You can call Sepp Blatter a troglodyte for saying women soccer players could attract more fans if they wore tighter shorts. Or you can acknowledge what the world soccer chief knows: Sex sells.
Will spectators watch an athlete sheerly on the basis of how attractive she is? Silly question. Anna Kournikova has never won a tournament, yet she remains one of the most celebrated and lusted-after players in tennis.
Brandi Chastain is known more for stripping off her jersey than for scoring the winning goal in the 1999 World Cup.
With that in mind, let’s follow Sepp’s suggestive suggestion and Blatterize other fringe sports.
– Bowling needs help. One word for those back-side TV angles: Thongs.
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– LPGA commissioners have often encouraged female golfers to show more leg and wear more makeup. Come on, gals. If you really want fans to flock to your tournaments, put on high-heeled spikes.
– Water polo players should wear tear-away suits.
– The WNBA should Christina Aguilera-ize its look. Chaps and bikini underwear may slow the fast break, but the league needs viewers.
In fact, the ancient Greeks had it right. Sports in the nude. Why not? We live in puritanical times, and sports can take us back to our sensual roots.
That’s unrealistic in this country. Maybe the answer is the Lingerie Bowl concept. Women in underwear, lacy bras and helmets will play tackle football during halftime of the Super Bowl on pay-per-view TV.
Next thing you know, the LFL. Talk about a fantasy league.