|
Post by ss on Jan 12, 2007 1:47:32 GMT
Looks like Beckham is coming to Los Angeles, looks like 250 Million i want to repeat that 250 million over a five year contract.
The question is, will Venom ever acknowledge that soccer is now Football... ;D
His name alone will really boost the American Soccer league...
|
|
|
Post by Elliot Kane on Jan 12, 2007 1:52:19 GMT
It will. He's about the only football player most Americans have ever heard of, I think.
|
|
|
Post by Venom65437 on Jan 12, 2007 4:50:55 GMT
E and I already talked about this SOCCER player...
At any rate, I don't know who they are kidding.... no one here cares about soccer... so unless this guy is to soccer what Michael Jordan was to basketball, nothing will change.... well they need that and ESPN to get behind them...
|
|
|
Post by hector on Jan 12, 2007 5:13:32 GMT
It will. He's about the only football player most Americans have ever heard of, I think. Which is still, almost nothing at all. I doubt he will make people care one way or other about soccer.
|
|
|
Post by ss on Jan 12, 2007 6:47:18 GMT
I disagree, I think he will, even though, as EK says, most people in America don't know any soccer players by name, the US is basically becoming soccer crazy...all and I do mean all elementary and High Schools have soccer as well as college, and now the US has a national team that competes adequately with the world, as well as the professional league... We have a complex right here in Vinton Va, (population 10,000) that hosts statewide soccer matches for a solid week for all ages. must get 50,000 people runnin in here...and all summer long we have intermural soccer.... It's growing by leaps and bounds...women leagues also... and Yes, Beckham will be the next soccer Michael Jordan...He has chrisma and they let him get by on the rules like they did Jordan, because he generates lots and lots of money... ;D
|
|
|
Post by hector on Jan 12, 2007 7:06:49 GMT
I disagree, I think he will, even though, as EK says, most people in America don't know any soccer players by name, the US is basically becoming soccer crazy...all and I do mean all elementary and High Schools have soccer as well as college, and now the US has a national team that competes adequately with the world, as well as the professional league... What I was mostly saying is that Beckham is almost a zero in the US and that he won't make any difference by himself. But it's entirely possible soccer will become a hugely celebrated sport in the US by other means.
|
|
|
Post by peterh on Jan 12, 2007 12:14:09 GMT
Beckham isn't going to win over the US just by his footie abilities. The man's pretty well known outside the US and he's definetly star qualty in a star fixated town like LA.
The man is married to a former Spice Girls member, he's reportedly friends with George Clooney and Tom cruise, two of the hottest actors in town. He's had a few sex scandals and women (and a few guys, heh) love him. I wouldn't be surprised if the Hollywood cream invites him in with open arms.
He's certainly got the potential to be a new favorite among the papparazis (which he already is in Europe) and that alone will create a name for him.
Factor in his football abilities and you can certainly make a case for Beckham to become the man to boost football in the US. It'll be interesting to watch, to say the least.
|
|
|
Post by peterh on Jan 12, 2007 12:18:05 GMT
Another thing to note.
The various US leagues have had world class players like Pele and Beckenbaur on contract before. However they were old at the time while Becks is still young and has some good years left in him.
|
|
|
Post by Venom65437 on Jan 12, 2007 13:11:42 GMT
Really? Kids might start out playing soccer, but when it comes time for high school and college, they play something else, that's where the money is. And we compete adequately with the world? Sure could have fooled me based on our last world competition.
If this were to ever work, I think more than one player would have to come here. And like I said, they'll need ESPN to get behind them too, we'll see what happens....
|
|
|
Post by Elliot Kane on Jan 12, 2007 13:54:09 GMT
Key word is 'compete' not 'win everything' V Peter is right, and has certainly summed up all the out of game arguments very well. Tom Cruise went to see him play at Real Madrid, and is very likely to do so again when he plays for LA Galaxy. They are friends and have been for a while. Beckham also has a Football Academy in LA, IIRC, and that won't hurt if it's anything like the one he has in England. The MLS brought in 'Beckham's Law' which allows three players outside of the wage restrictions just in case a US team could lure him with no certainty any would manage to do so. Beckham is the most famous sportsman in the world, and arguably the most popular, too. Just by being there he will attract worldwide interest in the MLS, and probably lucrative TV contracts, too. A billion people watched him sign for Real Madrid on TV sets around the world, and he'd already made up the money it cost to sign him in shirt sales before he ever kicked a ball for them. Beckham is a worldwide phenomenon. The US is the only place he won't be mobbed... at least for now
|
|
|
Post by Venom65437 on Jan 12, 2007 18:14:09 GMT
I wasn't saying "win everything" but we were what... 0-3-1? That isn't competing, that is getting completely curb stomped.
I think people will probably watch it for a week or two here, but then they'll say, "Oh, it's soccer..." and go away. As for people in other countries.... is MLS even shown there?
Soccer will ONLY become important in the U.S. if and ONLY if we are able to SERIOUSLY compete with the rest of the world... which we are no where close to doing now. All our best athletes play football, basketball, or baseball... not soccer, and that's not going to change for a long time.
|
|
|
Post by Elliot Kane on Jan 12, 2007 18:34:18 GMT
Different skills, V. The kind of very muscular players who play Gridiron are probably not suited to Football. Basketball needs height, and there are very few good Football players who are all that tall. Baseball is closer to Cricket, in that it's a batting game, and again the skills are different. I don't think there have ever been many players who truly excelled in more than one sport. That said, Americans will have to see the possibility of a real career in Football before it ever gets taken seriously. If they don't see that possibility, many of those who could be great Footballers will pursue other interests or careers, and most if not all of those few natural sportsmen who ARE gifted in more than one sport will not choose to become Footballers. Nonetheless, this has to be a good development. At least, I hope so. Other countries were indeed not interested in MLS. But that just changed. You'll see
|
|
|
Post by Venom65437 on Jan 12, 2007 19:38:16 GMT
I'm just saying, they switch gears from soccer to other sports because of things like money. A LOT of people play soccer as kids, hell, I did. But they move on to different things because there are no desirable opportunities here to play soccer.
|
|
|
Post by ss on Jan 12, 2007 22:33:55 GMT
You may be right V, about ESPN and such, but money talks and MLS is going to be giagantic...just a few years and watch it...invest now... ;D
|
|
|
Post by Venom65437 on Jan 13, 2007 0:11:42 GMT
Sorry SS, I have zero faith in soccer ever taking off here... at least not for a long time.
|
|
|
Post by Elliot Kane on Jan 14, 2007 19:14:33 GMT
TV rights for the MLS games in the UK have just jumped from £100,000 a year to £10,000,000 a year just because of Beckham... And it might climb higher. That's just in the UK. Worldwide, TV revenue is now expected to be immense... 'The Beckham Effect' in action
|
|
|
Post by Venom65437 on Jan 14, 2007 21:36:09 GMT
hmmm, wonder if anything will happen on this end for TV rights. I suppose it isn't a shock they jumped in a place where soccer is popular though.
|
|
|
Post by Elliot Kane on Jan 15, 2007 4:54:58 GMT
LA Galaxy have had to bring in extra people to man the phones with the massive increase in interest in tickets, and a number of celebrities have bought season tickets, including J-Lo and Steven Spielberg...
|
|
|
Post by Venom65437 on Jan 15, 2007 6:27:20 GMT
Well, celebrities will jump on any "hot" thing... we'll see how much "interest" there is in the US during the season. I have no doubt it'll start strong... but by the end.... well, we'll see...
|
|
|
Post by ss on Jan 15, 2007 22:15:22 GMT
Lets face it Venom, you just don't like Soccer... ;D Otherwise you'd face up and admit it's gonna be hughmongeous... ;D
|
|