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David Beckham signs with LA Galaxy!


DJ V Lawrence

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4462027.html

Five-year, $250 Million dollar contract.

I'm in shock and awe. We in America have talked about "what-ifs" for a while as to what if Beckham signed in MLS after his prime, but I don't think anyone thought he would sign at 31. Alex Rodriguez signed a $250 contract as well for the Yankees, but I think that was a 10-year deal. This is five.

I'll be starting the Dynamo thread soon, but man, this is big. The U.S. was still reeling from not signing Kinsmann as coach (yet), and losing felow Texans Clint Demsley to English League, and end up responding with the biggest contract signing in American sports history.

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I equated it to A-Rods deal in my mind as soon as I heard the news too. How in the heck are they going to pay this guy? That is absolutely insane.

I'm not even a soccer fan, but this gets me hyped up. Mostly becasue I think this will help propel American soccer into getting better players which will then make American soccer talent better in general. Not only will it bring better competition, but a new style of play that without a doubt be more of an advantege than disadvantage.

Beckham is about to be an even huger star than he is now since he's living in LA.

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The article doesn't say $250 million in salary, it says $250 in salary and endorsement $'s. Out the $50MM a year, my guess is at most $20-25M of that is coming from the Galaxy. That is a lot still, I agree, but I bet there are clauses that he takes a % of the revenue from merchandise, plus they are expecting he will pick up american endorsement deals he didn't previously have. Blows away anything the Galaxy or MLS has paid for players in the past, but its probably not guaranteed $'s, like for A Rod.

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This is the only way the Beckhams will get popular here.

Remember last year when he and his wife "toured the States"? They were hoping people would pay attention, but nobody really cared. It was a bit of a flop.

I was in the UK at the time and it was all over the news.

So this time since he's living here maybe somebody will care.

Not talking soccer, just the socialite set.

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This is the only way the Beckhams will get popular here.

Remember last year when he and his wife "toured the States"? They were hoping people would pay attention, but nobody really cared. It was a bit of a flop.

I was in the UK at the time and it was all over the news.

So this time since he's living here maybe somebody will care.

Not talking soccer, just the socialite set.

I remember that. David used to talk about how he used to enjoy coming to the States because it was the only place on earth he could go to without getting hounded on the streets. This is the same dude that has a shrine in a buddist temple in Thailand for people to worship (no joke).

I think people in America will pay attention to him this time, plus this will make him a household name for one reason only: money. Americans seem to pay attention to sports more when lots of money is involved. I really don't know if he and the Galaxy will be able to dethrone the Dynamo this year (though they beat us without Becks last year). His Hollywood endorsements, international presence, and A-list status as a celeb is where he's gonna bring MLS money back.

My biggest question on Becks is if he still has the skills to be a starter for England in the 2010 World Cup. If so, MLS has brought themselves into a league that will be respected like the others in the states. If not, Beckham's value is in jeopardy. Either way, MLS's value has gone up.

Lastly, as pointed out in this thread, we don't know where the $50 million will come from yet. It's either guaranteed, endorsement deals, or incentives. We'll probably find out later this week. The world is watching the states, though. That's all MLS wanted.

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The value being quoted is calculated a little differently than what you're used to in US sporting deals.

MLS will pay roughly 400k of his salary. The Galaxy (and sponsors) will cover roughly $10 million. The other $40 million per year is the expected value of what Beckham will get from his image rights, which are not always held by the player in Europe (I believ Real Madrid gets half of the profits from selling his image in his current contract).

The Galaxy will probably cover most of their portion through a jersey sponsor. For those that dont know, MLS is allowing teams to have a single sponsor on the front of their jerseys this year, which will bring US soccer jerseys in line with the rest of the world. There will be a team patch on the left breast, and a big corporate logo on the front.

What this means is that every single LA Galaxy jersey, including a whole bunch with the name Beckham on the back sold to people who arent even Galaxy fan, are going to have some lucky companies logo right there for everyone to see. The Galaxy will get big bucks for their jersey sponsor now that they have Becks.

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Predictable as far as which team he'd end up signing with. I knew it would either be L.A. or New York (they do have an MLS team?) After all, they're the only cities that matter.

It was just the perfect fit. Beckham is Hollywood. The most famous athlete in the world except the states. If successful in terms of winning, and in terms of American popularity, he has a lot to gain. Plus the fact that his teammate is soccer star (and I think over-rated) Landon Donovan. Here's a pic or two from the front-pages of a couple media outlets...

beckham3_412.jpg

www.espn.com home page

image-custom.jpg

Front Page of the Houston Chronicle www.houstonchronicle.com

27323857.jpg

Front page of the LA Times www.latimes.com

6358358_18_1.jpg

www.foxsports.com home page

More than anything, I'm excited for American soccer. Perhaps more young talent will work towards taking their basketball and football skills and putting it on a soccer ball like Clint Demsley did. If that happens, perhaps we could finally have a World Cup within our grasps. Sounds far-fetched, but if Becks is able to create that media around American soccer, perhaps more youth will watch.

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More than anything, I'm excited for American soccer. Perhaps more young talent will work towards taking their basketball and football skills and putting it on a soccer ball like Clint Demsley did. If that happens, perhaps we could finally have a World Cup within our grasps. Sounds far-fetched, but if Becks is able to create that media around American soccer, perhaps more youth will watch.

Ugh, I'm not in total agreement. I hope the kids that already play will see and imitate his play, but as for taking kids away from our major sports, no thanks. I'd like the competition in our sports to stay at a high level so when they get to the top, I'll have something worth watching :)

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I hope the kids that already play will see and imitate his play, but as for taking kids away from our major sports, no thanks.

Now THAT'S the biggest question. Is soccer now officially one of America's major sports?

Fans of the other American sports leagues have been trying to brush soccer under the rug for years, but how can you ignore MLS after this past off-season? Adu gets traded to Salt Lake, Demsley goes to the English league for a record transaction, DC United gets bought for a record amount, a new team (Toronto FC) is coming in next season, new stadiums are being built, MLS announces they'll allow teams to sign big-name players into the league for big contracts, and now Beckham gets signed to a record deal into the league at 31. This is all after Dynamo moves to Houston and win a championship.

Also, ABC, ESPN, and Univision announced last week they'll be broadcasting the European Cup in 2008. They'll also cover the Gold Cup and Copa America this year. If there's anything Americans don't ignore, it's money. Did MLS succeed with making themselves big enough to eventually become one of the top four leagues in America?

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. . ."Beckham, the former English captain who also starred for Manchester United, will join the Galaxy after his contract with Real Madrid expires on June 30. Los Angeles opens its season April 8 in Houston"

Should bring a few planes full of media to Houston for this. I am sure this is going to be covered around the world.

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. . ."Beckham, the former English captain who also starred for Manchester United, will join the Galaxy after his contract with Real Madrid expires on June 30. Los Angeles opens its season April 8 in Houston"

Should bring a few planes full of media to Houston for this. I am sure this is going to be covered around the world.

soc_smh_beckham_412.jpg

(the new www.espn.com homepage 4 now)

Beckham's debut in Houston will either be in August or September.

It will still probably be a big crowd for the season opener since it will be a Championship party for Dynamo that night. Will it pass last season's record at Robertson for MLS at 25,000+ before Beckham arrives, we'll have to wait until April to find out. If that does happen, it's a big boost for H-Town.

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soc_smh_beckham_412.jpg

(the new www.espn.com homepage 4 now)

Beckham's debut in Houston will either be in August or September.

It will still probably be a big crowd for the season opener since it will be a Championship party for Dynamo that night. Will it pass last season's record at Robertson for MLS at 25,000+ before Beckham arrives, we'll have to wait until April to find out. If that does happen, it's a big boost for H-Town.

I would love to go to that game. I am sure it is already sold out! :huh:

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I would love to go to that game. I am sure it is already sold out! :huh:

Actually, tickets for that game aren't on sale yet. And the date and site haven't been announced yet. Yes, I say site.

ABC13 reported tonight that the Galaxy/Dynamo match where Beckham makes his Houston debut may very well be at Reliant Stadium. The same two teams played for the Club America/Barcelona double-header. Now, they'll be the headliners.

Also, Oliver Luck made a statement tonight that Dynamo are very much active in looking for an international superstar answer to Becks to play for Houston. No one can match Beck's starpower (Except Ronaldhino from Barcelona. Imagine THAT for Dynamo), but Luck says instead of Europe, he's looking toward Mexico or South America for the major star to compliment Ching and De Rosario.

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Actually, tickets for that game aren't on sale yet. And the date and site haven't been announced yet. Yes, I say site.

ABC13 reported tonight that the Galaxy/Dynamo match where Beckham makes his Houston debut may very well be at Reliant Stadium. The same two teams played for the Club America/Barcelona double-header. Now, they'll be the headliners.

Also, Oliver Luck made a statement tonight that Dynamo are very much active in looking for an international superstar answer to Becks to play for Houston. No one can match Beck's starpower (Except Ronaldhino from Barcelona. Imagine THAT for Dynamo), but Luck says instead of Europe, he's looking toward Mexico or South America for the major star to compliment Ching and De Rosario.

I bet they could sell that stadium out without a problem. How incredible would that be???

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I bet they could sell that stadium out without a problem. How incredible would that be???

That's why Houston may be the biggest winner of all in the Beckham deal. We'd be the first MLS team to build a stadium for Dynamo in the Beckham-era. Everyone else either has already built stadiums for their teams, or have already created renderings and plans for new stadiums, including Toronto. We very well may be the team that builds the biggest and best soccer-only stadium in MLS, being that we have a healthy attendance at Robertson, and Beckham's able to bring at least 10-20,000 more to a stadium than normal. Plus the amount of luxury suites for Dynamo's new stadium? AND the fact that we'll also be signing a major star on the team with the championship team we already have?!

> :)

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Did any of you guys read the Chronicle column today suggesting that a downtown soccer venue would be the best for Houston and the Dynamo? I totally agree. And this Beckham thing... will bring the fans whether it is here or in Frisco. Except, I just don't like soccer. Gotta get therapy.

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That's why Houston may be the biggest winner of all in the Beckham deal. We'd be the first MLS team to build a stadium for Dynamo in the Beckham-era. Everyone else either has already built stadiums for their teams, or have already created renderings and plans for new stadiums, including Toronto. We very well may be the team that builds the biggest and best soccer-only stadium in MLS, being that we have a healthy attendance at Robertson, and Beckham's able to bring at least 10-20,000 more to a stadium than normal. Plus the amount of luxury suites for Dynamo's new stadium? AND the fact that we'll also be signing a major star on the team with the championship team we already have?!

> :)

Wouldn't that be just a waste of money? If it's done with private money, then of course I could care less. But why build them a stadium if Reliant will do just fine? I don't know what a normal soccer stadium is like so I might be a little ignorant on this topic. But I'm sure that the team could just use the lower half of Reliant and it would be perfectly adequate. A new stadium for them seems cool, but also a waste of money if done with public money.

Will the Texans even let them use it? Can't they lease it out to them? And what's wrong with Robertson, too small?

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Wouldn't that be just a waste of money? If it's done with private money, then of course I could care less. But why build them a stadium if Reliant will do just fine? I don't know what a normal soccer stadium is like so I might be a little ignorant on this topic. But I'm sure that the team could just use the lower half of Reliant and it would be perfectly adequate. A new stadium for them seems cool, but also a waste of money if done with public money.

Will the Texans even let them use it? Can't they lease it out to them? And what's wrong with Robertson, too small?

Robertson is a temporary home, because it belongs to UH. Reliant can be used when the event is right and as long as it doesn't conflict with Texans gams and HLS&R obviously.

There's two problems with Reliant Stadium long-term.

1) It's much more expensive to run or rent Reliant than it is to play at Robertson. Last season, their highest attendance was 25,000 at Robertson. (They had 70,000 at Reliant for the double-header, but Ronaldhino was there). Even if Dynamo had 40,000 at Reliant, they would still get a bigger profit at Robertson because of how much it costs to rent out Reliant.

2) Much more money is made with their own stadium. If they were to play at Reliant, it still costs the team and taxpayers money to maintain. If they have their own stadium, the tickets, luxury suites, and naming rights go to the MLS team. In turn, because of this Beckham deal, other teams with their own stadiums and sources of extra income could work to bring a megastar of their own to their city to compliment the stars already on their team.

If a team stays at another team's stadium, they're renting out another team's facility while that other team has the first say as to who gets to use it. And it will cost more to rent out than to have a stadium of your own, which you could rent out to someone else. It's like going from tenant to landlord.

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Robertson is a temporary home, because it belongs to UH. Reliant can be used when the event is right and as long as it doesn't conflict with Texans gams and HLS&R obviously.

There's two problems with Reliant Stadium long-term.

1) It's much more expensive to run or rent Reliant than it is to play at Robertson. Last season, their highest attendance was 25,000 at Robertson. (They had 70,000 at Reliant for the double-header, but Ronaldhino was there). Even if Dynamo had 40,000 at Reliant, they would still get a bigger profit at Robertson because of how much it costs to rent out Reliant.

2) Much more money is made with their own stadium. If they were to play at Reliant, it still costs the team and taxpayers money to maintain. If they have their own stadium, the tickets, luxury suites, and naming rights go to the MLS team. In turn, because of this Beckham deal, other teams with their own stadiums and sources of extra income could work to bring a megastar of their own to their city to compliment the stars already on their team.

If a team stays at another team's stadium, they're renting out another team's facility while that other team has the first say as to who gets to use it. And it will cost more to rent out than to have a stadium of your own, which you could rent out to someone else. It's like going from tenant to landlord.

Well if they do decide to build one, lets just hope that the MLS doesn't tank and then there's a worthless major league soccer stadium downtown or wherever they build it.

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Well if they do decide to build one, lets just hope that the MLS doesn't tank and then there's a worthless major league soccer stadium downtown or wherever they build it.

I think it's safe to say it's not gonna pull off an NASL (signing big names well past their prime, then folding.) Becks is 31, and still has a lot left. The goal of MLS with Becks' transaction, plus Demsley going to England and Adu sure to be next, is to become one of the premier leagues in soccer, in turn make them one of the more watched leagues in America which would increase American endorsement deals, which would bring more interest into playing the sport and improving talent at a younger age (i.e. high school and college), and in the end improve the U.S.'s talent on the World Cup squad. The ultimate goal is to win the most prized title in all sports, and to have a nasty after-party to go along with it.

The Beckham deal is a big one, but it surely isn't the last. Every MLS team will either be signing a big name overseas star within the next three years, or trade that right for a major prospect. Houston announced they're pursuing a star from Mexico or South America while in their prime to improve their chances of repeating at the MLS Cup.

---

Now THIS is where I think Houston may have the advantage. Check this out from the BBC:

LA Galaxy admitted their interest in signing Beckham in November, when general manager Alexi Lalas told the BBC Sport website of his admiration for the former England captain.

In an exclusive interview, Lalas said: "The Los Angeles Galaxy are looked upon as the jewel of Major League Soccer.

"We play in the best stadium, we have had incredible success over the history of the league, we have had great individual players and great teams. There's a tradition of excellence.

"All of this leads to this race to become the first MLS super club, if you will.

Yea, LA Galaxy will get their money from the attendance spike, plus their endorsements, but their stadium is built, and it will sell out at 25,000-30,000 tops. Houston hasn't built theirs yet, but if they're able to build a crowd at Robertson where it regularly exceeds LA's crowd, and they're able to build a stadium within the loop that has at least 10,000 more seats than LA, twice as many luxury boxes, and THAT'S able to sell-out, Houston could give Galaxy a run for their money as the SuperClub of American soccer. Dynamo would recieve more stadium revenue than any team in MLS.

Both clubs have won 5 of the last 6 MLS titles, and are second and third in MLS titles to DC United. Galaxy used their star-contract on Beckham, whereas Dynamo's still looking. They don't have to use it this year, since their attendance will be high when Becks comes. Dynamo picked the right season to win a title.

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Although soccer is one of the most popular if not the most popular among kids in America, MLS still needs to win over the adult sports tv viewer. That's gonna be hard to do.

I agree; that is a major question mark. It's obvious that there are many sports fans in America, many "sports critics" in America (even though a majority of American critics don't follow the world's biggest sport), and there's a huge amount of soccer/football fans in America, which is shown when international clubs are able to sell out NFL stadiums and ratings are healthy during World Cup time. The question now is if MLS has finally tapped the market in terms of getting those fans of soccer and/or sports to follow MLS as we do the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and the World Cup. Will the supposedly greatest athletic country in the world succeed in having one of the premier soccer leagues in the world?

I think Beckham is a great step to that, but it's nowhere near enough. I think MLS will succeed this year in terms of fans in the stands, but if people will tune in to MLS with high numbers remains to be seen. This is just the beginning in terms of big-name signing in MLS. I hope the rumor is true and New York Red Bull get Ronaldo at 33, 'cause he's older, he'll bring many people to the stands in New York, and they'll waste their star pick.

If MLS REALLY wants to show they've arrived (and Dynamo), they'll sign a star who is young and at his prime, like, I dunno, Ronaldhino or Eto of Barcelona. The best player in the world. If they were capable of bringing him and players like him before he were 30, MLS will be one of the powerhouse leagues not just in America, but the world. I also think if Ronaldhino were to go to Dynamo, it would be a bigger contract than A-Rods or Beckhams. It'd probably be at least a $300 Million signing with endorsements. If American sports is serious about being taken seriously on an international scale, that may be worth it.

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I agree; that is a major question mark. It's obvious that there are many sports fans in America, many "sports critics" in America (even though a majority of American critics don't follow the world's biggest sport), and there's a huge amount of soccer/football fans in America, which is shown when international clubs are able to sell out NFL stadiums and ratings are healthy during World Cup time. The question now is if MLS has finally tapped the market in terms of getting those fans of soccer and/or sports to follow MLS as we do the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and the World Cup. Will the supposedly greatest athletic country in the world succeed in having one of the premier soccer leagues in the world?

I think Beckham is a great step to that, but it's nowhere near enough. I think MLS will succeed this year in terms of fans in the stands, but if people will tune in to MLS with high numbers remains to be seen. This is just the beginning in terms of big-name signing in MLS. I hope the rumor is true and New York Red Bull get Ronaldo at 33, 'cause he's older, he'll bring many people to the stands in New York, and they'll waste their star pick.

If MLS REALLY wants to show they've arrived (and Dynamo), they'll sign a star who is young and at his prime, like, I dunno, Ronaldhino or Eto of Barcelona. The best player in the world. If they were capable of bringing him and players like him before he were 30, MLS will be one of the powerhouse leagues not just in America, but the world. I also think if Ronaldhino were to go to Dynamo, it would be a bigger contract than A-Rods or Beckhams. It'd probably be at least a $300 Million signing with endorsements. If American sports is serious about being taken seriously on an international scale, that may be worth it.

Do they have any kind of tv contract? Maybe something the MLS could do is do something like the NFL did this year in their flex schedule and show marquee matchups. I would only do it once or twice a week at the most though. And I don't know if this would work logistically, but they could choose it say, midweek or one week prior? It seemed like the NFL chose about two weeks in advance and some of the games were kinda duds b/c star players had gotten hurt after they chose the matchup. I don't know how often soccer players get hurt. I know they sure do whine and act a lot.

How often do teams play anyway?

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Do they have any kind of tv contract?

Yea. ABC shows a marquee match each weekend (usually Saturday), ESPN shows a few, and ESPN 2 shows a majority of the games during the week. If Dynamo's game isn't national, it's either on FSN, FSSW, or on TV51 like the Rockets.

I don't know the spanish schedule, but they cover MLS, Mexican leagues, and South American leagues. They show a lot of Chivas USA though.

How often do teams play anyway?

Teams play around 2-4 times a week give or take.

I read on the Chronicle this morning that Oliver Luck is looking for an answer to Beckman for the Dynamo.

Let's hope it's someone in their prime and under 30. If Dynamo get better because of him, they'll get the higher consistant attendance they're looking for. Like I said, I think Houston has won more than anyone when it comes to the Beckham signing.

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/soc/4466713.html

The next team that could draw blood in the MLS major signing war is our other arch rival, FC Dallas.

The next could be Dutch star Edgar Davids, who has lost his place in the starting Tottenham lineup in England and is holding talks with FC Dallas.

edgar-davids.jpg

He's world-famous for his ruthless, aggressive style of play, his trademark glasses, and speed. This is another player who's probably a household name every country except the states. If he were signed, it won't be nearly as big as Becks, but FC Dallas will be a much tougher team with a guy like him pushing the speed button.

The dude's 34. He'd be a good passer for Hoops, but yeah, lets hope the Dynamo are smart in getting someone that's less than 30, and isn't past their prime.

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Good luck, MSL. These big-money signings will put you on a fast track to implosion. You will ride a wave of curiosity for a few months then settle back into obscurity. This time, though, you will be drowning in red ink.

Beckham's signing stinks of desperation -- like radical treatment to cure a terminal illness. I think its a huge gamble by a guy with more money than sense hoping he can single-handedly shift the paradigm of American sports by hiring a golden boy. Obviously, other teams -- a couple of which this same guy owns -- will be pressured to follow suit to compete. Only, the fan base isn't here. As teams fold, even the core fans will start to lose interest.

Does anyone remember the Pele NASL experiment?

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