An Indecent Proposal?

Published 8:00 am Tuesday, February 23, 2010

When Ann Corbitt, legislative aide to Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, opened up about a July one-night stand with soccer star Ashley Cole to British tabloid News of the World this week, she didn’t just invite further inquiry into her sex life. She also encouraged increased interest in her bank account.

The Rupert Murdoch–owned News of the World—or News of the Screws, as it’s sometimes called, thanks to its predilection for splashing sex scandals on its front pages—is known for paying big money for stories. It even advertises that it pays more than other tabloids.

Corbitt hasn’t said whether or not she was compensated for her interview, which offers graphic detail about her romp with Cole during his visit to Seattle for a game against the Sounders last summer. But she is referring follow-up questions to a London press agent. So, assuming that Corbitt exchanged hot dirt for cold cash, how much did she make?

Cole is a star player for the second most popular team (Chelsea) in the most popular league (English Premier) of the most popular sport (soccer) in the world. Which counts for a lot.

But he’s also a serial philanderer. Thanks to three previously disclosed discretions, Corbitt is now known as “girl no. 4,” which dilutes the value of the story she had to tell.

For a benchmark, let’s consider Rebecca Loos, David Beckham’s personal assistant, who in 2004 was paid a reported £300,000 ($461,767) by News of the World to dish about how she boinked her boss.

At the time of Loos’ confession, Beckham and Cole played the same sport in the same country. But whereas Cole is simply a recognizable name, Beckham is transcendent; in the same year, Google announced that he was the most-searched topic in the world.

Considering her status as Cole’s fourth out-of-wedlock conquest, and his status as not–David Beckham, it’s safe to say that Corbitt’s fling wasn’t enough to set her up for life. But even with those extenuating circumstances, it’s possible she made as much as £50,000–£100,000 for her exclusive—plenty to soften the blow should Councilmember Rasmussen decide to go looking for a new aide.

It’s a lot of money. As to whether it was worth it—well, that, like the decision to sell her story, is up to her.