On Wednesday, July 14, 1999, Ann Gerhardt, a Washington Post staff member;
Fifteen months ago, when soccer player Brandi Chastan was not yet known, she told Nike clothing designer exactly what she wanted for her sports bra.
She said: \"If I knew I might take it off at some point, I wanted [the bra]to look nice.
I wish someone would look at me and go, oh that\'s great, I\'ll wear it.
\"On Saturday, when she happily took off her shirt after the World Cup --
Win and play hard-
Bodied Chastain is wearing a sports bra she helped to make.
Nike is now drooling on payday, rushing into production plans to roll out new production lines at the end of the month and lining up promotions for Chastan.
I have a contract with sports.
The gear giant estimates the sum in the medium term
A spokeswoman for Nike insisted that in five digits, Chastain would not make more money from taking off his shirt, although her agent sincerely hoped he would negotiate a new contractAnd the 30-year-
The old forward, who likes drama, said that her sudden undressing was only the result of \"temporary madness.
\"But whether it\'s spontaneous enthusiasm or planned product launch, the star\'s move has exposed a series of problems related to female athletes, physical image and earning ability, except for her swing.
It immediately drew attention to a humble and practical garment, not a traditional shiny, lace and cleavage bra, but a sturdy compression garment.
Sports bra is a symbol of the success of the ninth session.
Last year, shares worth the dollar were sold, up from the previous year\'s dollar.
Although the cover photo of Sports Illustrated, Chastan in the bra, drew constant cheers from passers-by at the Niketown rally in Manhattan yesterday, but the player is unlikely to get cash, sports brokers and marketing experts said yesterday.
\"This single act is not enough to do that,\" said Leonard Almato, the agent in charge of the money giant Shaquille O\'Neal.
\"I don\'t think she has a base and an engine.
Building a brand from an athlete requires regular and systematic continuous contact at a very high level.
Bob Williams said: \"In the United States, only about a dozen female athletes have a major endorsement contract, compared with the income of male athletes, their prices range from $75,000 to $350,000 from the president of the Chicago marketing company Burns Sports, which matches advertisers with athletes.
Chastan\'s agent, John Collet, said last night that he wanted her to be the best of the athletes.
He mentioned Mia Hamm of WNBA players and football clubs, and his Nike shoes contract and work at Gatorade helped her get a discount of about $1 million
\"I want her to reach that level,\" he said.
Chastain was unable to comment.
This week, Courtright and Chastain are screening a flood of TV and endorsement offers and trying to renegotiate Nike contracts that expire three months later.
\"The moment on Saturday puts her at a different level,\" Courtright said . \".
There was no change in Brady.
But that moment changed her value, or it revealed everything.
Courlet has firmly denied that the player had planned to unveil her.
\"In the spontaneous nature of this moment, a lot of emotions have been released.
Courtright said: \"She is an outgoing, lively person and an athlete, which shows its true color on Saturday.
Mike May carefully said: \"The Brady bra moment\" may have brought some imaginary moments to most men. \".
He works at the Association of sporting goods manufacturers, where they are very aware that women buy most of all sporting goods, and more for themselves.
\"This is the most talked-about topic in the last 48 hours, and we conclude that this is a spontaneous moment,\" May said . \".
\"What she revealed was not so revealing.
On AOL yesterday, nearly 80% of users who voted in a poll said Brady\'s moments were \"no big deal\", just celebrating victory.
Kathryn Reith, Nike Women\'s top executive, screamed while women\'s football were in the World Cup.
Then, when Chastain showed her bra, Reith said, \"we don\'t know.
I was surprised, and I started screaming even more if possible.
\"Nike has equipped players with gear and shoes, and last month has equipped players with a new prototype of an in-activity bra.
Nike, which recently entered the lucrative sports bra market, said it aims to become a top brand.
The quality of the market is over.
The designers formed a team of athletes, including, in addition to Chastan, tennis players Lindsay Davenport and Mary Pearce, as well as some of the university student women\'s training for the marathon.
Chastan is not paying specifically for her role;
Her contract with Nike is relatively small, which requires her to play.
In April 1998, \"We picked their brains on what they liked and didn\'t like.
It\'s important to be able to breathe, says Brady.
The player\'s comments were recorded.
Then the company started a high
A technical tour of the disciplines of physiology, biochemistry and anatomy.
Technicians tried the prototype bra on women of all sizes, allowing women to go through a series of hard aerobic activities and checked for friction, moisture
Very comfortable.
Scientists use high
Speed photography and sensors placed on the chest and breast.
\"They work very well,\" Reith said . \".
Many sports marketing masters, most of them men, are predicting that Nike will get a huge rebound from the Brandi bra.
But some female retailers don\'t know if their savvy consumers will add $40 to $47 to the Nike bra.
Their prices are at least third higher than those of leading brands.
\"Nike is a little late in this regard,\" said Alice Lee, buyer of title 9 Sports, which is a women\'s sports clothing catalogue company.
40% of the company\'s business is sports bras, about 30 styles.
\"Women in general are 36C and until a few years ago, no major manufacturer produced sports bras for them.
\"For her or other top people, Chastain\'s impetuosity is not unprecedented.
Female athletes.
Before the end of the game\'s dizzying penalty phase, she had taken off her shirt at the end of the game because she was hot. (
Male football players usually take off their shirts on penalties. )
Earlier, she wore nude photos and Esquire of frat boys, nothing but football and splints.
\"Hey, my [butt]
\"Go to the body,\" she explained . \"
\"I am proud of it.
Julie Fodi quipped that the women\'s team is characterized by \"hoo and hoo\" posing with her husband for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit problem \".
Goalkeeper Briana Scurry fulfilled his promise to run on the streets of Athens, Georgia.
The team won 1996 Olympic gold medals.
All of these events have led to some complaints about the objectifying of women\'s football and have caused some observers to worry that their tomboy sexiness may mask the team\'s huge sporting achievements.
However, WNBA players often tear off their jerseys on the way out of the stadium after training;
Volleyball players wear only sports bras on the court.
Anna Kournikova likes them to play tennis, while Venus Williams is wearing skirts that cover less torso.
\"I think women have been fighting sex stereotypes for a long time, and Dennis Rodman can tear off his shirt, throw it in the crowd and march around naked --
Williams said of Burns sports.
\"It is impossible for women to do so.
There are many stereotypes about women undressing, and they are not in line with the image that women are trying to promote.
\"I think sexy is changing,\" he added . \"
You will not classify most athletes as waif mode.
These women are well-built and well-trained, but not as sexy as magazines have beautified over the years.
A sporty and smart woman who takes great care of herself and doesn\'t look like anorexia is very attractive.
Armato, who represents WNBA players Lisa Leslie and Dawn Staley and Shaq, recalls Jim Palmer and his jockey shorts ad yesterday.
\"When people criticize women for showing off their sexual orientation in sports, I get angry because men always do that.
I think it\'s exciting.
\"Or, as Chastain told Nike on her focus group day, what does a flattering sports bra mean:\" This is a strong woman, take off her shirt, she feels comfortable in an environment where someone will look at her. . .
It\'s okay. you don\'t have to think twice.