Beckham to Galaxy: It's Offical

[GoldenEagle]

It is rumored that David Beckham will announce that he is signing with the LA Galaxy (and possibly buying a portion of the team) within the next couple of days. According to Sky Sports, he has already agreed to part ways with Real Madrid:

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=440715&CPID=23&clid=186&lid=4161&title=Real+to+show+Beckham+the+door

I am trying not to get excited about this, but I really do feel like it would be a great deal for MLS. The contract is reportedly worth 36mil over four years. That is some money for a relatively new league, but in the long run it will be well worth it.

I do have a question for those that are not really interested in MLS. Would this change your perspective of the league and would you be more inclined to watch? This question goes for the soccer fans in this country who do not watch MLS and for those who do not watch soccer at all.

Edit - It is official. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=399471&cc=5901

[cartman]

As long as they learned from the sins of the NASL, then it should be a good thing for the league. The NASL concentrated all of the aging world class talent on the Cosmos, expanded from 14 to 32 teams almost overnight, and once those aging players retired, there was not enough talent left over to keep the league interesting.

[Jonathan Ezarik]

If this happens, it won't change my opinion of the MLS. If they really want me to get excited about the league, they're going to have to adopt a promotion/relegation system and get rid of the playoffs. I don't see that ever happening, though.

[st.cronin]

I would be much, much, much more likely to watch the league with Beckham in it.

[headtrauma]

Would this change your perspective of the league and would you be more inclined to watch?

I can't imagine ever watching soccer....unless they allowed one player on each team to ride a motorcycle.

[GoldenEagle]

If this happens, it won't change my opinion of the MLS. If they really want me to get excited about the league, they're going to have to adopt a promotion/relegation system and get rid of the playoffs. I don't see that ever happening, though.

My suggestion was to have a single table format with the winner that being crowned the MLS champions. Then, at the end of the season, have an MLS Cup that was similar to the playoffs. I emailed this to MLS and got the standard thanks for interest in our league reply.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Speaking as a aware-it-exists-but-not-particularly-interested potential customer, I'd say that the biggest impact on my perception from this move would be on Beckham rather than the MSL. Basically, I'd think his career was winding down/wasn't what it used to be.

It wouldn't really change my perception of the MSL, nor would it be likely to affect my (non)viewing habits.

[Desnudo]

If this happens, it won't change my opinion of the MLS. If they really want me to get excited about the league, they're going to have to adopt a promotion/relegation system and get rid of the playoffs. I don't see that ever happening, though.

Same here. What it will attract is some gawkers for a couple of games, like when Adu started and a spike in attendance among women for LA games.

[condors]

I already watch the league so it won't change my habbits much,

I think his crossing, work ethic and dead ball skills would make wish for more LA Galaxy games on fsc and espn2.

[ice4277]

As someone who watches no MLS whatsoever, it may make me more inclined to watch a few minutes here and there, at least when the Galaxy were playing. But overall, I can't see it increasing my interest in the league that much. Generally speaking though, I think it would be good for the league.

[JPhillips]

As a guy that doesn't watch soccer I have question. Would people unfamiliar with soccer be able to see his talent? I know here in D.C. people can be excited by Ovechkin because they can see his talent whether or not they know much about hockey. Would the same be true for Beckham or would he just be a freak show because of his lifestyle?

[GoldenEagle]

Same here. What it will attract is some gawkers for a couple of games, like when Adu started and a spike in attendance among women for LA games.

Freddy Adu put butts in the seats for two years. I would imagine that Beckham could do that and more. There is no doubt that there will be a boom in popularity in the league if the deal is done. The challenge for MLS is finding a way to harness that momentum. But I believe that MLS is now in much better shape to do that. Here is why:

*New TV deal. This is huge. ESPN is going to be pumping in alot of money into the production of the telecasts. This alone can go along way in making soccer 'cool', much like the X-games or poker.

*Soccer specific stadiums. Would you rather watch a game in a drab 60,000 seated stadium or in a cozy 20,000 seat venue? The hope is that Beckham will draw the crowds in and that the atmosphere will keep them coming back.

*Quality of play. MLS is a decent league to watch now and it is only steadily improving. I expect this will attract some soccer fans that are only interested in European soccer.

[Jonathan Ezarik]

My suggestion was to have a single table format with the winner that being crowned the MLS champions. Then, at the end of the season, have an MLS Cup that was similar to the playoffs. I emailed this to MLS and got the standard thanks for interest in our league reply.

I saw someone arguing for something like this a couple years ago on Fox Sports World (back before it became the Fox Soccer Channel). They called for a single table MLS like pretty much every other soccer league coupled with a playoff style US Open Cup that culminated at the end of the season. This would increase interest in the US Open Cup and also make every MLS match more important. It sounded like the best of both worlds, to me. Of course, without the threat of a drop, I don't know how you keep those following the clubs at the bottom of the table interested in the end of the season (unless they are doing well in the US Open Cup).

[Pumpy Tudors]

I want to watch the MLS, but it's hard for me because I don't have a team to cheer for. With the "Big Four" leagues, I've always had a favorite team, and that's what's helped keep my interest. I wasn't really into arena football until I had a local AFL team (the VooDoo) to cheer for. The same goes for minor-league hockey. When New Orleans lost its team, I lost interest in the ECHL. While the AFL and ECHL have a lot of fluctuation in the teams and cities represented, having a favorite team helped keep my interest.

With the MLS, I don't really sense enough stability in the league to allow me to choose a favorite team. What if I had ever become a Tampa Bay or Miami or San Jose fan? I don't really expect to see any team movement in the next few years, but I get that "you never know" feeling. On top of that, the league just doesn't seem to have any way to connect with people who don't have local teams. I don't mind watching soccer, but the MLS just isn't pulling me in. If Pittsburgh got a team (not gonna happen), then sign me up. Otherwise, it's just something I'll watch if nothing else is on.

To connect all of this with the Beckham rumors, I'm with Jon on this one. Whether Beckham's skills are rapidly declining or not (I don't follow La Liga, so I don't know), it doesn't really make Beckham look good to someone like me. He's one of the most famous people in the world, and he's possibly leaving a European powerhouse to join a squad that's still wheeling Cobi Jones onto the field.

[st.cronin]

Freddy Adu put butts in the seats for two years. I would imagine that Beckham could do that and more. There is no doubt that there will be a boom in popularity in the league if the deal is done. The challenge for MLS is finding a way to harness that momentum. But I believe that MLS is now in much better shape to do that. Here is why:

*New TV deal. This is huge. ESPN is going to be pumping in alot of money into the production of the telecasts. This alone can go along way in making soccer 'cool', much like the X-games or poker.

*Soccer specific stadiums. Would you rather watch a game in a drab 60,000 seated stadium or in a cozy 20,000 seat venue? The hope is that Beckham will draw the crowds in and that the atmosphere will keep them coming back.

*Quality of play. MLS is a decent league to watch now and it is only steadily improving. I expect this will attract some soccer fans that are only interested in European soccer.


I think I've watched one or two MLS games in the history of the league, no more than that. I'm not much of a soccer fan, but I'll watch the EPL and the Champions Cup if they're on. I'm interested in watching the best soccer players, not some minor league. If the MLS wants to get my attention, it has to make a commitment to bringing in the very best players.

Is it true that there's a cap on foreign players in the MLS? I think I read that somewhere. They need to get rid of that. That's just stupid.

[Bee]

I assume Dave Beckhem is a soccer player and the Galaxy is a soccer team?

[GoldenEagle]

Is it true that there's a cap on foreign players in the MLS? I think I read that somewhere. They need to get rid of that. That's just stupid.

There are two reasons that rule is in place. The first is that the NASL abused bringing in foreign players. There was way too much money spent and it eventually collapsed the league. MLS wants to avoid that. The second is that MLS wants to develop American talent. They want to build the league with American players. From everything that I gather, MLS wants to build that will last well into the future. If you think about it, it makes sense and MLS is not the only league to do this.

[st.cronin]

There are two reasons that rule is in place. The first is that the NASL abused bringing in foreign players. There was way too much money spent and it eventually collapsed the league. MLS wants to avoid that. The second is that MLS wants to develop American talent. They want to build the league with American players. From everything that I gather, MLS wants to build that will last well into the future. If you think about it, it makes sense and MLS is not the only league to do this.

That aspect of the MLS "mission" means nothing to me, and emphasizing it will only turn me off. I do not want to watch a developmental league.

[lordscarlet]

I have been thinking I should follow MLS for a couple years, but just haven't started. It hurts that I don't know anyone else that does. For instance, I follow CAA much better because Wade is huge into it. I also follow the Nationals much more closely (closer than any other sport at this point) because I have a good friend that does as well. I don't have the time/energy to figure out all the details for myself, I just need the highlights sometimes. :)

[DanGarion]

That aspect of the MLS "mission" means nothing to me, and emphasizing it will only turn me off. I do not want to watch a developmental league.
Yes but almost all soccer leagues in the world are built on this format with a limited # of internationals allowed on teams.

[Young Drachma]

Yes but almost all soccer leagues in the world are built on this format with a limited # of internationals allowed on teams.

Those countries don't have the NBA, MLB or NFL to contend with, either though. At least, not in their backyard.

[MrBug708]

It's great news but why do I have a feeling that David Beckham will be much mor einterested in the LA lifestyle then really playing soccer in LA?

[Sublime 2]

I had heard about the possibility of this a while back but me and my buddy (who told me) had no clue it could be this soon. I've played soccer since I was 6 or 7 and am a Revolution fan, but rarely go to games. This could def. make me buy some Revs/Galaxy tickets, which could further my ticket buying, and I know others who feel the same. Could work out well for the MLS.

[st.cronin]

Yes but almost all soccer leagues in the world are built on this format with a limited # of internationals allowed on teams.

So what? I have no interest in those leagues, either.

[DanGarion]

Those countries don't have the NBA, MLB or NFL to contend with, either though. At least, not in their backyard.
The world does not revolve around the US alone. Those countries have their professional leagues for their important sports just as we do.

[DanGarion]

So what? I have no interest in those leagues, either.

Then why are you posting in a soccer topic. :D

[cartman]

The world does not revolve around the US alone. Those countries have their professional leagues for their important sports just as we do.

True, but in most countries soccer is the equivalent of NASCAR, NFL, and MLB combined. The rest rank about the level of MLS in America.

[DanGarion]

True, but in most countries soccer is the equivalent of NASCAR, NFL, and MLB combined. The rest rank about the level of MLS in America.

The quality of the American game has improved so much since the inception of the MLS, and this is because of the format of the system that promotes improvement of the American players and grants some international flavor.

[st.cronin]

Then why are you posting in a soccer topic. :D

You got me there. I'll stop caring about the MLS now.

[Desnudo]

Freddy Adu put butts in the seats for two years.

Can you quantify that assertion? I was under the impression that MLS attendance has been pretty flat in recent years.

[Coder]

Apparently now the Real Madrid manager is said to have been misqouted.

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=440742&CPID=23&clid=186&lid=2&title=Spokesman+denies+Becks+exit+talk

[GoldenEagle]

Can you quantify that assertion? I was under the impression that MLS attendance has been pretty flat in recent years.

I will see if I can confirm this, but IIRC MLS had its highest attendance average in 2006, other than the inaugural year which drew huge crowds.

[Jonathan Ezarik]

I will see if I can confirm this, but IIRC MLS had its highest attendance average in 2006, other than the inaugural year which drew huge crowds.

From Wikipedia:

Regular season/playoffs

* 1996: 17,406/17,673
* 1997: 14,619/16,015
* 1998: 14,312/17,885
* 1999: 14,282/16,339
* 2000: 13,756/10,274
* 2001: 14,961/11,805
* 2002: 15,821/13,872
* 2003: 14,899/13,776
* 2004: 15,559/13,954
* 2005: 15,108/14,390
* 2006: 15,504/21,330

[Passacaglia]

I'm agree with others here. 8 of 10 teams make the playoffs? How do they expect people to care?

[SirFozzie]

Um, it's 8 of 13...

[Young Drachma]

Well 8 of 12. 13 won't be until next year. And Adu's impact won't be noticed in overall attendance. He's helped spike attendance only in road games where DC United played. And that was earlier during his first and 2nd year. He still has a following, but now he's playing for Real Salt Lake, it'll be interesting to see what sort of impact it has. Probably not anything over the top, though at least he'll be a starter there.

[Jonathan Ezarik]

I'm actually surprised by those attendance numbers. It puts the MLS a little bit lower than the NHL. I'm not sure if that's a good thing for the MLS or a bad thing for the NHL.

[Subby]

I can't imagine ever watching soccer....unless they allowed one player on each team to ride a motorcycle.
I think this idea needs more discussion.

[Passacaglia]

Um, it's 8 of 13...


Still too many.

[cartman]

As a guy that doesn't watch soccer I have question. Would people unfamiliar with soccer be able to see his talent? I know here in D.C. people can be excited by Ovechkin because they can see his talent whether or not they know much about hockey. Would the same be true for Beckham or would he just be a freak show because of his lifestyle?

Missed this the first time around.

When he is on his game, it is a sight to behold. Much like a QB throwing a 50 pass downfield to a receiver and hitting them in stride, he can do the same thing with a soccer ball. He can kick it downfield to a guy in full sprint and it'll land right in front of the guy. Another thing he is known for is free kicks. After a penalty, the other team will line up 3-5 guys between him and the goal in a wall to not give him a clean shot on goal. He can put all sorts of spin on the ball so it curves up, around, or over the wall and score. He is a great player, but not as great of one based on the publicity he gets more for his off the field actions.

[JonInMiddleGA]

From Wikipedia:

Regular season/playoffs

* 1996: 17,406/17,673
* 1997: 14,619/16,015
* 1998: 14,312/17,885
* 1999: 14,282/16,339
* 2000: 13,756/10,274
* 2001: 14,961/11,805
* 2002: 15,821/13,872
* 2003: 14,899/13,776
* 2004: 15,559/13,954
* 2005: 15,108/14,390
* 2006: 15,504/21,330

Might not want to get too excited about those.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060514/news_lz1s14zeig.html

The 2006 MLS media guide notes that “25 million fans have attended regular season games” in the league's first decade and “a record 2.9 million fans” went last year. Potential sponsors, league officials confirm, receive those numbers as “official attendance.”

Like most leagues, MLS reports tickets distributed as actual attendance. Yet few, if any, leagues have a greater disparity between what is announced and what is actually in the stadium.

Take Giants Stadium, home of the MetroStars, now renamed Red Bull New York. Stadium turnstile counts obtained by the Union-Tribune show on average a 60 percent inflation over the past three seasons from the actual attendance and what the club announced to the media.

Last year, the MetroStars announced an average attendance of 15,077 for 16 home games. The turnstile average: 9,240.

In three home playoff games since 2003, the MetroStars drew an average of 5,466; the club announced an average crowd of 10,494, a 92 percent increase.

There was a similar story at Soldier Field, where the Chicago Fire played last season before moving into a new soccer-specific stadium in the suburb of Bridgeview. In the 13 matches for which Soldier Field officials had turnstile counts, the announced crowd was 70 percent higher than the turnstile average of 7,303.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/soccer/20060927-9999-lz1s27goal.html
MLS' own documents tell a similar story. On average, nearly one in four tickets for regular-season matches last season was complimentary, or free, according to an internal attendance report obtained by the Union-Tribune. The average paid attendance for the 2005 season was 10,746 per match, or 29 percent less than the 15,108 “official attendance” reported by the league.

Subtract the international doubleheaders that swell MLS crowds – the seven last season had an average announced crowd of 48,589 – and the per-game paid attendance in 2005 drops below 10,000.

The document, called the “Game Attendance Summary,” breaks down ticketing for every match for every club and is regularly circulated to the league's Board of Governors with the words, “CONFIDENTIAL: Not for distribution,” across the top. The version obtained by the Union-Tribune is from the end of the 2005 regular season.
... MLS President Mark Abbott confirmed the league tracks paid and complimentary tickets but declined to comment “on specific numbers” from the report. However, several current or former league employees verified its authenticity.

It shows that while the 11-year-old league has made strides in several areas – the construction of soccer-specific stadiums, additional sponsors and investors, new national television contracts with ABC/ESPN and Univision – the cornerstone of any pro sports league may be lagging: the number of people actually buying tickets to view the product. Only one team, the Los Angeles Galaxy, had an average paid attendance above 13,000 last season, and six of the 12 teams were below 10,000.

“No league, including ours, is satisfied with the number of people who see (games),” Abbott said in a telephone interview yesterday, “and we're going to work to increase that number. But it's only one small part of the measurement of the league.”

Other findings from the attendance report:

Nearly 600,000 free tickets were distributed last season, or an average of 3,090 per match. The Columbus Crew and Real Salt Lake each gave out more than 9,000 freebies to a single match, and three other clubs handed out 7,000-plus. In one early-season FC Dallas match against Colorado, 1,259 tickets were sold and 7,347 were comps.

On average, announced attendance was 9 percent higher than the total number of tickets distributed and at some games close to 50 percent higher despite MLS' stated policy of using tickets distributed to determine its announced attendance figures.

The L.A. Galaxy easily outdistanced its MLS brethren in ticket sales last year, with an average paid attendance of 19,940. The next best team was Real Salt Lake at 12,689. FC Dallas was last at 6,634.

Chivas USA sold the equivalent of 2,279 season tickets in its inaugural season and gave away more than twice that number (4,821 per match).

The league-wide paid attendance at midweek matches was 6,477 when you factor out international doubleheaders, a potentially troublesome statistic considering the league's new contract with ESPN2 calls for the televised game of the week to move from Saturday afternoon to Thursday nights next season. Abbott said “there's going to be a focus to build the crowd” for those matches.

The literal definition of attendance is the actual number of people attending an event, but sports organizations have long skewed that by reporting inflated numbers. Major League Baseball announces tickets sold, whether or not they are used. Most other leagues announce tickets distributed, including those handed out for free.

MLS claims it is among the latter, using the “industry standard” of tickets distributed for official attendance figures. Its 2006 media guide says “a record 2.9 million fans attended MLS regular season games” in 2005. But the Game Attendance Summary reports only 2.65 million total tickets were distributed, and of those just over 2 million were paid tickets.

In 166 of the 192 regular-season matches last season, according to the MLS document, the announced attendance was higher than the number of tickets distributed. In 11 straight matches at Columbus, it was exactly 1,000 people higher.

In other words ... 15k my ass.

[DeToxRox]

I went to a Detroit Rockers game once.

I thought they still existed, apparently not.

[Easy Mac]

All sports do that with tickets, whats your point? That's how the NFL keeps games from getting blacked out. In most places maybe 2/3 of the "ticket buyers" don't show.

[PilotMan]

Or maybe it won't happen....


soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=399344&campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=5901

<STYLE type=text/css> @import url(http://soccernet-att.espn.go.com/design05/insertfiles/css/sportstory2005_poster.css); </STYLE><!-- begin page title --><!-- begin page date -->Updated: Jan. 10, 2007
<!-- end page date -->Confusion as Becks agents says talks go on


<!-- end pagetitle -->
<!-- begin text11 div --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top><!-- begin left column -->David Beckham's advisers will hold talks with Real Madrid tomorrow over their contract offer despite claims today that the former England captain is to leave the club in the summer.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

An ambiguous reply by Real's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic to a question on Italian TV sparked reports that the club would not renew Beckham's contract.


Urgent communication between Beckham's camp and the club followed, and soon established that the offer was still on the table - though that is no guarantee the 31-year-old will be at the Bernabeu next season.

The delay in signing the new two-year contract is not connected to money, but whether midfielder feels he will command a regular place in the first team.

A spokesman for Beckham said: 'We have spoken to the club this afternoon and as far as we are concerned a significant two-year deal remains on the table.

'We are meeting Real Madrid tomorrow and will sit down to discuss the deal further and will go from there.'

The club also confirmed there had been a misunderstanding over Mijatovic's remarks, though as the former Yugoslavia striker has been putting pressure on the player to sign the new deal he may well have been indulging in some sabre-rattling.

Beckham is under contract with the Spanish giants until the end of June but since January 1 has been allowed to speak to other clubs, and has been linked with a move to the United States.

Today's saga began when Mijatovic, asked in a telephone conversation broadcast on Sky Italia whether Beckham's contract would be renewed, replied: 'No, it hasn't been renewed.'

That was taken in some quarters to mean no new contract would be signed, but Beckham's advisers immediately contacted Real Madrid and were assured the offer still stands.

Real are very keen to keep the midfielder even though he has been a bit-part player under current coach Fabio Capello - his marketing power as the world's most famous footballer remains a huge draw to fans across the globe.

Beckham though has seen six different coaches appointed since he joined Real in July 2003, and the club has failed to land a trophy since then.

Even with a host of top-quality new signings and under a proven coach such as Capello they have once more stuttered with season, leaving Beckham with some doubts as to whether he should remain at the club until 2009.

[Joe]

Is his wife coming too...?

[JonInMiddleGA]

All sports do that with tickets, whats your point? That's how the NFL keeps games from getting blacked out. In most places maybe 2/3 of the "ticket buyers" don't show.

Did you actually read the article? Particularly the part where it mentions that pretty much nobody does it to the degree that the MLS does.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I'm actually surprised by those attendance numbers. It puts the MLS a little bit lower than the NHL. I'm not sure if that's a good thing for the MLS or a bad thing for the NHL.
I'm not sure if I'm an exception, but this kind of touches on what I said earlier. MLS may get thousands of people in the stands, but I wonder if there are people like me who don't have any interest because there's no local team. In contrast, I've been an NHL fan since the late '80s, and I wasn't anywhere near a team until 2005. I know that the NHL isn't all that popular in the US, but it does seem to draw some fans who don't have local teams.

Like I said, maybe I'm an exception, but in general, it seems that US soccer fans are more likely to cheer for a European club than one from MLS.

[Jonathan Ezarik]

I'm not sure if I'm an exception, but this kind of touches on what I said earlier. MLS may get thousands of people in the stands, but I wonder if there are people like me who don't have any interest because there's no local team. In contrast, I've been an NHL fan since the late '80s, and I wasn't anywhere near a team until 2005. I know that the NHL isn't all that popular in the US, but it does seem to draw some fans who don't have local teams.

Like I said, maybe I'm an exception, but in general, it seems that US soccer fans are more likely to cheer for a European club than one from MLS.

I've thought about this, and there is something to what you're saying. If there was an MLS team in Pittsburgh, I'd support them. Without a hometown team, I have a hard time getting interested in a league. That's probably one reason I could give a rat's ass about the NBA. If the Pens leave, I don't know if I'll actually follow the NHL anymore. Same with the Pirates and the Steelers (insert MLB and NFL instead of NHL).

Yet, at the same time, why do I root for Leeds United, Barcelona, and Juventus? I've never been anywhere near those places. I have no personal connection to those places. Why support them? Is it because the MLS lacks the history that European leagues have? I honestly don't know.

[ISiddiqui]

Going back to the limit on foriegn players. There are a few very good reasons for this 'mission' of the MLS making good business sense. 1) Americans like American players. They'd rather see someone from their own neighborhood make good than some furriner. That's just the way it is. They can identify with the American more. 2) Developing US players makes the US national team better, which gets people more interested in soccer (see what has happened since the US's run in the 2002 World Cup compared to the past), which benefits the MLS as the local league.


And yes, there definately is something to having or not having a hometown MLS team to support. However, you don't want to overexpand. The MLS doesn't have the history that may cause you to follow a team as a result of its history or what it is associated with. The closest MLS team is in Washington, D.C. Which is quite far from Atlanta. In Jersey I backed the Metrostarts. But now they are Red Bull New York, yet play in Jersey, so screw them.

[Young Drachma]

I'm not sure if I'm an exception, but this kind of touches on what I said earlier. MLS may get thousands of people in the stands, but I wonder if there are people like me who don't have any interest because there's no local team. In contrast, I've been an NHL fan since the late '80s, and I wasn't anywhere near a team until 2005. I know that the NHL isn't all that popular in the US, but it does seem to draw some fans who don't have local teams.

Like I said, maybe I'm an exception, but in general, it seems that US soccer fans are more likely to cheer for a European club than one from MLS.

I think the NHL is a great product to watch live. I'm not sure MLS even comes close. I think that's a huge difference that can't be underestimated. I think hockey has a little something for everyone. Soccer...I think is an acquired taste like beer.

I'm not sure that we'd feel differently if we had better teams here in the US, but if we had more of them, like you said..we'd be able to relate better or at least, be more interested in seeing local teams, etc.

I think the places where there teams -- go where they can build the stadium and secondary to other stuff -- seems really short-sighted to me. Like, why the hell do you let a Mexican 1st division club put its farm team here and name it after that team? Sure, you get the Mexican fans I guess. But...does that really ENHANCE the image of the league? I don't think so.

They need to be grassroots. They need to study the way sports have developed in this country and how leagues evolve. It starts with the die-hard rabid fans. Immigrants are important, sure. But they're going to have loyalties anyway. You need to get the American soccer moms, dads and their KIDS to be rabid fans. So that they will take THEIR kids to games.

It has to translate and to me, it seems that everything that league does. From their bizarrely poor playoff structure, to the bad expansion and folding of teams, to the lack of big-name talent and failed marketing (What league lets its young star that gets hyped to the masses sit on the BENCH? Are you crazy?!) and of course, the worst part of MLS...is the single-entity structure.

I love the off-season in my favorite sports. Even sports that I'm a passing fan of. In MLS, none of that matters because there isn't any real system to make it interesting.

It's great that the league is making progress, that it's enhancing America's profile and that our best players will yield transfer fees to international clubs.

But no way do I think that a soccer league in America will be able to survive long-term as a feeder league to the rest of the world. No way Americans buy on to that down the road.

Soccer-specific stadiums are nice, but the push doesn't impress me as a sign that the league will have the sort of sustainability or interest beyond a particular niche.

This is a good time for a fourth major sport to emerge with the demise of big-time hockey. But....I doubt soccer is going to be it, no matter what all of "evidence" says.

[Young Drachma]

Going back to the limit on foriegn players. There are a few very good reasons for this 'mission' of the MLS making good business sense. 1) Americans like American players. They'd rather see someone from their own neighborhood make good than some furriner. That's just the way it is. They can identify with the American more. 2) Developing US players makes the US national team better, which gets people more interested in soccer (see what has happened since the US's run in the 2002 World Cup compared to the past), which benefits the MLS as the local league.


And yes, there definately is something to having or not having a hometown MLS team to support. However, you don't want to overexpand. The MLS doesn't have the history that may cause you to follow a team as a result of its history or what it is associated with. The closest MLS team is in Washington, D.C. Which is quite far from Atlanta. In Jersey I backed the Metrostarts. But now they are Red Bull New York, yet play in Jersey, so screw them.

That Red Bull move was ridiculous, too. I realize the league is desperate, but...that doesn't seem to me to be a very good idea at all. Plaster Red Bull on the jerseys, but...changing the name like that...seems to me to be in poor taste and couldn't have won them any fans.

[Easy Mac]

Did you actually read the article? Particularly the part where it mentions that pretty much nobody does it to the degree that the MLS does.

To which I call BS. Watch any MLB game outside of the Yankees and Red Sox. Hell, the Braves generally inflate their numbers by that much every game. All leagues do it. I was watching a Panthers game either at the end of last year or the year before. They were out of the playoff picture, and they announced a sellout, even though well less than half the stadium was full.

[ISiddiqui]

the worst part of MLS...is the single-entity structure.

That single entity structure may be the only reason that the MLS is still alive. Though they have tried to sell off teams, though that results in Chivas USA and Red Bull NY, which fans don't like either. So, damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[JonInMiddleGA]

To which I call BS.

Obviously we disagree then.

Also, I believe there's a significant diference in doubling your attendance by adding 5k and increasing it by 11% by claiming 50k when there's really 45k.

[Easy Mac]

I think the NHL is a great product to watch live. I'm not sure MLS even comes close. I think that's a huge difference that can't be underestimated. I think hockey has a little something for everyone. Soccer...I think is an acquired taste like beer.

I'm not sure that we'd feel differently if we had better teams here in the US, but if we had more of them, like you said..we'd be able to relate better or at least, be more interested in seeing local teams, etc.

I think the places where there teams -- go where they can build the stadium and secondary to other stuff -- seems really short-sighted to me. Like, why the hell do you let a Mexican 1st division club put its farm team here and name it after that team? Sure, you get the Mexican fans I guess. But...does that really ENHANCE the image of the league? I don't think so.

They need to be grassroots. They need to study the way sports have developed in this country and how leagues evolve. It starts with the die-hard rabid fans. Immigrants are important, sure. But they're going to have loyalties anyway. You need to get the American soccer moms, dads and their KIDS to be rabid fans. So that they will take THEIR kids to games.

It has to translate and to me, it seems that everything that league does. From their bizarrely poor playoff structure, to the bad expansion and folding of teams, to the lack of big-name talent and failed marketing (What league lets its young star that gets hyped to the masses sit on the BENCH? Are you crazy?!) and of course, the worst part of MLS...is the single-entity structure.

I love the off-season in my favorite sports. Even sports that I'm a passing fan of. In MLS, none of that matters because there isn't any real system to make it interesting.

It's great that the league is making progress, that it's enhancing America's profile and that our best players will yield transfer fees to international clubs.

But no way do I think that a soccer league in America will be able to survive long-term as a feeder league to the rest of the world. No way Americans buy on to that down the road.

Soccer-specific stadiums are nice, but the push doesn't impress me as a sign that the league will have the sort of sustainability or interest beyond a particular niche.

This is a good time for a fourth major sport to emerge with the demise of big-time hockey. But....I doubt soccer is going to be it, no matter what all of "evidence" says.

So from what I understand, you want non-existent deep pockets to automatically pour bundles of dollars into the league for big names, huge stadiums, huge marketing. You want overexpansion so there can be a lot of teams.

Its been 10 years. How long did it take for a baseball league to form? The NFL? The NBA? It took over 30 years before the NBA was even remotely popular. Yoet, you think that rich people are just going to give people in soccer a blank check? The only thing thats kept the league alive this long are the things you don't like about it.

I sometimes wonder what kind of warped perceptions people have about American sports. The reason we get the best players in basketball, baseball and football is because we invented the thing and this is the only place people can make money. With soccer there's near infinite competition. Its not like we can just come in and dominate the world scene.

[Easy Mac]

Obviously we disagree then.

Also, I believe there's a significant diference in doubling your attendance by adding 5k and increasing it by 11% by claiming 50k when there's really 45k.

You must not go to a lot of Braves games. That field is not even close to half full. I'd be shocked if Turner field even drew actual 50% attendence of what they report.

[bbgunn]

and of course, the worst part of MLS...is the single-entity structure.

I agree with ISiddiqui... that is the best part about MLS, the only thing that MLS has looked like a genius at. MLS is going to last a long time, even at current attendance rates, because of that system - unlike the NASL, which tried to take a place in the North American scene that it didn't quite earn by overspending.

I read somewhere recently that even some European soccer leagues and some other sports associations are coming to the U.S. to study how this system works. It could save them a lot of money and let the league slowly grow like it should.

I like MLS, but I know it's not going to be part of American sports culture for a long, long time. But if that day comes, it will be because of the single-entity structure as much as anything else.

[ISiddiqui]

I have also read about how new startup sports are coming to the MLS to learn about the single entity structure because it seems by far to be the best way to start a new sport in such a crowded sports media market.

[Young Drachma]

I have also read about how new startup sports are coming to the MLS to learn about the single entity structure because it seems by far to be the best way to start a new sport in such a crowded sports media market.

As much as I hate it, from a fan perspective..from a business perspective, I like it a ton. In fact, when I was looking into developing the sports I invented, the proposal I wrote featured the single-entity structure for that precise reason.

I was writing my whole rant as a sports fan/observer, not from the other perspective. I still think there are better ways to do it than the way they have, though, to create fan loyalty in markets.

But you know what they say about opinions...

[st.cronin]

1) Americans like American players. They'd rather see someone from their own neighborhood make good than some furriner. That's just the way it is. They can identify with the American more.

For me at least, this is not even close to being true. I am a fairly serious hockey fan, and my favorite Bruin of recent years is PJ Axellson. I don't care what country you're from or what language you speak, I'm cheering you for what you do on the field.

Seriously, imagine if the NHL had a rule like this.

[GoldenEagle]

It is official.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=399471&cc=5901

[Wolfpack]

Am I reading that correctly? 5 yrs/$250 mill? WTF? Endorsements inflating that number?

[JonInMiddleGA]

For me at least, this is not even close to being true. I am a fairly serious hockey fan, and my favorite Bruin of recent years is PJ Axellson.

And if we were talking about largely North American players (or even those who looked/sounded like they were/could be North American), you might have a better point.

Issidiqui is making an extremely valid point. Look no further than the struggles of non-NASCAR motor sports in the US to get an example. And it really wasn't that long ago that there was some dislike of the Russian influx into the NHL.

There are exceptions to be sure, Yao Ming & Ichiro Suzuki being two of the most obvious, but I'd have to agree with his contention that on the whole, it matters.

[st.cronin]

And if we were talking about largely North American players (or even those who looked/sounded like they were/could be North American), you might have a better point.

Issidiqui is making an extremely valid point. Look no further than the struggles of non-NASCAR motor sports in the US to get an example. And it really wasn't that long ago that there was some dislike of the Russian influx into the NHL.

There are exceptions to be sure, Yao Ming & Ichiro Suzuki being two of the most obvious, but I'd have to agree with his contention that on the whole, it matters.

It may well be that there is a genuine problem there. But the solution means that I'm not going to take the league as seriously as I would otherwise.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

Am I reading that correctly? 5 yrs/$250 mill? WTF? Endorsements inflating that number?

That's what I read too. That's just crazy money if true.

[KevinNU7]

I can not believe that number is anywhere near factual. The league can not support that cost.

[KevinNU7]

Dola, and the exchange rate they are using £128million ($250 million) is garabage since the really rate is closer to 1.5. So if he is being paid in £ it should be under $200MM

[Galaril]

The amount of money is staggering for Beckam. This reminds many of Pele signing with the Cosmos which worked out well for that soccer league;)

[Galaril]

On a slight trheadjack............Did I miss the USA National team picking a replacement for the national team coach Arenas?

[GoldenEagle]

I can not believe that number is anywhere near factual. The league can not support that cost.

The league is only on hook for $400,000 of it per year. The rest is on AEG.

[bhlloy]

Holy crap that is a lot of shirt sales to make that kind of money back. Can they possibly afford to keep Donovan as well?

I also highly doubt that Beckham is going to be good enough in 5 years to warrant 50m a year, but I guess his playing abilities are the least of the Galaxy's concerns.

[GoldenEagle]

I am sure that Beckham is not earning $50 mil a year alone from his playing salary. He is retaining all of his 'image rights', which he previously split 50/50 with Real Madrid.

[Ksyrup]

Beckham : MLS :: Emmitt Smith : Dancing With the Stars


Seriously, this is about soccer only as a passing consideration. This is all about an aging, international sports star apparently on the downswing of his career and his entertainer wife realizing that there is a vast, untapped pot o' gold across the way and wanting to break into the general US public's consciousness to take advantage of it. He'll be forced by age out of his chosen profession in several years, and his wife is known solely as a joke in this country, so this gives them a great opportunity to cash in. I don't blame them for it, but let's call it for what it is.

I don't know if anyone's used it yet, but this brings to mind the infamous " this is going to (once again) revolutionize the way I don't watch soccer" quote.

[Young Drachma]

Does anyone think this is bad for the league, though?

[GoldenEagle]

Does anyone think this is bad for the league, though?

In one day MLS has received more press that it has in its entire ten years of existence.

[GoldenEagle]

Beckham : MLS :: Emmitt Smith : Dancing With the Stars


Seriously, this is about soccer only as a passing consideration.

I doubt that. Beckham is still a competitor. If you think Beckham is going to get fat and jolly and only play when he feels like it, then you are wrong. Is it a business decision? Of course. But he is still going to be a competitive footballer.

[Ksyrup]

I don't think this is bad at all for the league, but I also don't think he has some altruistic motive and thinks he can really change the way Americans view soccer, either.

[Ksyrup]

I doubt that. Beckham is still a competitor. If you think Beckham is going to get fat and jolly and only play when he feels like it, then you are wrong. Is it a business decision? Of course. But he is still going to be a competitive footballer.

I know nothing about any of these leagues, but the guy was nothing more than a sub last year, right? Is this about him wanting to resurrect his career by playing in a less-competitive league? I know nothing about him or his teams, but even I've seen the passing news about his less than stellar performances in recent years.

[Ksyrup]

I read on another board there are rumors of the NY team getting Renaldo with a similar deal. Anyone heard that?

And people wonder why Americans act as if the US is the center of the universe...if we end up with the best soccer players in the world playing here, what does that tell you?

[GoldenEagle]

I know nothing about any of these leagues, but the guy was nothing more than a sub last year, right? Is this about him wanting to resurrect his career by playing in a less-competitive league? I know nothing about him or his teams, but even I've seen the passing news about his less than stellar performances in recent years.

Your average sports fan knows of Beckham. They say him as the captain of the England World Cup squad him last summer. They recognize him as a star. The knock on MLS (from your average American sports fan) is that they do not go out and get big stars. Now, MLS has gone out and gotten a big-time star. Most people will not know about his struggles with Real Madrid or they just will not care.

This is not going to make MLS a competitor to MLB, NBA, and the NFL. But it will give the league credibility and something to build on.

[Ksyrup]

Your average sports fan knows of Beckham. They say him as the captain of the England World Cup squad him last summer. They recognize him as a star. The knock on MLS (from your average American sports fan) is that they do not go out and get big stars. Now, MLS has gone out and gotten a big-time star. Most people will not know about his struggles with Real Madrid or they just will not care.

This is not going to make MLS a competitor to MLB, NBA, and the NFL. But it will give the league credibility and something to build on.

I'm not talking about the public's knowledge of him, but more from his personal perspective - is the guy really on the downswing and is the MLS less competitive, so that he might become a "star" again (in terms of performance, not name recognition) by playing in the MLS and extend a career that might have otherwise flamed out in Europe?

[GoldenEagle]

I read on another board there are rumors of the NY team getting Renaldo with a similar deal. Anyone heard that?

And people wonder why Americans act as if the US is the center of the universe...if we end up with the best soccer players in the world playing here, what does that tell you?

I am less enthused about Ronaldo. He would be the best striker in MLS, but he is more in the mode of an older guy with injury problems coming over here to collect a pay check. It is just going to be up to the guy at Red Bull whether or not he wants to invest in him. He is still is a great player though.

[GoldenEagle]

I'm not talking about the public's knowledge of him, but more from his personal perspective - is the guy really on the downswing and is the MLS less competitive, so that he might become a "star" again (in terms of performance, not name recognition) by playing in the MLS and extend a career that might have otherwise flamed out in Europe?

La Ligua is a much better league than MLS. With a club Real Madrid, you have several of the worlds best competing for 11 spots. If you fall out of favor with the manager, you could be on the bench for a long time. That is what happened with Beckham.

He will be the best player in MLS.

[wade moore]

Your average sports fan knows of Beckham. They say him as the captain of the England World Cup squad him last summer. They recognize him as a star. The knock on MLS (from your average American sports fan) is that they do not go out and get big stars. Now, MLS has gone out and gotten a big-time star. Most people will not know about his struggles with Real Madrid or they just will not care.

This is not going to make MLS a competitor to MLB, NBA, and the NFL. But it will give the league credibility and something to build on.

Do you really believe that the average American doesn't watch MLS because they don't have the big stars?

[Young Drachma]

Do you really believe that the average American doesn't watch MLS because they don't have the big stars?

No, but I do think that people would at least be more inclined to check it out if the perception of it weren't just a bunch of no-names -- even if the names are ones we can pronounce -- running around in 2/3 empty soccer-specific stadiums away from the majority of media markets that dominate the pulse of what folks care about.

[GoldenEagle]

Do you really believe that the average American doesn't watch MLS because they don't have the big stars?

I did not say it was THE reason. But I have heard it used as an excuse several times before.

[Ryan S]

Dola, and the exchange rate they are using £128million ($250 million) is garabage since the really rate is closer to 1.5.

The exchange rate is currently £1 = $1.94 and was up around $1.98 last month. The last time it was even as low as $1.60 was 2003.

The exact value of the contract at current rates (assumming £128m) is $248,785,923.53

[cartman]

Dola, and the exchange rate they are using £128million ($250 million) is garabage since the really rate is closer to 1.5. So if he is being paid in £ it should be under $200MM

Nope, the dollar to pound exchange rate is almost 2 to 1 right now. As of this morning, 1.94 dollars equals 1 pound.

edit: Scottie beat me to it. :)

[SirFozzie]

Nope, the dollar to pound exchange rate is almost 2 to 1 right now. As of this morning, 1.94 dollars equals 1 pound.

edit: Scottie beat me to it. :)


You know it's a big story when it's the lead story on CNN.com

[Fighter of Foo]

I am sure that Beckham is not earning $50 mil a year alone from his playing salary. He is retaining all of his 'image rights', which he previously split 50/50 with Real Madrid.

So his playing salary is probably 1-2MM.

[wade moore]

No, but I do think that people would at least be more inclined to check it out if the perception of it weren't just a bunch of no-names -- even if the names are ones we can pronounce -- running around in 2/3 empty soccer-specific stadiums away from the majority of media markets that dominate the pulse of what folks care about.

I did not say it was THE reason. But I have heard it used as an excuse several times before.

I just have to think that on the list of reasons most Americans don't watch the MLS that the lack of star players has to be like say 4th or 5th on the list..

I still think this move helps bring fans in general, I just don't think it will be the impact that many think it will be. Just like Freddy Adu was not.

[lordscarlet]

What is MLS's TV contract?

[Desnudo]

I'm not talking about the public's knowledge of him, but more from his personal perspective - is the guy really on the downswing and is the MLS less competitive, so that he might become a "star" again (in terms of performance, not name recognition) by playing in the MLS and extend a career that might have otherwise flamed out in Europe?

He had offers to go back to the Premiership. He's certainly heading to the downside of his career, but he's still in his prime. He could play in MLS for another 10 years if he wanted to and stayed in shape. Real Madrid is a different planet.

[wade moore]

What is MLS's TV contract?http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6359744.html

[GoldenEagle]

What is MLS's TV contract?

They have a new deal with ESPN that is worth $7-8 million a year for eight years. MLS takes in about $20 million a year in TV revenue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Soccer

[Wolfpack]

I have to think it's the $250 million number because this is a US contract using US dollars. $250 million is a nice round number that neatly averages to $50 mill/yr as opposed to $248,785,923.53, or $49,757,184.71/yr. So, he's a $50 millon man.

Sheesh.

[Wolfpack]

Dola...

Someone's going to do it, so it may as well be me:

Beckham now makes...
$50,000,000 in a year
$4,166,666.67 in a month
$136,986.30 in a day
$5,707.76 in an hour (or $45,662.10 just to sleep)
$95.13 in a minute
$1.59 in a second

[Oilers9911]

So what? I have no interest in those leagues, either.

Are you a soccer fan at all? Just curious as to why you're posting in this thread if you're not.

[Critch]

He had offers to go back to the Premiership. He's certainly heading to the downside of his career, but he's still in his prime. He could play in MLS for another 10 years if he wanted to and stayed in shape. Real Madrid is a different planet.

He's a couple of years past his peak, he's a backup at Real now, out the England squad, and the Premiership teams that were chasing him were West Ham and Bolton, all the big boys weren't interested.

Still a good player though, but that's crazy money.

[st.cronin]

Are you a soccer fan at all? Just curious as to why you're posting in this thread if you're not.

When I was living in Wisconsin, I went to a few college games. I watch the World Cup, and the occasional EPL match. I also watch a few Mexican League contests. I enjoy the sport, but I'm certainly not a knowledgeable fan at all.

[Oilers9911]

When I was living in Wisconsin, I went to a few college games. I watch the World Cup, and the occasional EPL match. I also watch a few Mexican League contests. I enjoy the sport, but I'm certainly not a knowledgeable fan at all.

Ok, fair enough. Thanks for responding.

[st.cronin]

Ok, fair enough. Thanks for responding.

To continue, I would definitely like to get behind the MLS, but I just haven't been able to get into it yet. It just seems to me like a joke of a league. Maybe that's changing, though.

[Ksyrup]

Are you a soccer fan at all? Just curious as to why you're posting in this thread if you're not.

Because Beckham transcends soccer, apparently. Isn't that what this is whole thing is about? It's not like you're discussing the tactics/outcome of a particular match here.

[lordscarlet]

They have a new deal with ESPN that is worth $7-8 million a year for eight years. MLS takes in about $20 million a year in TV revenue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Soccer

Hm. OK. I think it's lack of TV coverage in the past hasn't helped. although, I could easily go to games and always mean to, but never do.

[Eaglesfan27]

He will be the best player in MLS.


Agreed. I already watch the MLS occasionally, but I'll be watching the Galaxy much more now just because I think it will be interesting to see how well he can dominate in the MLS.

[Butter]

Beckham will dominate on set pieces, but if he expects to be left alone with the ball in space in the MLS, he is in for a surprise.

[Toddzilla]

Beckham will dominate on set pieces, but if he expects to be left alone with the ball in space in the MLS, he is in for a surprise.How is with a cod piece?

[sachmo71]

How is with a cod piece?

How is AI? :D

Soccer dudes...will Beckham completely dominate MLS?

I'll hang up an listen.

[Ksyrup]

How is with a cod piece?

I don't think he'll fair well, since he'll be surprised to be left alone in space with his balls. Or something like that.

[Butter]

I don't think he'll fair well, since he'll be surprised to be left alone in a handicapped space and his commentating on football is balls.

Rixed.

[rkmsuf]

Doesn't Beckham date or maybe he married like a lizard? Guess soccer is the only thing he transcends much.

[Butter]

My mom takes Offical for osteoporosis. It's pretty good stuff. I wonder what Becks has to do with that?

[Pumpy Tudors]

I think that penalty kick he fucked up just landed in my backyard.

[SirFozzie]

BTW, that $50 million a year, isn't at all, or even a significant amount, from MLS. Forbes is reporting that LA will pay him about $10 million a year, but let him keep all his endorsement rights etcetera (the last contract with Real Madrid, he had to pay half of that to Real Madrid)

[st.cronin]

Slightly off-topic ... could this point to a potential loophole in the NFL salary cap? For example, let's say the Saints are near the cap, and Drew Brees is a free agent. The Saints offer him a contract worth way less than market value, and at the same time, some local New Orleans business offers him a 10 million dollar endorsement deal. That would be legal, wouldn't it? And the cap wouldn't apply to that, right?

[JonInMiddleGA]

BTW, that $50 million a year, isn't at all, or even a significant amount, from MLS. Forbes is reporting that LA will pay him about $10 million a year, but let him keep all his endorsement rights etcetera (the last contract with Real Madrid, he had to pay half of that to Real Madrid)

But what will the move to MLS do to the value of his endorsements? Presumably his greatest value is in Europe, and given that the MLS isn't exactly highly regarded there, how much of a hit is his endorsement value liable to take?
(I figure it isn't half, so he's still ahead on the deal, but it still seems like it could be a substantial sum)

[cartman]

But what will the move to MLS do to the value of his endorsements? Presumably his greatest value is in Europe, and given that the MLS isn't exactly highly regarded there, how much of a hit is his endorsement value liable to take?
(I figure it isn't half, so he's still ahead on the deal, but it still seems like it could be a substantial sum)

True, but being in L.A. opens up a TON more marketing opportunities for him and his wife to take advantage of. That should more than make up for any loss of revenue from Europe.

edit: plus, he has a huge following in the Asia/Pacific market that he won't lose by coming to America.

[SirFozzie]

But what will the move to MLS do to the value of his endorsements? Presumably his greatest value is in Europe, and given that the MLS isn't exactly highly regarded there, how much of a hit is his endorsement value liable to take?
(I figure it isn't half, so he's still ahead on the deal, but it still seems like it could be a substantial sum)


Considering who they are: Motorola, Pepsi, Gillette and Volkswagen I would not be surprised if they went up. MUCH bigger market here in the US. The story I saw said he makes like $25 Mill a year from it.

[SirFozzie]

Slightly off-topic ... could this point to a potential loophole in the NFL salary cap? For example, let's say the Saints are near the cap, and Drew Brees is a free agent. The Saints offer him a contract worth way less than market value, and at the same time, some local New Orleans business offers him a 10 million dollar endorsement deal. That would be legal, wouldn't it? And the cap wouldn't apply to that, right?

Yes, but I'm sure the NFL has rules about actions contrary to the spirit of the rules, plus the agents wouldn't like it..

[st.cronin]

Yes, but I'm sure the NFL has rules about actions contrary to the spirit of the rules, plus the agents wouldn't like it..

Why wouldn't the agents like it? They'd be making more money, wouldn't they?

[cartman]

Slightly off-topic ... could this point to a potential loophole in the NFL salary cap? For example, let's say the Saints are near the cap, and Drew Brees is a free agent. The Saints offer him a contract worth way less than market value, and at the same time, some local New Orleans business offers him a 10 million dollar endorsement deal. That would be legal, wouldn't it? And the cap wouldn't apply to that, right?

This loophole was closed after Deion Sanders signed with the Cowboys. His first contract was loaded with guaranteed endorsement deals that paid him far more than the salary cap would allow. The contract was negated, and teams weren't allowed to make deals with advertisers to pay players to skirt the salary cap.

edit: the contract wasn't negated, but the guaranteed money was treated as a bonus, and spread out over the life of the contract. The Cowboys ended up taking a huge salary cap hit when he left the team.

[Desnudo]

He's a couple of years past his peak, he's a backup at Real now, out the England squad, and the Premiership teams that were chasing him were West Ham and Bolton, all the big boys weren't interested.

Still a good player though, but that's crazy money.

Probably, due to that foot injury in the early 00s. Although 31 is not exactly old age these days if you stay in shape, which he does. The England removal was a showboat act. Not saying he's at the top of his game, but he's still definitely in his prime. The only real problem is his lack of pace.

[bbgunn]

How big of an impact is Beckham having for the MLS?

I wake up this morning, and here in Japan, the lead entertainment story on the morning news is Beckham's signing with the L.A. Galaxy. Beckham is HUGE here, and you know what? Come August or September this year, L.A. Galaxy highlights will be on the air in Japan. MLS highlights in Japan... that's crazy to think about.

[ISiddiqui]

Yep, Beckham is massive in Asia and his shirts sold a ton when he went to Madrid. They'll sell again now that he's with the Galaxy. The team is only on the hook for a bit, but AEG will make out like bandits (they have the endorsement deal, right?).

[cartman]

Looks like Becks is simply the first of many...

hxxp://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/6360368

Davids could be next MLS superstar

On the day David Beckham confirmed he would be joining MLS side LA Galaxy, FC Dallas boss Steve Morrow admitted his interest in Tottenham's 33-year-old former Dutch international midfielder.

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Morrow said: "We are actually in negotiations with Edgar Davids - we've been speaking for a couple of weeks.

"We were excited to hear about his availability, so we spoke to his agents and have been told he is available."

Morrow took over as manager of the Western Conference side last month, after playing 44 games for the side in 2002-03.

And he added on BBC London 94.9: "It appears Tottenham are willing to listen to offers.

"It's the transfer window in the United States now - and if a deal is going to happen it has to be done before the end of the month."

[cthomer5000]

I don't think this is bad at all for the league, but I also don't think he has some altruistic motive and thinks he can really change the way Americans view soccer, either.

Of course it's not altruistic, he wants to market himself to a largely untapped soccer market. He has a pretty good chance at helping become the guy who helped soccer turn the corner in the US. It won't be a big league by the time he's done playing, but he can certainly help it move in the right direction.

I think MLS apparetnly did convince him that it was now or never, which i think is the right stance for MLS. He's a much less valuable commodity in a few years than he is right now.

As for as playing is concerned, that is a bit surprising from Beckham's position. He still could have been playing in a top-flight league for a few years.... and i think this officially slams the door on his playing for the english national team again.

[Mac Howard]

Here's a balanced article on the deal:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/01/11/la_story_just_right_for_beckha.html

A couple of points of my own:

His value to the MLS in terms of gate appeal? He will certainly not convert Americans to soccer but some of those who have a partial interest will see that interest increase. We recently had Romario playing here in the Australia A League and there was a significant increase in the gates when he played.

Beckham, unlike Romario, is not yet on the downward path. First because he's looked after himself, second because his game is not an athletic one and less subject to fading and third because the MLS is nothing like the pace and aggression of the EPL where he played with considerable effect. He could well be a star in the MLS for 5 years.

Though I've never understood why, his appeal is much more than to a soccer audience. In fact he's better suited to LA than either Madrid or Manchester. In a recent popularity poll, purported to be worldwide, he out-polled almost all media stars (except for one I think it was). Outside the US, Beckham and Vicky appeal like Aniston and Pitt (did). That's what will justify his outrageous income and the MLS and the Galaxy will get considerable publicity at a cheap price to them. Madrid paid around $50 million for him and it took them about three weeks to get the money back (I exaggerate but you get my point :) )

I think the likes of Beckham can make a difference now for the MLS. Unlike the national soccer league it seems to be quite stable now and introducing a small number of elite players will not destroy it as before. I realise that you have other sports but you also have 250 million people and just 6% of that is around the total population of say Holland where soccer thrives. You have millions of kids for whom it is the first choice sport. The potential is clearly there.

[GoldenEagle]

Soccer dudes...will Beckham completely dominate MLS?


No. He will score goals, he will be the best player in the league for 3-4 years, but he will not dominate like Jordan did. Maybe in his prime. He will be marked tight in all MLS games and will not be given much room to work with.

The only player who had a chance to dominate MLS was Clint Mathis. Before he was injured, became and drunk, and got fat, he could have been that guy.

[MIJB#19]

Soccer dudes...will Beckham completely dominate MLS?Nah, 10 years ago maybe. He's a skilled player in some areas, but a big question will be how he'll be used. Beckham is a guy who's best used to do the free kicks taking, crossing the ball in from the side lines to the strikers in front of the goal. But Beckham has always desired to play a playmaker (quarterback like) role. Given the level of play in the MLS, he might be able to be a good one at it in this league, but the MLS isn't a cupcake league.

[Northwood_DK]

I don’t know much about the other MLS teams. Any chance the other teams will copy this move and we will se a number of big-name players moving to US football next season?

[cthomer5000]

I don’t know much about the other MLS teams. Any chance the other teams will copy this move and we will se a number of big-name players moving to US football next season?

Nothing on this scale, but there was a specific rule passed this offseason (nicknamed "the beckham rule") that allows 1 player to only count 400K against the salary cap regardless of total cost. So you'll see a few guys come over you might not have expected to see, but Beckham was BY FAR the biggest fish in the pond.

[cthomer5000]

This is really a huge news story... the more I think about it. Gotta give MLS credit for having the balls to pull this off at the very least. Now lets hope it helps grow the league enough to make it a good move for them.

[cthomer5000]

As long as they learned from the sins of the NASL, then it should be a good thing for the league. The NASL concentrated all of the aging world class talent on the Cosmos, expanded from 14 to 32 teams almost overnight, and once those aging players retired, there was not enough talent left over to keep the league interesting.

This is a good point, but it shouldn't be too big a problem because of the salary cap. There can be a maximum of 13 total salaries in the entire league right now that are over 800k (i think that's the number) and a max of 2 per team. (It's a bit complicated and teams can basically trade the right to have such a player). So it'll be hard for the league to get too top-heavy. That and the socialist nature of the league means that any gains the league receives from signing this players are evenly split.

If this happens, it won't change my opinion of the MLS. If they really want me to get excited about the league, they're going to have to adopt a promotion/relegation system and get rid of the playoffs. I don't see that ever happening, though.

Relegation is simply never going to happen, it really isn't compatible with the US system of franchises. I'd love to see it as well, but I recognize it simply will never ever happen in the US. A single table is the best we can hope for, but even that is unlikely (and not entirely reasonable anyway, given the size of the United States). Basically it makes no sense for a NY team to play an LA team as many times as a Boston-area team. This is much less of an issue in other countries because they are so much smaller.

I would be much, much, much more likely to watch the league with Beckham in it.

This is what MLS is hoping for, those that are kind of on the fence will go "Wow, Beckham is playing now? Maybe i'll check that out..."

MLS fans will remain MLS fans, MLS haters will likely remain MLS haters, some on the fence will check out the league. It's now a matter of making the game something people want to keep coming back to. I'm honestly not sure it's there yet.

My suggestion was to have a single table format with the winner that being crowned the MLS champions. Then, at the end of the season, have an MLS Cup that was similar to the playoffs. I emailed this to MLS and got the standard thanks for interest in our league reply.

I'm not too upset with the current system as long as they never increase the # of playoff teams (in fact i'd like to see it reduced to 6, even when the league hits 20 teams), and as long as the league keeps recognizing the regular season winner in terms of qualifications for larger competitions, etc.

As a guy that doesn't watch soccer I have question. Would people unfamiliar with soccer be able to see his talent? I know here in D.C. people can be excited by Ovechkin because they can see his talent whether or not they know much about hockey. Would the same be true for Beckham or would he just be a freak show because of his lifestyle?

I think they'll certainly see his skills on free kicks, where he's exceptional. And I think they'll definitely see his skill on passes in general when they immediately lead to goals. He can deliver some crazy accurate balls. He should be a pretty serious set-up man for LA this year.

I'm agree with others here. 8 of 10 teams make the playoffs? How do they expect people to care?

As Fozz pointed out, 8 of 13 (12 last year, 13 now), and im certain it will never increase above 8 even if the league hits 20 teams (and it will be at 16 in just a matter of years). Almost everyone agrees it's too many, and I really wish the league would cut down to 6 or 4, but i don't think it's happening. I also have some minor complaints about the playoff format as well, but unless I have a meeting with Don Garber soon it's probably not even worth mentionting here.

Did you actually read the article? Particularly the part where it mentions that pretty much nobody does it to the degree that the MLS does.

I dont think anyone can dispute this. I think the only teams that are putting out pretty close-to-real numbers are DC United, LA Galaxy, Chivas USA. I've been to Red Bulls games and i know for a fact the actual attendance is Faaaarrrrrr from the announced attendance. I think the shittiest attendance is generally in the worst stadiums though, and i expect the teams building new ones will get a bump (Red Bulls new stadium in 08 for example).

I'm not sure if I'm an exception, but this kind of touches on what I said earlier. MLS may get thousands of people in the stands, but I wonder if there are people like me who don't have any interest because there's no local team. In contrast, I've been an NHL fan since the late '80s, and I wasn't anywhere near a team until 2005. I know that the NHL isn't all that popular in the US, but it does seem to draw some fans who don't have local teams.

Well, obviously people in general are drawn to sports when they don't have a local team because this is what creates expansion in general... demand in a market where there is no current team.

I think soccer is going to be a slow, slow grower in the states, and MLS has learned from early mistakes. I'd be shocked if we see another franchise move (outside Kansas City perhaps), and more teams are coming in the next few years.

The bigger issue is in general people are oblivious to soccer in the US. This is the sort of move that helps people at least become aware the league is out there. Soccer is the most played youth sport in the USA, if the league is even NBA quality, it will be hard to fail long term.

Going back to the limit on foriegn players. There are a few very good reasons for this 'mission' of the MLS making good business sense. 1) Americans like American players. They'd rather see someone from their own neighborhood make good than some furriner. That's just the way it is. They can identify with the American more. 2) Developing US players makes the US national team better, which gets people more interested in soccer (see what has happened since the US's run in the 2002 World Cup compared to the past), which benefits the MLS as the local league.

Agreed. And that's why even among foreign players, Beckham was THE guy because he's recognizable to people who don't even follow sports. And he speaks english. All quite important from a marketining perspective.

[cthomer5000]

Looks like Becks is simply the first of many...

hxxp://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/6360368

To call Davids a "superstar" is disingenuous. And as a Tottenham fan, i know the guy has had an incredibly hard time getting minutes in even the crappiest of games, so i'm sure he would really welcome a move elsewhere.

[Northwood_DK]

Davids was a huge part of the Juventus team when he was on the top of his game. Guess he is to fare over the top now.

A few more names I could imagine playing in US.

Ronaldo
Christian Viera
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Oliver Khan

[AlexB]

Dola, and the exchange rate they are using £128million ($250 million) is garabage since the really rate is closer to 1.5. So if he is being paid in £ it should be under $200MM

Hate to break it to you, but the rate has been between 1.9-2.0 for weeks/months now, and closer to 2 than 1.5 for 6 months.

But, regardless, this is indeed crazy money, but not for the league if someone else is paying...

[cthomer5000]

Davids was a huge part of the Juventus team when he was on the top of his game. Guess he is to fare over the top now.

A few more names I could imagine playing in US.

Ronaldo
Christian Viera
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Oliver Khan

Ronaldo makes a lot of sense right now since he also can barely crack the lineup in Madrid, and he's been rumored a whole lot as well, no idea what level of truth there is to the rumors though.

[AlexB]

Dola, I didn't break it to KevinNU7, so I feel better.

Other musings after skimming the thread - Davids is one of the most recognisable faces in world soccer, but is on the way down. So IMHO is Becks, but his best is far more recent than Davids'

I imagine part of the deal is that he will be able to play where he wants, so expect him in centre mid - but as far as extending his international career, forget it. McLaren wouldn't pick him anyway, but (rightly or wrongly) this is seen at home as a step down in competitive quality, and as a result even stellar performances would be tainted by this.

What I don't get is similar to the view in the article - just why is Becks so revered (if indeed he is) outside of football? He's a good looking lad, who has a pop star wife, and played for Man U, which is big in Asia in particular. But for non-football people, where's the big appeal?

Someone even in one interview said 'yes, Cryuff, Best and Pele, although good, were just players' and Becks was more than this. Seriously? Bigger than Pele? No way. I don't buy that.

From what I understand, he gets to keep more (but not all) of his image rights than he had before, but the $250m figure does not include any endorsements/image rights earnings.

But even immediately, it has had the desired effect - it is dominating sports coverage, and MLS has never had this world wide media focus before

[Butter]

New York needs a big player to help interest and attendance because they've been so bad for so long, and Ronaldo is one of the biggest. But with Arena coaching there, it makes you wonder what he thinks about it.

[MIJB#19]

Davids was a huge part of the Juventus team when he was on the top of his game. Guess he is to fare over the top now. Don't forget that he had his part in the dominance of Ajax in the mid 90's, was crucial to the Oranje hype at WC1998 and was a big factor when he played for Barcelona. On the other hand, he failed at AC Milan and doesn't seem to fit in the plans of the Tottenham staff or the national team. Pretty much like Beckham. Of course they're different types of players. Davids is more of a warrior, winning the ball for his team, inspiring the rest to work harder.

A few more names I could imagine playing in US.

Ronaldo
Christian Viera
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Oliver KhanYou mean Christian Vieri? I believe that injuries pretty much destroyed his career by now. Same story with Ronaldo, who keeps getting hurt... Kahn is leaving Bayern soon, but I hve a feeling he'll prefer a team in the Champions' League.

Someone even in one interview said 'yes, Cryuff, Best and Pele, although good, were just players' and Becks was more than this. Seriously? Bigger than Pele? No way. I don't buy that.I think whomever said that was talking about media hype potential, not about pure soccer skills. Beckham's fame is (of course) based on him being a fashion doll, good for gossip magazine sales, who just happens to be one of the better soccer players in the world.

All in all, what Beckham and the LA Galaxy did achieve is opening the door for more over their peak top players to play a year or two in the USA.

[Fighter of Foo]

Beckham is a good soccer signing because he'll continue to play at a high level and work for the team. Someone like Ronaldo or Vieri would be a waste of $$$ and a roster space as they just get fatter and slower.

Edit: At this point Davids is pretty much crap too.

[AlexB]

I think whomever said that was talking about media hype potential, not about pure soccer skills. Beckham's fame is (of course) based on him being a fashion doll, good for gossip magazine sales, who just happens to be one of the better soccer players in the world.


That's what I mean though - OK Becks is a contemporary media darling, but from reading recently the Cosmos book 'Once In a Lifetime', and from other general knowledge of the man, Pele was sought after by the rich, famous and general at least as much as Golden Balls.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

Beckham is more marketable than Pele. Just look at him. And the marketing world (exploded) has changed a lot in 30 years.

[MylesKnight]

Where does the MLS Rank amongst the World's Futbol Leagues anyhow? Maybe using U.S. Baseball Terms, is the MLS say a Single A League while leagues such as the EPL and Spanish Leagues are the Majors?

[SirFozzie]

I would say Double A to Triple A, closer to AAA.

For example, in the past year:

MLS All Stars defeated Chelsea in the All Star Game
Several Teams defeated Celtic, the Scottish Champions

Most neutral folks would say that the level of play around MLS would GENERALLY be considered a mid level Championship side (the English AAA, so to speak)

[cartman]

I would say Double A to Triple A, closer to AAA.

For example, in the past year:

MLS All Stars defeated Chelsea in the All Star Game
Several Teams defeated Celtic, the Scottish Champions

Most neutral folks would say that the level of play around MLS would GENERALLY be considered a mid level Championship side (the English AAA, so to speak)

Another view is that the MLS teams have better athletes, but the Premiership/Championship clubs in England have the better soccer players.

[SirFozzie]

BTW, here's something interesting, Jose Mourinho is reportedly telling his agent he wants to leave Chelsea at the end of the year, because the board won't let him buy, amongst others, an American defender..

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premiership/article2145080.ece

(there's another article in the Belfast Telegraph, but it's just a reprint)

Mourinho is also furious that Chelsea refused to sanction a deal for Oguchi Onyewu, the American central defender who has interested Fulham, even though the Standard Liege player would have cost just £1m.

[Mr. Wednesday]

At this point, I think MLS lies somewhere between high AAA and low majors (like, worst two or three teams), maybe even a little better. The biggest lack of a good MLS team compared to, say, the EPL is one or two star players and squad depth.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Dola, it's hard to tell with any certainty because we rarely see the teams compete in a competitive environment on equal footing. MLS has plenty of friendly wins to hang their hat on, but a) those are friendlies and b) typically the EPL sides are still in preseason and getting their legs. The CONCACAF-level champions competitions have been scheduled poorly for MLS in recent years, as teams that are still in pre-season wind up matched up against MFL or central american sides in late-season form.

[Young Drachma]

Hey guys, do Western Hemisphere clubs routinely play against European sides? And if not, why don't they?

And why is MLS's season scheduled they way that it is? Seems like it would be better if they shortened it?

[KevinNU7]

As Wednesday mentioned due to the weather in the USA we run on the schedule we do. Not sure why you think the season it too long. Soccer isn't baseball and can't be played everyday. And a league the needs to survive on attendance needs to put most of it's games on during the weekends.

The soccer world is interesting (to say the least) when it comes to club teams playing other club teams from other nations. Europe have its Cups which are well established. The battle in South America is strong to say the least and this puts the USA in quite the pickle. They ahve been able to squeeze a few in South America but due to the season differences as mentioned by Wednesday they really don't stand a chance.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Hey guys, do Western Hemisphere clubs routinely play against European sides? And if not, why don't they?
MLS sides routinely play exhibition games against European sides during the summer, typically as the European sides are going into preseason training. The only competitive situation where western hemisphere clubs square off against European sides is the world club championship &mdash; which this season featured only six sides, the winners of the confederation championships, with Barca knocking off Club America of Mexico before losing to Internacional of Brazil. In the past, the European teams have treated the tournament with an attitude ranging from indifference to outright hostility (due to interference with more established and lucrative competitions), but this season Barca seemed genuinely interested in winning.

[MIJB#19]

MLS sides routinely play exhibition games against European sides during the summer, typically as the European sides are going into preseason training. The only competitive situation where western hemisphere clubs square off against European sides is the world club championship &mdash; which this season featured only six sides, the winners of the confederation championships, with Barca knocking off Club America of Mexico before losing to Internacional of Brazil. In the past, the European teams have treated the tournament with an attitude ranging from indifference to outright hostility (due to interference with more established and lucrative competitions), but this season Barca seemed genuinely interested in winning.It was weird enough that a European and South American team would fly to Tokyo to play one stupid game that was unrightfully called the World Club Championship. The new format forces teams in the middle of the season spend a week at the other end of the world, with the undesired double-jet lag and time zone difficulties coming with it. With the way leagues are set up throughout the world, it doesn't even make sense to get one team in pre-season mode to play another in end-of-season shape and another in mid-season mode. You can't blame "European" clubs to say: sorry FIFA, but we can't risk season-ending injuries just so you can screw more money out of us than you all already do through the World Cup and other national teams games.

The difference in season start/end is what makes the friendlies pretty worthless in comparing clubs. You can't take a game between a team testing out new players and tactics versus a team in full in-season motion serious.

On the talent level discussion, from what I understand from Dutchmen who have been involved with the MLS recently, the MLS would be about the 10th best league if Europe. I lack the baseball knowledge to compare with that.

[Celeval]

Reports now that Beckham has played his last match at Real Madrid: hxxp://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=399688&cc=5901

Might this move up his arrival to the beginning of the MLS season, rather than the All-Star break?

[GoldenEagle]

On the talent level discussion, from what I understand from Dutchmen who have been involved with the MLS recently, the MLS would be about the 10th best league if Europe. I lack the baseball knowledge to compare with that.

1. English Premiership
2. La Ligua
3. Bundesliga
4. Serie A
5. Eredivisie

I think you could then say that MLS is on par with the Championship, Serie B, Sweden's first division, and maybe the Second Bundesliga. I would be hard pressed to say there are 10 leagues that are top to bottom better than MLS in Europe.

[Ryan S]

1. English Premiership
2. La Ligua
3. Bundesliga
4. Serie A
5. Eredivisie


France
Portugal
Greece
Russia
Turkey

[AlexB]

Malta
Cyprus
Faroe Islands
Armenia
Andorra

Just joking :)

[GoldenEagle]

France
Portugal
Greece
Russia
Turkey

I will give you France, but the other three are questionable. I saw a game between two bottom feeders in the French First Division and I thought the quality of play was actually better in MLS.

[Critch]

1. English Premiership
2. La Ligua
3. Bundesliga
4. Serie A
5. Eredivisie

I think you could then say that MLS is on par with the Championship, Serie B, Sweden's first division, and maybe the Second Bundesliga. I would be hard pressed to say there are 10 leagues that are top to bottom better than MLS in Europe.

If MLS would be in the top 10 in Europe, how high would the top North American leagues be? Mexican and Costa Rican clubs have a very good record against MLS clubs in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, so I'd guess MLS is at top 3rd best in North America.

[bhlloy]

I will give you France, but the other three are questionable. I saw a game between two bottom feeders in the French First Division and I thought the quality of play was actually better in MLS.


Greece is probably questionable. Portugal and Russia are very competitive leagues, and the top teams in Turkey spend a lot of money and are pretty close to Europe's elite.

Also, I have had a season ticket to Cardiff City nearly my entire life and now living in LA, I think the Championship is the more competitive league. Granted I have seen some bad Galaxy games, but there are some regulars on the Galaxy who are just horrible and wouldn't look out of place on a league 1 team. Cobi Jones is probably the worst argument for MLS being better than the Championship I could possibly come up with, because he couldn't make it with a crappy Coventry team in his prime when the English club game was only half as good as it is now.

[DaddyTorgo]

so what's this? fabio capello has announced that Becks won't be appearing in anymore matches for Real Madrid?

that leaves Real looking REALLY classless IMO. Bush-league move by capello, probably actually upset that Becks is leaving.

[Blade6119]

He says its because beck wont be motivated to play, which means hes just pissed off

[DaddyTorgo]

He says its because beck wont be motivated to play, which means hes just pissed off

basically mmmhmm.

i honestly think it's because he's pissed off that Becks is leaving REAL MADRID to go play in "mls". If he was leaving REAL MADRID to go play somewhere that is perceived by Capello to be bigger then it wouldn't leave such a bad taste in Capello's mouth by way of it looking like Capello "drove him out" or "couldn't accomadate him" or whatever.

[ISiddiqui]

And why is MLS's season scheduled they way that it is? Seems like it would be better if they shortened it?

I don't think it is that long. They play 32 games during the regular season, which isn't all that much. Especially considering European teams play around 34 to 38 regular season games. You usually need a half week to rest after a soccer game, and in order to keep attendance at the highest possible level, it is best to have games at the end of a week (Saturday best, but we'll see if the Thursday night experiment works).

[PilotMan]

BTW, Pittsburgh does have a pro soccer team, the Riverhouds of the USL. If anyone wants a grassroots league with good entertainment value you cannot go wrong with the USL. I have enjoyed the Kings in Cincy for two seasons now.

So some musings from me based on reading this.

1) I think that this is only the begining for the MLS. The teams in NY and DC especially are not going to let LA keep all the glory. They will bring in someone who is going to be valued highly to compete with Becks.

2) Where is he going to play for the Galaxy? I still see RW being the position that he plays.

3) Given that, he is Landon Donovan's new best friend. It should be interesting to see how he works with Donovan, if the two of them can get on the same page. Just imagine Beckham laying a pass on or a give and go in the middle. This will also keep Donovan from set piece duty, which it seemed to me that he struggled in last year.

4) Will his prescence raise the level of play of the team as a whole, and more specifically Donovan? After Donovan's big choke job in Germany, will Beckham be the mentor that he needs to unlock his next level?

[DaddyTorgo]

4) Will his prescence raise the level of play of the team as a whole, and more specifically Donovan? After Donovan's big choke job in Germany, will Beckham be the mentor that he needs to unlock his next level?

this is a very interesting question. different styles of player, but stranger things have happened

unless "what you see is what you get" with LD now and there is no "next level" for him?

[DaddyTorgo]

dola

maybe he is just a very good player in a decent league and doesn't posses the "it" (be it the drive, or the extra gear or whatever) to be a great player in a good league.

That doesn't make him any less valuable. Look at Riquelme for Argentina. The knock on him was that he lacked just a tiny bit of pace and could never be a superstar. So he toils in the mid-table for Villareal in Spain (a great league, but he's surely just a good player in it), but then come time for the international game and Argentina's attack is built (in some large part) around him and he becomes a key player.

there are worse things in the world for LD to aspire to then playing in a mid-level league but having a key role in the national team.

(that isn't to say that he'll ever become as good as riquelme though, just that his importance to the team is roughly as similar)

[SirFozzie]

LD is happy to be a big fish in a small pond.

[DaddyTorgo]

LD is happy to be a big fish in a small pond.

so you're basically just post-whoring by agreeing with me? :confused:

hahah

I KEEL YOU NOW!!!!

[SirFozzie]

you're not far enough away that I wouldn't consider driving over there, DT :)

[DaddyTorgo]

you're not far enough away that I wouldn't consider driving over there, DT :)

go ahead. i'll be asleep, i hafta work in 5.5 hours. Oh, and say hi to my cousin and his two jacked army buddies who are up from West Point for the weekend :D.

[Jonathan Ezarik]

BTW, Pittsburgh does have a pro soccer team, the Riverhouds of the USL. If anyone wants a grassroots league with good entertainment value you cannot go wrong with the USL. I have enjoyed the Kings in Cincy for two seasons now.

Actually, the Riverhounds play in Washington, which is about thirty miles outside of Pittsburgh. They have also announced that they are taking the 2007 season off to "reorganize."

[Cringer]

Houston Dynamo are still the champs. LA can blow me.

[PilotMan]

LA can blow me.

She was hot back in the WKRP days. I would have said yes then, but I think I would pass now.:D

[PilotMan]

Actually, the Riverhounds play in Washington, which is about thirty miles outside of Pittsburgh. They have also announced that they are taking the 2007 season off to "reorganize."


I thought that I had heard something about that, but I wasn't sure. Too bad, I think that Bermuda has a team for this next season in DII. I bet that would have made a nice road trip.

[SirFozzie]

go ahead. i'll be asleep, i hafta work in 5.5 hours. Oh, and say hi to my cousin and his two jacked army buddies who are up from West Point for the weekend :D.

Just remember. 55 MPH in a car is a great equalizer when it comes to hand to hand..

[bhlloy]

Reyna is going to the Red Bulls. MLS is suddenly looking a hell of a lot better for next year.

I really rate Reyna as a hard working midfielder. Given the style of play in MLS I might even pick him for my team over Beckham.

[law90026]

I read on another board there are rumors of the NY team getting Renaldo with a similar deal. Anyone heard that?

And people wonder why Americans act as if the US is the center of the universe...if we end up with the best soccer players in the world playing here, what does that tell you?

I'm not sure any of the names listed could be classified as "best soccer players in the world". In fact, I venture as far as to say that the names bandied about are now considered has-beens who used to be good/great.

Beckham remains a decent player. I don't think anyone could honestly consider him great anymore, at least based on reports of his performance (or lack thereof) for Real Madrid. His advantage is that age is unlikely to affect his overall performance since he was never dependent on pace in his game. What the MLS and the LA Galaxy will get is a decent/good midfielder who can strike the ball well with his right foot and create opportunities for a good target man (think Ruud van Nistelrooy in Beckham's last season).

Ronaldo is fat. Fat and slow. Fat and slow and injury prone. He's much more removed from his prime then Beckham, especially since Ronaldo at his prime was unbelievably awesome (some of his goals for Barca and PSV were absolutely unbelievable .. we're talking computer game stuff where he takes the ball at the halfway line and beats half the other team). He's probably still a guy who can finish, but not much more.

Edgar Davids, someone already mentioned him. Suffice to say he's also a has-been.

Oliver Kahn's career is also on the downside. Vieri has been injured so much I'm amazed he's still playing.

The day the MLS signs some of the best current players in the world is when the quoted statement can be considered true (think Henry, Christiano Ronalo, Wayne Rooney, Ronaldinho, Kaka).

[law90026]

Hey guys, do Western Hemisphere clubs routinely play against European sides? And if not, why don't they?


They don't play against European sides largely because they play in different leagues. It's like asking an NBA team to play against a Chinese team or a Euroleague team .. they don't because they have different seasons and different competitions to play in.

They do play friendies but friendlies are hardly ever a good indication of the level of difference in skill between clubs.

[law90026]

So some musings from me based on reading this.

1) I think that this is only the begining for the MLS. The teams in NY and DC especially are not going to let LA keep all the glory. They will bring in someone who is going to be valued highly to compete with Becks.

I think the question is who could they sign that is comparable? Think about it, Beckham is an anomaly in the sense that he is still a decent player who was recently in his prime and was a huge mega-star ... and was in a club that absolutely thought he was crap. Which other players out there would fit that bill? I would say just about none, unless again, we're talking about has-beens.

2) Where is he going to play for the Galaxy? I still see RW being the position that he plays.

I suspect central midfield. This is the position Becks loves to play and he'll probably want to do that in the MLS.

4) Will his prescence raise the level of play of the team as a whole, and more specifically Donovan? After Donovan's big choke job in Germany, will Beckham be the mentor that he needs to unlock his next level?

If .. and this is a big if .. Beckham made the move to the MLS for the publicity and endorsement potential, are you sure you want him to be Landon Donovan's mentor? This was one of the reasons that Beckham fell out with Sir Alex Ferguson after all (reportedly anyway) ...

Besides, how does a rightwinger/central midfielder mentor a forward? They play different positions, do different things ... the only thing I could see Beckham helping with was the professional side of things but see above comment.

[Mr. Wednesday]

maybe he is just a very good player in a decent league and doesn't posses the "it" (be it the drive, or the extra gear or whatever) to be a great player in a good league.
I think that's LD in a nutshell. There's no fault to be had with his fitness or effort, but he doesn't have the drive that Clint Dempsey has to prove to everyone that he can play with the best players in the world. Similarly, he doesn't have the insistence on imposing his will on the match that could be justified by his immense talents.

[MIJB#19]

basically mmmhmm.

i honestly think it's because he's pissed off that Becks is leaving REAL MADRID to go play in "mls". If he was leaving REAL MADRID to go play somewhere that is perceived by Capello to be bigger then it wouldn't leave such a bad taste in Capello's mouth by way of it looking like Capello "drove him out" or "couldn't accomadate him" or whatever.

In the contrary. Had Beckham announced a transfer free move to one of Real Madrid's rivals (either in Spain or some other frequent CL qualifier), it would be in Real Madrid's best interest to waste Beckham's talent and get him out of shape. With him going to a totally different world, there's no chance Beckham can hurt Real Madrid.

Consider this: Real Madrid spent $50M to get Beckham, he's walking out the door transfer free. It's really not uncommon these days that players who do that are left out of the team until the end of the season. Some trainer/coaches believe that the player won't give his best game when the player is already committed to a different team. Look at it from a FOF perspective: late regular season, not much to play for, do you start the young potential stud who is signed for another 3 or 4 seasons, or do you leave him on the bench for the soon to be gone over-the-top veteran?

[Mac Howard]

One thing that occurred to me discussing this elsewhere: if the failure of all those youngsters who play soccer as kids to stay with the game beyond their mid-teens is because they thought there was no money in a soccer career, they'll know better now :)