From one extreme...

[chas]

$50 million a year. For a European football player. In the US. And I thought baseball salaries were ridiculous. Biggest contract this offseason was Alphonso Soriano at $136 for 8 years, or $17 million a season.

Do the LA Galaxy even take in $50 million a season?? For 16 home games, if tickets are $50 a pop, they'd have to bring in 62500 fans per game with no overhead just to cover his salary. (TV revenues, sponsorships, etc., are probably small and outweighed by overhead.) I live near the team that's been MLS champions something like 3 out of the last 5 years, and I doubt they break $10 million gross.

Remember when the NASL brought in Pele, Beckenbauer, and a few other big name players? That was an investment in trying to get Americans interested in soccer, and it failed. I suspect this is an investment in trying to get the rest of the world interested in American soccer. I think the result will be the same as it was 30 years ago.

[cowtime]

I'l have to bookmark some good American sports pages..any suggestions anyone over there?

You'd probably find more in the supermarket tabloids-

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/

[chrisoff]

Here's a breakdown of where the money is coming from:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6253829.stm

[chas]

Here's a breakdown of where the money is coming from:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6253829.stm

Okay, that makes a lot more sense; thanks for posting it.

[C age ing]

It'd be about $254.72 million in U.S. currency.

A lot of dosh..a lot.

I take great delight in asking most of my English friends, the ones who are passionate about football, "How old were you when England last won an International Championship?"..most will look and say that they were not even born then.

The team that won the World Cup, way back then, were probably earning a little bit more than the average workin' dude, not a lot, but enough to make it worthwhile, and it was better than working for a living.

Since then, over time , it is all about money and advertising and the media.

When the men of '66 put on their shirts and went out to represent their country it was all about Pride and Honour.

They took on their old enemy and over the course of a game - a mighty game - they won.

Honour and Pride, not to mention an absolute passion, brought them there.
Today, it's all about money..not one of them willl risk an injury, just in case he loses his first team place for his Club, and the serious money that goes with every game and goal.

There is no honour, and very little pride, in football today.

Beckham has set a fine example today.

Slan,
D.

Aren't you glad that the both Rugby worlds still contain passion and sportsmanship? They do try to get away with certain dubious practices, but accept it when they're caught.
Let's try and sell rugby to the Americans, their team isn't too far behind. Remember this is the view of a biased Welshman.

[Joseph E. Smith]

Let's try and sell rugby to the Americans, their team isn't too far behind. Remember this is the view of a biased Welshman.

No need to sell me, I've been sold for three decades now... though finding a game nearby to go is kinda rough... but isn't that what ruggers is all about... being rough?

[jbarter]

Let's try and sell rugby to the Americans

I can remember, years ago now, Max Boyce interviewing some of the Dallas Cowboys and asking them if they'd ever consider playing Rugby. The reply he got was "Show me a Rugby player who retires with all his own teeth and I'll think about it".

[The Weekenders]

Remember when the NASL brought in Pele, Beckenbauer, and a few other big name players? That was an investment in trying to get Americans interested in soccer, and it failed. I suspect this is an investment in trying to get the rest of the world interested in American soccer. I think the result will be the same as it was 30 years ago.

I pondered along the same lines, but really, soccer has won in America, and probably as a result of those pioneering efforts. Tons of youth leagues, it has become the premiere suburban sport for both genders. Baseball is still strong, but the way I see it, football and basketball are more the province of the urbanites (despite origins and celebrated exceptions), but soccer and swimming are huge in the 'burbs. (I have to add that, among Hispanics, soccer is also a big urban sport here.)

So really, Beckham is coming to a much different soccer environment than Pele...

As for rugby, it has its enthusiasts (including my son, who loves it) but frankly, it's not a Title 9 sport so it will never take off the way it once might have.

I have been surprised by an upturn in lacrosse. More of that lately in NorCal.

[crookedtune]

Dunno... My kids (American) grew up in the soccer leagues. Now, in their early twenties, they are TV-watching spectators. The sports they watch are American football, basketball and baseball. It wouldn't occur to them to watch Beckham or anyone else play soccer. To them it's a sport you play, not watch.

I'm not sure if having a few high-visiblility players on our pro teams will make watching soccer a bigger deal in the U.S. And I don't really know what has prevented it from becoming more popular. Dunno...

[djm]

Going way out on a limb, here, but I would guess the renewed interest in soccer is coming from the increasing US populations from Europe as well as from south of the border. Soccer is very big amongst the 3rd world nations.

djm

[dubhlinn]

Soccer is very big amongst the 3rd world nations.

djm

Us Irish types are rather fond of the game ourselves

Slan,
D.

[izzarina]

..to the other.

From playing with two of the worlds greatest club sides to, well..LA Galaxy.

I was actually quite surprised at this move on Beckham's part. Sure, he'll get some notoriety for it, but since the US is hardly well versed on the subject of soccer, he won't get nearly the amount he'll be wanting. Besides, since the US players can't play a darn, he'll have to dumb down his playing. What a silly thing for him to do.

[Wombat]

..to the other.

From playing with two of the worlds greatest club sides to, well..LA Galaxy.

I was actually quite surprised at this move on Beckham's part. Sure, he'll get some notoriety for it, but since the US is hardly well versed on the subject of soccer, he won't get nearly the amount he'll be wanting. Besides, since the US players can't play a darn, he'll have to dumb down his playing. What a silly thing for him to do.

Not really Izzy. Age or boredom already seems to have taken care of the dumbing down of his own playing judging by his lethargic performances at the World Cup Finals last year. He can still bend a free kick but he didn't see much of the ball in open play.

[Nanohedron]

Some spin from Dub's link:

AEG president Timothy J. Leiweke said: "David Beckham will have a greater impact on soccer in America than any athlete has ever had on a sport globally.

"David is truly the only individual that can build the 'bridge' between soccer in America and the rest of the world."

He's got his work cut out for him. Saw a TV bit on him (quite the hair-boy, by the way) yesterday going on about how his mission was to raise the collective U.S. consciousness about the sport and make it popular. Then an interview with some soccer-playing kids: "Do you think that that's why he's doing this, or is it for the money?"

Jaded group reply: "Hnh. For the money."

[Wombat]

Some spin from Dub's link:

AEG president Timothy J. Leiweke said: "David Beckham will have a greater impact on soccer in America than any athlete has ever had on a sport globally.

"David is truly the only individual that can build the 'bridge' between soccer in America and the rest of the world."

He's got his work cut out for him. Saw a TV bit on him (quite the hair-boy, by the way) yesterday going on about how his mission was to raise the collective U.S. consciousness about the sport and make it popular. Then an interview with some soccer-playing kids: "Do you think that that's why he's doing this, or is it for the money?"

Jaded group reply: "Hnh. For the money."

I wonder from this report whether the Americans have any idea what they are getting. I saw a documentary on David Beckham recently in which he came across as quite likeable, in much the same way that a big boofy dog might be likeable. Pleasant enough but shy, very inarticulate and private, in the way that celebrities get to be.

As for consciousness raising or bridge building .... eh? Beckham is by no means the sharpest tool in the kit. On the whole, it's best if somebody else does the talking. But ..eh ... not Victoria.

They called their kid Brooklyn because that's where they were when he was conceived. Just as well they didn't get frisky in the Bronx, Muskogee or Nantucket.