After reading countless articles, and quotes on Beckham's move to the US, I have grown increasingly tired of reading about people misinterpreting everything involved in the circus that is Beckham, so I will do my best to clear things up for you.
Beckham is getting paid 250 million dollars
I have seen the 250 million dollar mark, or 128 pound mark all over between American and English sites. Let me clear this up, that is a completely estimated amount. It is based on hypothetical figures, that estimate every game being sold out, a large amount of shirts being sold, and a whole lot more seasons tickets being sold, to put it simply as possible, which in all very likely hood, especially after how this season went, isn't going to happen. David Beckham is guaranteed 32 million dollars over 5 years, the rest is anyones guess. I would not be surprised if he made 100 million after his five years are up. Another important note, the MLS is only responsible for the 32 million portion of Beck's contract, the rest has to be paid by AEG, who can afford it, so he won't bankrupt the league.
Beckham is coming to make soccer big in the US
This along with the money figure is the biggest misnomer about the Beckham move. Beckham was brought here to raise the profile of the league and to make a lot of money for the MLS. I don't care who the MLS brings in whether it be Beck's, Ronaldinho, or Kaka, no one player can make this sport more popular than any of the other big three sports. With David coming to the US he has raised the profile of the game, he has gotten everyone talking about soccer, whether it be in a negative or positive light, and you know how the old saying goes, any press is good press. Listen whether you like it or not soccer is here to stay, and will continue to grow in popularity, but I think it will take years for this to happen.
My favorite sport to compare it too is basketball, and the NBA. The NBA has been around for a long time, but before the 80's it really wasn't that popular. My point being the MLS has been in existence for 11 years, this is going to take time if it ever happens, but I think people like Don Garber are being very smart in trying not to overextend the league and bankrupt it. So it is unfair to say this league is not doing well, it will take a long time before we can make that opinion.
The other reason Beckham is here in the US is for money. The simple fact is his name and his image is worth alot, especially to the team who gets to put his name on their jersey. I have no idea if this is true or not, but when Beckham transferred to Real Madrid from Manchester United, it was said his transfer fee was paid for before he even kicked a ball because of all the shirts that were sold. Not only that, but during Beckhams time at Real Madrid they surpassed Manchester United as the richest soccer club in the world, without winning a trophy in that time, and it was in larger part because of Beckham.
Beckham is the greatest player in the world
"Is Beckham the world's greatest player?" Is a question I get the most from people who don't know anything about soccer. Beckham is not the greatest player in the world, nor has he ever been. It can be argued that he has one of the best right foots in the game, but he is not the best in the world. What he is is a player capable of delivering awesome free kicks, and cross field perfect passes for teammates to tap the ball into the goal. He is not a great dribbler, or defender, nor is he very fast. He is however very marketable, and is the most popular player in the world, and this is why the MLS did everything they could to bring him here.
The British press has especially enjoyed taking potshots at the MLS, as does pretty much anyone I can think of, but people fail to keep things in perspective. Is the MLS the greatest league in the world? No, not by a longshot, but is it as bad as people make it out to be? No it isn't. Lets look closer at the league, and the country it is played in, or countries. First off, the league has been around for 11 years, I would say you would have to wait at least 20 before you can make a real judgment of the level of the league. We haven't really gotten a good set of young players into the league yet to raise the level.
I personally see three generations of soccer players in this country right now. The first generation is the group that consists of players like Cobi Jones who is still playing, and Eric Wynalda and Marcelo Balboa, who commentate on ESPN, and Alexi Lalas who is the GM of the LA galaxy. These players played in the 90, 94, and 98 World Cups, they were the first Americans we really got a chance to watch and idolize, and actually knew the names of, at least for me anyways.
They paved the way for players like Brian McBride, Landon Donovan, and Claudio Reyna, whom I consider part of the second generation of soccer players. These guys had the first generation to look up too, but still lacked the opportunity to watch alot of soccer on TV, and get to follow some of the european leagues, and thus help them learn more and help develop even more. This generation made it so we actually had expectations at the World Cup, and when they didn't live up to those expectations, we were unhappy. Whereas in years past, it was a feat to actually make it to the World Cup, now they were expected to win!
The third generation is the U-20 level and below, the biggest name you will recognize is Freddy Adu. These players are growing up with soccer all around them, now it is easier than ever to catch soccer on TV, with Gol TV, Setenta, Fox Soccer channel, and ESPN, these players can follow their favorite players, and learn from them. Not only that but more and more of these younger players are being snatched up by European teams, because they realize that these players are going to be good. Sal Zizzo to Hamburg, Danny Szetla to Racing Santander and of course Freddy Adu to Benfica. I feel when these players like this reach the age of 25 and older, you will see a dramatic improvement in the play of the MLS.
The MLS isn't the greatest league, but it isn't a horrible league, I would put it on par with a 15 place EPL team to a championship team in England as to the level of the soccer here. And to be honest, I really don't think that is that bad considering our brief history in the sport, I feel we can only get better.
Good article and perspective. I have one question to help clear things up for myself – I thought with the designated player slot that every MLS team has (and chivas traded it for virtually nothing at the end of the say – and the Red Bulls made out like crazy) and no team can have two – that MLS is only responsible for the first 400,000 of salary and the rest was for the club to cover. So, if that is the case MLS is only responsible for 2 mill over the five year deal and the rest is covered by AEG for Beckham. Or did I read into that wrong?
therealrico
Beckham was brought here as a marketing tool
and hopefully obtain success for a moribund franchise called the L A Galaxy. The fact that its owner is a partial or outright owner in several other MLS franchises. It begs the question who's making out here like a bandit ? And isn't there as such a conflict of interest ? Phillip Anschutz and his band of merry men have got MLS locked down tight and in a corner.
Beckham's so called contract isn't all guaranteed money. That's potential earning based on merchandizing ,the branding of products and endorsement deals. The only part of his contract that's guaranteed is the salary being earned with the Galaxy.
As for the advent of his introduction in the MLS . I'm sure the franchise was aware as to his injuries. And it's common knowledge that he's not been able to play an entire season of soccer in years.
therealrico
See my post written under the rampantfanatic guise titled Tell Me Why It Is I'm A Chelsea Fan Once Again ?
Ler me know wat you think as to the merits of the piece ?
therealrico
The other aforementioned superstars aren't liable to come here because Beckham's here.They're earning in some cases just as much as he is in terms of a salary. The only prohibitive thing that they may have against them is not being able to speak English. Therein the endorsement dollars will be hard to come by in the N American market place. However in the latter stages of theirn careers it wouldn't surprise me to see them amke the trip across the Atlantic to play here.
wyofc-
I went to wikipedia and got this definition The salary cap is estimated to be around US$1.9 million [1] in 2006 (and the amount will be raised for the 2007 season). Under the rule:
For each designated player, $400,000 of his salary is charged to the salary cap, with any remaining salary toward the player being imposed on the individual owner, and not counted against the cap.
Prior to the 2007 season, there were four players whose salary exceeded $400,000. These players include Landon Donovan, Carlos Ruiz and Eddie Johnson. According to the rule, they will be grandfathered in for the 2007 season. The 2008 season requires that they be considered a designated player, or their contract be renegotiated.
There will initially be one designated player slot available to each team in the league. A team can trade their designated player slot; teams are allowed a maximum of two slots.
Only $325,000 of a team's second designated player will count against the salary cap.
The rule will apply for three years, until the end of the 2009 MLS season, when its future will be reviewed.
And I got this from MLS NET
The Designated Player Rule will allow MLS to sign players whose salary will fall outside of the team salary budget and whose cost above the salary budget charge will be the financial responsibility of the club. A Designated Player's salary charge will be capped at $400,000, but his salary could be higher. The League office will continue to sign Designated Players under Major League Soccer's single entity system, but individual clubs will determine to whom they
Last edited by therealrico on September 6th at 10:10 AM.
So AEG is responsible for anything over the 400,000.
Tophatal, I agree that their is a possible conflict of interest, but at this point I think it is necessary to insure the survival of the league. I know it is MLS's goal to have all the franchises sold to individual owners as soon as possible, but people aren't sold yet on investing millions on an MLS franchise that has only one team turn a profit so far.
As far as Beckham's salary, that was one of the big misnomers about the contract that I tried to clear up. I think it is much sexier for the press to throw out those large figures so they can quickly denounce the league, and belittle it.
Yeah, as far as the other players, I didn't say they would come over, just wanted to clear up with some people who don't really follow the game to know that Beckham isn't the best.
therealrico
That's what sport's is about here in the US. Not always about the quality of the play on the field. Purely about the stats and the money if nothing else. What MLS ought to be doing now is to either entice investors or put a strict limit as to how much an individual can have as an equity in a franchise. Especially if they're already involved with another franchise. The commissioners of the MLS know this is tantamount to creating a problem down the road. The laws of the jungle are that the strongest survive. The weak get eaten and devoured by the strong in the process. Anschutz has untold billions but even he can't to continue to bankroll the league for years to come.
It's not untapped well that you can continue to return to as the money runs out. What business do you know that's ran like that ?
tophatal
Last edited by tophatal on September 6th at 2:37 PM.
couldn't agree with you more, this is why MLS is doing its best to sell off the franchises. Hopefully it will work out, i really want a league to succeed in the US.
therealrico
The league will succeed if the MLS powers that be are more creative as to how they market the franchises to potential investors.
The problem is that many of their supposed top excutives haven't got that much experience in the real day to day running of a sports franchise. And that's what has been their downfall so far. They need to bring advvisers from the corporate world and at least one or two individuals from the financial world to assit them in their travails. Having worked in the field of international finance for a nunber of years, it's the sort of thing that happens to many companies that seek to expand. I've seen the same sort of scenario played out a number of times. Sometimes it's been successful and then at other times it hasn't.
In the long run it's hoped that they can do something positive for the betterment of the league.
Rico, nice article.
Watch the MLS, on a good day DC United could give a game to any Premier League club, but a bad LA could quite easily fail to show up againsta League One side.
MLS is very comparable to the Championship.
Another thing, Lalas does actually think Beckham can improve the quality of his team, he's been proved right.
Another thing, MLS/GALAXY whomever it was really made a pig's ear of Beckham's introduction to the Leage, and as for letting him play for England in a friendly that was ludicrous.
craigy f
On any given day an MLS team could give Premiere League team a competitive game ? Perhaps if that Premiere League team is sitting at the bottom of the division.
The top MLS teams are only marginally better than a first division team in England. The quality of the play here isn't that great.
Perhaps when the players are best euipped to really play a competitive game amongst the best in Europe they'll be treated with the respect they deserve. Until then the soccer here in the US will be looked down on. They're getting there slowly.
therealrico
I suppose you've heard the furore surrounding the abrupt departure of Mourinho leaving Chelsea ? As a fan of the club it's become a profound shock ot me and no way am I enamoured with the fact that Grant and Clarke are seen as the adequate individuals to be taking over the team even if it is on an interim basis.
I've a new post up under this guise titled And As A Chelsea Fan I'm Meant To Feel Good ?
Let me know what you think as to the merits of the piece ?
I'll look forward to reading your comments.
I am a huge soccer fan. Grew up in Vermont playing for my club and school. In college I redshirted for Southern New Hampshire U(New Hampshire College while I was there). And later played four years at Johnson State College, a small school in Vermont. While in Johnson State, I also played with the PDL team the Vermont voltage, which is what shirt you see me wearing in my avatar.
Who I root for, since I am a Vermonter I keep it pretty much all New England, except for the Eagles(I became a fan iin the days of Randall Cunningham) As of right now I don't really follow anything other than soccer, but if I was to follow the other sports that is who I would root for. I don't really have a favorite soccer team, I more prefer to just watch great soccer, but I guess if I was to choose, it would probably be Real Madrid, I became a fan when they got Zidane. I also enjoy watching Arsenal, and I will probably be a bigger Fulham fan, because I am a huge Dempsey fan.
And of course I have to root for Team USA.
