Beckham Coming to America

[Regs]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2007/01/11/david-beckham.html

Will Beckham have an impact on how the game is seen in North America?

In my opinion, this will have a huge impact on the game in NA.

How about Frank Yallop? Talk about opportunities and making sound decisions - how long until someone in Canada starts a backlash and compares FY to Owen Hargreaves?

 

[FCbytca]

beckham still plays??

 

[johnnybluenose]

Huge,
Brings credibility to North American game.

Finally players may be coming here to die (ala old NASL days) rather than the current trend of heading to Scandinavia or Dubai.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/6248835.stm

Obviously his wife is having an impact here...but nevertheless a major coup for MLS and Footy in North America.

He's got game. I hate that it is fashionable to slate him for his perceived inadequecies. The British Press are scum.

 

[Lupoman]

$250 million US is quite an attractive incentive to come and play over here....but I think it really does have more to do with Posh than anything else....who knew any owner in the MLS had that deep of pockets. Is the Galaxy single owner, or is it part of an obviously much larger corperation? Good for the NA game at anyrate.

lupoman

 

[BJB]

I think the $$ offer includes his soccer schools and advertisments, etc...

 

[Lupoman]

As was pointed out to me by cside.....the team should probably make that money back and then some on product sales alone....could have been me......if I'ld had any fcuking talent.

lupoman

 

[canuckboy]

As was pointed out to me by cside.....the team should probably make that money back and then some on product sales alone....could have been me......if I'ld had any fcuking talent.

lupoman

Um, I don't think it's the lack of talent that would hurt you so much. More likely it was you falling out of the ugly tree and hitting every branch on the way down.

sorry

 

[zenga]

His salary Breakdown from bbc.co.uk


An annual salary of $10m

His existing sponsorship contracts with his four sponsors - Motorola, Pepsi, Gillette and Volkswagen - are estimated to be worth $25m

His merchandising shirt sales will bring in $10m

His share of the club profits: $10m

 

[Keeper]

What number does he end up wearing? 7, 23 or something new?

Coincedentally, the Galaxy currently have no #7. http://la.galaxy.mlsnet.com/players/roster.jsp?club=t106

 

[crafty cokcney]

Very positive move all round for the MLS to bring Becks to the US. This may be the start of things to come for other players of recognition currently playing in Europe.

Rumour has it that FC Dallas are talking to Edgar Davids from Spurs.

Cheers

 

[aekara]

Beckham Seals American Dream

What a phat contract 250m US is a ton of cash! I heard an interview of his and says he's played for 2 of the biggest clubs in the world already, so now he's looking for "a new challenge". Hahaha how's this for a challenge: how about WINNING something while you were at Real Madrid. How about leading England to some success while you were captain.

To me looking for a new challenge is code for "wow, those suckers are paying me a lot".

The real question I think, on a bigger scale, is what is this going to mean for the MLS and for football in North America? Is it going to help the game grow? I would love to see long term results, but I am pessimistic.

I see it having short term success. THere's definitely a lot of hype already. But will football gain popularity long term? Will more Europeans sign for MLS like they were for the NASL in the 70s?

Pele and Beckenbauer have already been here. The World Cup has been here in 1994 and I don't see much improvement so far.

Personally I don't see football being part of American culture. The only people that love soccer in the states are the Latinos. And they have no real emotional commitment to the MLS. Up here it seems like the majority of fans are either immigrants or children of immigrants (first generation Canadians).

Beckham will be huge for the MLS, he will draw a ton of attention to it, but can he make Americans forget that they don't actually like soccer???

 

[Tuna]

It remains to be seen whether Becks move will have a flash in the pan effect in N America or start attracting some serious talent to our domestic league.

I don't see there being any argument that this will impact the MLS in any negative manner.

 

[Regs]

The World Cup has been here in 1994 and I don't see much improvement so far.

The topic of this thread begs to differ.

 

[sid]

What number does he end up wearing? 7, 23 or something new?

Coincedentally, the Galaxy currently have no #7. http://la.galaxy.mlsnet.com/players/roster.jsp?club=t106

maybe 7 again for 2007...start of fresh in a fcuking shite league ,wierd how money talks,he wont last playing in the us some mexican cnut will break hish engerlish fcuking leg!

 

[D13]

most overrated athlete in the world. good for the mls though, maybe we can get a team in there soon

 

[bulljive]

I can't stand the david beckham haters. When the guy was in his prime nobody in the world swung in crosses or hit a dead ball like beckham did. As he has become older he is often one of the hardest workers on the pitch and can still swing in good crosses.Why do you hate him because he is rich, better looking then you, has a hot wife? He has done a lot for soccer world wide. I'm pretty sure he is moving to LA to put out a CD. I mean the guy does it all. David I love you.

 

[Captain Shamrock]

He's a ****ing poof and always has been.


Most Overrated Player In The World

 

[utah]

All I can say is
"Bank It Like Beckham"

 

[aekara]

The topic of this thread begs to differ.

Whoa. You're drawing a link between World Cup '94 and this signing?

Go ahead if you must but I think it's tough to make a strong connection between the 2 events.

I'm not saying WC'94 hurt soccer in North America, of course it helped, but not as significantly as many people thought... I think you should provide more evidence than this single signing 13 years later. You could make an argument that Beckham's (and his wife's) personalities would have drawn him to L.A. regardless, no?

I definitely see this helping to grow the game but I think it will take many more years before we see anything that compares to Europe.

 

[aekara]

Anyway I don't really care that much, I'm just posting so I can collect enough points to buy myself and L.A. Galaxy jersey/icon/avatarthing.