Goalie Hope Solo and forward Abby Wambach have been getting a lot of attention for their play with the U.S. National Team in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, much of it having to do with winning games, followed by potential marketing deals and endorsements they might garner.

Julie Foudy, a two-time Women’s World Cup champion with the U.S., and current ESPN analyst, had some words of advice for the women and their marketing future: “Finish it off first,” and then let the endorsements, TV appearances and other activations fall into place.

“For good or bad, America loves a winner and they have to get another game,” said Foudy, speaking from Germany where the U.S. Women’s Team is preparing to play in the World Cup Finals on Sunday, July 17, against Japan. “They shouldn’t get caught up in the hype.”

Team members may already have an edge in obtaining marketing deals, especially if they win gold, considering that official team sponsors include Pepsi, Gatorade, American Airlines, AT&T and Visa.

Foudy lived through the experience of being a marketing darling after the U.S. team won the FIFA World Cup in 1991 and 1999. Both teams included such stars as Mia Hamm, arguably the most well-known and best-marketed American-born soccer player ever; and Brandi Chastain, who forever will be tied to the goal and subsequent sports-bra pose to cap off the 1999 event.

Chastain, also an ESPN analyst during the 2011 Women’s World Cup, when asked about potential fame and fortune awaiting the current U.S. National Team players, simply said, “I don’t think I’ll comment on that.”

But Foudy, who has remained in the public eye since her World Cup successes, was more succinct. “There are some wonderful personalities on this team. Certainly Abby and Hope deserve the attention. But [all the players] on the team make wonderful role models. What they’ve done, and how they’ve done it, it couldn’t have been scripted any better.”

Unless the team wins the World Cup and the script then includes endorsements and appearances with David Letterman. Even then, analysts say that this should be kept in perspective: Hamm earned about $8-10 million annually at the height of her endorsement life. Hope and Wambach, considered the two most marketable players on the team, could track in at $3-$4 million each if they win on Sunday.

“The amount of coverage the team has gotten on a personal and media level is amazing,” said Foudy. “Facebook, Twitter, blogs . . . Word-of-mouth has been tremendous.”

Source: thebiglead.com

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