Hope Solo ESPN Body Issue: Solo's Career Off the Pitch Is Soaring off the Charts

Hope Solo's fame has been skyrocketing over the last four months. She has gone from a little known, but excellent goalie, to a household name that is a current pop culture staple.

Her meteoric rise began in June. Solo was the goalie for the US Women's World Cup team. She was more than just the goalie, too. She was one of the team's leaders, and a key player in the US women's dramatic run to the finals.

The World Cup team played games that were so compelling they captivated a sports loving nation. By the end of the run, Solo was everywhere.

As the World Cup concluded Solo parlayed her fame into several appearances on the talk show circuit. She then capitalized on that fame by becoming a contestant on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.

Given Solo's good looks and athletic grace it is not surprising that she quickly became one of the fan favorites on ABC's smash hit.

Solo's fame is about to take another jump. She is about to be the main attraction in the annual ESPN the Magazine Body Issue. 

Solo's appearance in the nude edition of the magazine is likely to lead to record sales for ESPN. It will also cement her status as a pop culture icon.

This is a lucrative proposition for Solo. Fame as a goalie in women's soccer is fleeting, but once someone crosses the boundary into a pop culture mainstay, they have created enough value in their name that it will pay for years to come.