David Beckham Coming to America

[YourShadow]

"David Beckham the english footballer who plays for Real Madrid. Will move to Major League Soccer to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the summer of 2007, when his current Real Madrid contract expires on June 30. He will officially become an LA Galaxy player on July 1, 2007."
He will recieve $250 million dollars on a 5 year contract.

This really surprise me, but for those of you who live in England, is it a big let down there that Beckham is leaving or are people glad to see him go?
Or could it be a bit of eh I don't really care.

[Sanosuke23]

"I've beaten the best in the world, and now I'm looking for a new challenge."


So...you're going to the one country in the world that DOESN'T like soccer? What, do soccer-playing aliens live here or something, because I've never heard of there even BEING a US soccer league until he joined the LA Team.

[XxJadexX]

He's not worth it. That is a ridiculous amount of cash. He's so overrated.

[Kewii]

He's not worth it. That is a ridiculous amount of cash. He's so overrated.

I'm going to have to disagree with you here. Not a lot. But a bit. I also think Beckham is overrated. However, I also think that he is a decent player. So the 'so' is what gets me.

I'm not one to defend him normally, but I do have to give him credit for the skills he has developed.

[XxJadexX]

It's not that he is a bad player but he isn't as amazing as everyone makes him out to be. A lot of fans act as if he is the God of soccer and he isn't.

He's good but he's not the greatest ever. Even if he was, that's still a ridiculous amount of cash.

[Vasarian]

He's not worth it. That is a ridiculous amount of cash. He's so overrated.

True he is not worth it anymore... well I must admit that no sport player should receive 250/5 years... The major reason that they brought him to the US is for marketing... this way they make sure everyone hears about that league and get interested in it... They said on TV that season pass in every teams of the league got a major boost sale after the anoucement

[Ayame_Sohma]

Im glad david beckham leaving england and spain to move to LA i think him will fit right in there but i still the whole of the beckham are fools but at least they wont embrassment the uk anymore

[_CTA_]

what!!! he'll move? this will be the 2nd time!!hes only after the money eh?

[Vinsfeld]

What, do soccer-playing aliens live here or something

Yes, exactly, they like to be called hispanic though.

[XxJadexX]

True he is not worth it anymore... well I must admit that no sport player should receive 250/5 years... The major reason that they brought him to the US is for marketing... this way they make sure everyone hears about that league and get interested in it... They said on TV that season pass in every teams of the league got a major boost sale after the anoucement

Yeah, the US is such an easy sell. You give them any kind of overseas celebrity and they'll endorse the crap out of him.

He was probably paid just as much money to do that commercial for his cologne.

[Princess Minako]

There's a reason they're giving him that money, to promote soccer in the US. As a person he can do SO MUCH for the sport here, and frankly its about damned time. It will be a challenge, and one I"m excited to see the outcome of. I love soccer, and if this makes it more popular and gives the US a better team for the olympics or the world cup, GREAT.

Also there are a handful of good famous soccer players, if you pay attention. Pope? McBride? Keller?

Hopefully this will bring more attention and popularity to the sport of soccer in the US! Thats good for me!

[In0kz]

... who cares

[Princess Minako]

a lot of people? Because this could have a profound effect on several things.
1. the popularity of soccer in the USA, which could mean that the USA could become a very serious contender for World Cup competitions or even the Olympics. They could also start to compete on an international level with many other countries Major League Soccer Clubs.

2. David Beckham was on Real Madrid with Ronaldo and Ronaldinho if I'm not mistaken, and they were pretty much unbeaten with such a power house team. Real Madrid cares a whole lot, Beckham may not be the best player, but he's a good leader, and his penalty kicks are what took England so far in the World Cup. Not that he's the key to that team, but I think losing him will bring them down a couple notches.

3. England cares! They like Beckham and he's somewhat of a national symbol. Its a little irking, I can imagine, to have him just up and move to America, an unspoken rival, for the reason of pretty much money alone. It may breed some animosity.

[Myrra]

I can imagine, to have him just up and move to America, an unspoken rival, for the reason of pretty much money alone.

I have to beg to differ on that point.
The US has not been a serious threat to any of the European power houses in recent memory. The best players we have usually have spent time playing on European teams. And whenever it comes to serious international competition, the US never fails to choke. So I see how anyone, England included, can consider the US a rival, unspoken or otherwise.

[In0kz]

so that's how it is..

[Princess Minako]

Don't post if you're only going to spam a thread with one liners, that don't contribute to the topic

[Nighthawk]

Ronaldinho never was Real Madrid, hes FC Barcelona, was before Paris St. Germain. Real Madrid was Zidane, Figo, Ronaldo, Raul, Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Iker Casillas. Those were the Galactics. Now in the US League hes by far the best player and a popstar, so a good amount of his salary will come back into the investors pockets in form of merchandise. In the UK, the big 4, thats Chelsea, ManU, Pool or Arsenal dont need him because there he would have too much competition.

[Celtic Warrior]

I'm going to have to disagree with you here. Not a lot. But a bit. I also think Beckham is overrated. However, I also think that he is a decent player. So the 'so' is what gets me.

I'm not one to defend him normally, but I do have to give him credit for the skills he has developed.

I'm gonna to agree with Klutz on this one. Becks will be the most popular athlete in the U.S., he will sell out staduims through out the league, and more important he is realizing his dream of playing in the States. Becks said soccer can become popular in the U.S. and he (Becks) wants to be part of it.

Now as for the debate on if soccer can grow big with David Beckham and I said yes, it can. Example: Look at soocer in Japan before the J League. The game was dead before the J League and now it's the nation's number one sport to watch. Usually it's baseball that was getting the sports fan's attention. So give it time and it will become bigger than it is now.

[Sailor Lunar Eclipse]

what!!! he'll move? this will be the 2nd time!!hes only after the money eh?

Well duh! Who wouldn't turn down that amount of money.
Frankly, I bet we would all do the same thing.

anyways this was a topic in my history class today, and I just think, No big deal. Just another change on the planet, one out of so many billions a day.

[Princess Minako]

Myrra, I don't mean a rival as in soccer, I mean just in general. The Brits and Americans have kind of been one uppy since the revolutionary war :P

[Ollie]

Haha. Does that mean we get Posh Spice, too?

[rpgwiz99]

Man, what would I do for 250 million dollars that is ridicilius somebody can get that much playing football when the average person wont even ever see that much money.

[Dark_Evo_ChaosX]

*watches Beckham get a Zidane style head butt!* >_> <_<
But yeah, 250mil? That's a lot of money, can someone say sellout?

[Nighthawk]

This starts becoming a jealousy debate ;p If someone would pay you 250mil sure you would say "no thanks". Yah right!

[Myrra]

Myrra, I don't mean a rival as in soccer, I mean just in general. The Brits and Americans have kind of been one uppy since the revolutionary war :P

Well, that makes more sense

Haha. Does that mean we get Posh Spice, too?

And all the little baby spices too.

It seems to be a bigger deal for those on the US end. He's a brand. The Galaxy are buying a brand name in the hopes of selling more tickets and increasing the sport's recognition. As many newspaperes have pointed out, he's no Pele. He's got skills enough to make him a fairly valuable player, but not enough to justify that kind of expense. It's the branding that makes him worth the bucks.