# Beckham to play for an American footie team for $ 250 million. That must suck! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 12, 2007, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687 "2007-01-12T12:29:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/21 "2007-01-13T14:41:53Z")
[QUOTE=glee] Soccer may be very popular amongst youngsters, but it needs a shrewd marketing person to break the stranglehold of the big 4. [/QUOTE] I’ll take more than that to get the parents of those kids, who have seen enough _free_ games to last a lifetime, to pay for seeing any MLS game in person. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/22 "2007-01-13T16:03:55Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] American soccer has been there and done that. Back when I was a teenager, the old NASL paid a fortune to bring in washed-up former superstars like Pele, Giorgio Chinaglia and Franz Beckenbauer. The NASL ended up folding a few years later. [/QUOTE] I’m glad everyone’s so concerned about making the same mistakes as the NASL (really), but MLS has already thought of that. There’s a very limited number (13) of these big signings that can occur. MLS has done far more to develop American talent than the NASL ever thought about doing. MLS has also been much more careful about expansion. MLS may yet fail someday, but it won’t be from repeating the same mistakes as the NASL (they’ll make entirely new ones!). In the first few days of this playing out, though, it looks like a very shrewd move by MLS, or more properly, the LA Galaxy/AEG. I’m just not sure what other signings could possibly have close to the same impact. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/23 "2007-01-13T16:13:24Z")
[QUOTE=Rayne Man] How long before the pair of them are converted to Scientology by their new best friend Tom Cruise ? Mind you, probably neither of them will be able to spell the word. [/QUOTE] It would surprise me if Davie could pronounce it ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/24 "2007-01-13T16:35:14Z")
I wonder if this could be a clever business move. It may surprise the Yanks, but Beckham is probably in current the top five of recognisable westerners in the entire world. The Chinese go nuts for him; he’s known throughout the whole of Asia; the Africans love him too. If Galaxy can spin their merchandising to the whole of Asia and Africa, they’ll have a chance of vast amounts of turnover, even if their margins are tight. And, being in California, Posh will eventually get so thin she’ll fall down a storm drain. Everybody wins! ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/25 "2007-01-14T02:39:19Z")
[QUOTE=duality72] I’m glad everyone’s so concerned about making the same mistakes as the NASL (really), but MLS has already thought of that. There’s a very limited number (13) of these big signings that can occur. MLS has done far more to develop American talent than the NASL ever thought about doing. MLS has also been much more careful about expansion. MLS may yet fail someday, but it won’t be from repeating the same mistakes as the NASL (they’ll make entirely new ones!). In the first few days of this playing out, though, it looks like a very shrewd move by MLS, or more properly, the LA Galaxy/AEG. I’m just not sure what other signings could possibly have close to the same impact. [/QUOTE] I really wish people would quit digging up the corpse of the NASL in these types of discussions. The market 30 years ago was vastly different. So much so that the comparisons aren’t all that relevant. Soccer will never break the stranglehold that big 3 sports have. It will eventually be bigger than hockey though. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/26 "2007-01-14T06:46:36Z")
Isn’t it basically the big 4 now with NASCAR? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/27 "2007-01-14T13:18:35Z")
In another forum, someone made the argument that while the 70s pro soccer movement failed commercially, it really revived soccer as a youth game to the point where it’s more popular than anything else. Maybe now that these youth soccer players are turning into adults, there will be a bigger market for soccer, and it just needs a jump start to reach people. Of course, I have a hard time caring. I tried to make myself watch soccer once and to try hard to analyze what everyone was doing and discern strategy, but it just didn’t hold my interest. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/28 "2007-01-14T13:47:27Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef] In another forum, someone made the argument that while the 70s pro soccer movement failed commercially, it really revived soccer as a youth game to the point where it’s more popular than anything else. [/QUOTE] It has grown as a youth game because it is safe, affordable, good exercise, gender neutral at the primary and elementary level, and can be enjoyed by kids of all ages and abilities. I doubt if professional soccer has resulted in many soccer moms putting their kids in soccer. A professional soccer leage in North America? Who’d a thunk it! (I had never heard of it before this thread.) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/29 "2007-01-14T23:22:18Z")
[QUOTE=Yookeroo] I really wish people would quit digging up the corpse of the NASL in these types of discussions. The market 30 years ago was vastly different. [/QUOTE] And I wish I had a million dollars. So what? The shoe still fits. The market was different then, sure, but one thing HASN’T changed: soccer is still a second-tier sport trying to make a name for itself by shelling out big money to an over-the-hill foreign star. MAYBE the league has done its homework this time, and has made sure that this will be a much better investment. But history makes me dubious. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/30 "2007-01-14T23:45:19Z")
Good joke on SNL: David Beckahm will be paid $250 million for the LA Galaxy, a team which which aparenly … exists. Brian ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/31 "2007-01-15T00:09:48Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] And I wish I had a million dollars. So what? The shoe still fits. The market was different then, sure, but one thing HASN’T changed: soccer is still a second-tier sport trying to make a name for itself by shelling out big money to an over-the-hill foreign star. [/QUOTE] Over-the-hill isn’t an accurate description. The move is an active one on his part to curtail any possible speculation about him getting any further England caps. Taking a place in a regular Premiership club wouldn’t have done this. He knows how to work the press. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/32 "2007-01-15T05:32:58Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] And I wish I had a million dollars. So what? The shoe still fits. The market was different then, sure, [/QUOTE] Well, there you go. The market is different. The shoe that fit on the NASL doesn’t necessarily fit the same on the MLS. Shoot, when you look even a little closer, it’s not even the same shoe. When the Galaxy adds 4 or 5 other international stars, then you can get back to me. Until then, the NASL experience is irrelevant. What you have is an extremely superficial resemblence in a drastically changed market. Yeah, we need to dig up the rotten corpse of the NASL for comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/33 "2007-01-15T12:32:37Z")
[QUOTE=Rayne Man] How long before the pair of them are converted to Scientology by their new best friend Tom Cruise ? Mind you, probably neither of them will be able to spell the word. [/QUOTE] I came in here to mention Xenu and you said it so much betterer. I look forward to seeing Posh overexposed in hideous psuedo-coutere wear and deny any plastic surgery. Beckham is a hottie, though dumber than a sack of rocks, from what I’ve read. But, if we could get him to pose with a kitty with his shirt off…MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmm. America in the 70’s is a different world from the soccer world it is now. Soccer is huge in every city. I think this is just what MLS needs to get more air time. Though I think the sport (any sport) blows chunks when compared to hockey or dodgeball. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/34 "2007-01-15T21:43:33Z")
I don’t think Beckham’s over the hill. He’d walk into any number of Premiership clubs. He’s overrated, but he’s not really the donkey many are making him out to be, here. Besides, I don’t think Beckham’s footballing skills are the only consideration when a club attempts to buy him - he’s a one man company - LA Galaxy will make a mint off replica shirts etc. MOTD mentioned that MLS is already negotiating TV rights with some English satellite channels, and Motson, a pundit, reckons that Ronaldo (the Brazillian one) and a few other big names (Figo? can’t remember) will probably move to MLS, too. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/35 "2007-01-15T21:50:02Z")
[QUOTE=Muffin] A professional soccer leage in North America? Who’d a thunk it! (I had never heard of it before this thread.) [/QUOTE] There’ve been [professional soccer leagues](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primera_Divisi%C3%B3n_de_M%C3%A9xico) in North America for decades. That’s just one of them. Don’t underestimate the effect of the growing immigrant segment of the US population - soccer is a very popular sport in developing nations because of the low equipment needs. 'course, I don’t know how many immigrants can afford MLS season tickets, but they’ll probably spring for a Becks shirt. That’s partly why ManU is one of the wealthiest sporting brands. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/36 "2007-01-15T22:21:20Z")
[QUOTE=Dominic Mulligan] I don’t think Beckham’s over the hill. He’d walk into any number of Premiership clubs. He’s overrated, but he’s not really the donkey many are making him out to be, here. Besides, I don’t think Beckham’s footballing skills are the only consideration when a club attempts to buy him - he’s a one man company - LA Galaxy will make a mint off replica shirts etc. MOTD mentioned that MLS is already negotiating TV rights with some English satellite channels, and Motson, a pundit, reckons that Ronaldo (the Brazillian one) and a few other big names (Figo? can’t remember) will probably move to MLS, too. [/QUOTE] I agree with this. He is only 31. His talent never matched his fame, and he isn’t as good as he was at his prime, but he is still a quality footballer. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/37 "2007-01-16T06:54:03Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > What’s the point exactly? Does the LA Galaxy team and American soccer think that Beckham will attract fans to the sport? If so how? Most American have no idea who Beckham is. > [@astro](#): > > This should be amusing - At least he and Posh ill have their privacy. Short of being approached outside the stadium I think the Beckhams will finally be able to shop and dine in peace. > > David who…? > [@jjimm](#): > > It may surprise the Yanks, but Beckham is probably in current the top five of recognisable westerners in the entire world. Have any of you been to this country, or do you just assume that we’re too drunk and ignorant to know one of the top five recognizable Westerners in the world? It’s a good thing you’re here to fight our ignorance. FWIW, despite the opinion I stated in my last post, I for one will be driving to LA to see him play. > [@Muffin](#): > > A professional soccer leage in North America? Who’d a thunk it! “Who’da thunk it”? The league has been around for over ten years, and at the end of the last decade ESPN made a big push putting MLS games on all the time and even starting a show dedicated to league news. Anyway, the vast majority of North America is crazy about the game and has been for as long as any other region of the world. You are aware that there are more than two countries in North America, right? ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/38 "2007-01-16T08:56:13Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] Anyway, the vast majority of North America is crazy about the game and has been for as long as any other region of the world. You are aware that there are more than two countries in North America, right? [/QUOTE] Well, Mexico’s certainly crazy about soccer, and has an estimated population of [107 million](https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mx.html#People). The [US](https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html#People) and [Canada](https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ca.html#People) have a combined population of more than **three times** that of Mexico, and neither of them are “crazy about the (professional) game” except in certain minority-demographic areas. I’m a Brit in the US, and agree with **jjimm** that _most_ “Yanks” _(sic)_ are unaware of the **extent** of the Beckhams’ global celebrity status. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/39 "2007-01-16T21:04:29Z")
[QUOTE=Antonius Block] I’m a Brit in the US, and agree with **jjimm** that _most_ “Yanks” _(sic)_ are unaware of the **extent** of the Beckhams’ global celebrity status. [/QUOTE] The “sic” is only necessary in a US context: in my dialect, “Yank” means “All Americans”. You’re lucky I didn’t say “septics”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687/40 "2007-01-16T21:25:28Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > Have any of you been to this country, or do you just assume that we’re too drunk and ignorant to know one of the top five recognizable Westerners in the world? It’s a good thing you’re here to fight our ignorance. Apologies, **fetus** : your opinion shows me that I shouldn’t believe what the majority of our American SDMB posters tell me, my own experience in the US, all the printed and online media I’ve read on the subject, and the vox populi I’ve seen on the TV. Suggestion: get a piccie of David Beckham, and show it, without introduction, around everyone you meet in AZ and/or CA, ask them who it is, and report back. If you have the time or resources, try the same exercise in China. You may be surprised by the results. (I had a drink in MU-themed bars absolutely plastered with DB’s image in both Chengdu and Beijing last year.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckham-to-play-for-an-american-footie-team-for-250-million-that-must-suck/387687.md?page=3)