Face of U.S. Women’s Soccer? – Forbes

Last night the United States Women’s soccer team won a 3-1 victory over Australia. If the team keeps winning, attention and viewership will grow; star players have the potential to become household names. Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain still have high name recognition from their victory in 1999. A few of the young player on the current team are about to be transformed into marketing and endorsement stars.

Major sporting events like the Olympics, NFL Super Bowl, the NCAA Tournament and the Masters Tournament, reach out to an audience that transcends the narrow genre of the hard core fans. Americans love events, especially those that crown champions. When it involves competition with foreign countries, patriotism and pride emerge. Attractive, athletic women running around in shorts carry appeal to the opposite sex. Soccer is the first sport that young children of both sexes play in this country. Young girls look up to these players as role models.

A celebrity making machine has developed that takes athletes and turns them into celebrities. This consists of dozens of magazines, television talk shows, and newspapers which have fascination with interesting people. An athlete who performs dramatically on the field in a heavily watched event and shows personality and flair can cross-over from simply being an athletic icon to an American hero.

Alex Morgan has all the attributes to facilitate national recognition. She is athletic, pretty, with an exuberant and charming personality. She only played ten minutes last night as she recovers from an injury. If she recovers and plays well, she is destined to be a poster girl. Hope Solo is the “bad girl” of soccer because of her off-the-field misbehavior. Her size, striking looks, and dominant goalie play cause her to be a center of attention. She could dramatically improve her image with the right interviews where she takes responsibility for her behavior and shows a positive attitude.

Megan Rapinoe scored two goals last night, and Christen Press scored another. Both women, along with veteran Abby Wambach, have the potential to break out of the World Cup onto a broader stage. Endorsements are not a divine right for any of these players. Branding, and combining high name recognition with positive connotations, is the key to attracting advertisers. The talented, fresh faced, enthusiastic Women’s Soccer team may produce a new generation of athletic heros that transfix the public. The higher the ratings, the better chance to make an impact. Keep an eye out for tomorrow’s endorsement heroines.