Page 7 of Unrivaled Love
DICK
It's not that easy. They can only afford one of you, unless you split the deal. They're still trying to get the jersey sponsorship and are keeping things close to the vest as it all gets hammered out for next year's World Cup.
PEE PEE
I'dbe willing to split.
Jo?
My thumbs are now frozen over the screen. Pee Pee is like eleven rows behind me on the bus, does she not realize I’m right here? Fucking kids these days.
Honestly? I don’t know what to say. Sponsorships for female athletes are typically pitiful. I mean, yeah, it's a nice bonus to the bottom line but it comes with photoshoots and appearances and meetings about clothing designs I don't give two shits about.
It's an inconvenience for a fully funded deal. It's an absolute waste of time for half.
All I want to do is focus on my game, train, and win a fucking World Cup.
They say the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in sports. I disagree. The World Cup is infinitely more challenging. We have to play for a year leading up to the actual tournament to even get our spot. Next, we grind out through the group stage and then to the knockout stage where you have to win all four games in a row to finally prevail. There’s no best of seven gamble.
And it’s not just up to your team’s performance. Ties at the end of the group round can be decided by one goal or less so your chances of making it through continue to fluctuate until every team plays their final minute.
And soccer goals are a lot less easy to come by than hockey goals.
First of all their sheet of ice is miniscule compared to a soccer field.
And, Bryson can use the leverage and torque of a stick to propel the puck to the net. All I have are my legs and feet.
Plus! A puck is flat so while it sometimes bounces around it isn’t nearly as unpredictable as a ball with spin and grass to contend with.
My sport is way harder.
Bryson might have scored the most goals in this year’s playoffs, earning him the MVP trophy, but I know my stat sheet is more impressive.
None of this helps me with my current situation, however. I glance over my shoulder and see Peyton sitting with her headphones on, her face lit by whatever is on her screen. She's built a huge following, like millions of people, on social media with her mix of game footage and behind the scenes content. People show me her stuff, not that I’ve ever asked to see it.
I only care about what she can do on the field.
She's good. But she’s young. There are things you learn with each season. Things that can't be taught. And splitting a sponsorship with a more veteran player just screams selfish.
She's got to earn it like everyone else.
My phone buzzes again.
DICK
Jo - do you want to call me to talk through it? I thought we could just hammer it out quickly here.
I want to let him stew a little longer but I also want to relax later so I dial his number.
He answers in the middle of the first ring.
"What’s the issue, Jo?"
"No issue." I grumble out the lie. I have plenty of issues with this whole thing but I know how the off-pitch game is played. I know I have to be amiable to my agent even if he kinda lives up to his name.
"Fine. We’ll pretend you didn’t go radio silent on the chat.” He takes a breath and I picture him pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. “I assume by your lack of response you do not want to split the sponsorship?"
"I never said that."
