[Gotham Dark Knight]

Beckham turned down a two-year contract extension from Spanish team Real Madrid, where his fading skills left him on the bench. The Galaxy didn't say exactly what they'll pay him, but floated a figure of $250 million in salary and commercial endorsements over the five years of his contract. In other words, his move could be worth $1 million a week.

Beckham looks like a perfect fit for Los Angeles - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports

This is gonna kill the league...but hey, the sport needs a rock star...

[simple simon]

ive been waiting for this thread to show up

Soccer is not loved in the country and it never will be......Beckham or no Beckham

im sure him and Posh Spice will have fun with the glitz in L.A. ......but it wont help the sport at all

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by simple simon

ive been waiting for this thread to show up

Soccer is not loved in the country and it never will be......Beckham or no Beckham

im sure him and Posh Spice will have fun with the glitz in L.A. ......but it wont help the sport at all

I aim to please Simon...and look at you, going all Rambo on the poor little sport of soccer...come on man...come to the dark side...its a cool sport, where Strikers are like gods...and 1-nil is a high scoring game...

[Lefty Noob]

Beckham's coming to the States? Hmm... must want to play out the rest of his career in obscurity.

[simple simon]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

..and 1-nil is a high scoring game...

exactly my point

soccer is one big yaw fest

i can hear the announcer now..................well it's minute 89 and the score is 1-nil

and im like..................OMG please...isnt there something on the paint drying channel

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

Well, it is regarded as the world's most popular sport. A cliche fact, I know... but still relevant.

Maybe it's all that drinkin' and singin', drinkin' and singin'.

I feel the same way about soccer Simon, but I had one experience where I experienced soccer the way the Euros do....

One night in Honolulu (I am a U of Hawaii grad) I was working on a solo project in Waikiki, and finished a little early. I found this total dive-sports bar and figured a few beers were in order.

I sit down, I'm one of two people in the whole place (the other being the bartender), and out of nowhere, this guy sits down right next to me.

This was a little odd, I thought, because there were about 15 other places to sit in this entirely vacant drinking establishment. So this guy sits down, orders a "pint," turns to me and in a very thick british accent says, "Are ya here for the match, mate?"

Not having a clue what he was talking about, I replied, "Uh, what?"

He brought to my attention the TV residing slightly above our view from the bar, which was broadcasting a World Cup Qualifier between England and Kerkistekistanastan, I'm pretty sure.

Naturally, I explained to him I'm not much of a soccer, err, "football" fan myself, and I tend to prefer sports more of the American flavor.

At this point, my new friend ordered two, not one, pitchers of cheap lager, and proceeded to explain to me that because we were the only ones in this bar, he was going to allow me into the wonderful experience that is English Football.

And you know what? After three pitchers of beer, I was loving it. I think the score ended up 2-0. Maybe 20-0. I dunno. But we had a blast. We were singing songs I didn't know, yelling at players and refs who I certainly had no clue to what they were doing and why, and I started to understand how soccer could be a lot of fun.

I tried to watch the American matches later on when the world cup was going full tilt, but found it pretty frustrating to wake up at 6:30 am (remember, I was in Hawaii) to see U.S - 0, Everyone Else - 2 with ten minutes to play.

I'm convinced that if I got to go to some games with some serious fans, it could be a lot of fun. It's just not the type of sport you watch by yourself.

Or sober.

Regardless, I've officially put "go to at least one world cup match" on my list of things to do before I die - despite a) US Soccer will always suck, and b) I don't know ?!@! about soccer in the first place.

There's something about it we just don't get.

[EmpireWF]

Soccer may be the worlds sport but there will never come a day where it's as popular as the four major ones (yes, hockey is still #4, sorry nascar).

Even though that's a silly contract for Beckham, you imagine the PR he'll get in LA and transfer over to Europe will at least help that MLS club. I say at some point, he'll leave the sport and go into acting or something of the kind.

[alex83]

the Beckham transfer is yes in fact just for publisity, he figures by coming to the states as the most 'recognised' soccer player in the world he will be the superman who brought MLS up from the gutter and onto a world wide stage and i think the fact that his £125 salary which i hear is more than most NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL players will make under the same 5 year deal. its just a way of Beckham to come to the states, try out his Kevin Federline dress sense and rub more shoulders with A list celebrities such as Tom Cruise who he SHOCKINGLY brought a house next to only a few weeks ago, coincidence...

anyway the reason why soccer probably isnt as popular in the states as it is over here is becuase it was never at any point a major sport. in the UK we have only ever had soccer, cricket (OMG what a boring sport) and rugby the crazy mans answer to the NFL and with soccer being introduced at a time when the 4 major sports were already established it never really broke out in the states. there are arguments that it is popular in places such as California but it will never be popular in the states and i know that and im not even American. the British love soccer because yes it gives men and excuse to get drunk on a saturday or sunday, scream abuse at fans and officials and then they have an excuse to cry if they loose. in the states everything is more civil and organised, the fans dont chant so much, very little abuse is heard and going to a game is more for fun than and excuse to act like an ass. i work at Arsenal Stadium and i get a nice mix of people coming in and so far the most civil people are either families or americans, simple as that, most of the british either stink of beer or the various veins in their forehead are popping out becuase they are 'getting ready for the game'

anyway thats enough of that and simply soccer i do not see soccer being a major sport in the US with or without David 'does my hair look ok' Beckham

[Gotham Dark Knight]

...Probably the real reason (aside from our crazy love of high scores) it doesn't get much of a foot hold is, we don't play it well enough.

It's like the imfamous XFL...for all their innovations...the quality of play stunk up the field...

We import players past their prime (The New York Cosmos of the NASL come to mind) and never develop great American players with a home grown base...there is jsut so much you can cheer a 37 yearold Brazilian former star with one name collecting a paycheck...

...on top of that...the US boys have faltered badly on the World Stage...and for better or worse, America only embraces winners...

Beckham will help, but you need home grown super stars...

[azrael492]

How much of that 250 million is to get him to play and how much do you think is to get Posh Spice to come to the games. They need to get the sport popular and they are in the news all the time.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by azrael492

How much of that 250 million is to get him to play and how much do you think is to get Posh Spice to come to the games. They need to get the sport popular and they are in the news all the time.

maybe David and Posh come with a pre-define script that calls for them to make the tabloids twice a week...how else can you justify a 1/4 billion?

[alex83]

Originally Posted by azrael492

How much of that 250 million is to get him to play and how much do you think is to get Posh Spice to come to the games. They need to get the sport popular and they are in the news all the time.

well talk is that Beckham will try and get some of his famous buddies i.e. Tom Cruise or some of the people he met at the Mtv Movie Awards that for some reason he attended a few years ago which once again adds fuel to the fire suggesting that he is only there for the publicity and the money

[beglobal]

I do like soccer.. but I dont find it so important or even interesting that Beckham plays for another team or not... what I dont understand is why they get pay that much?????

[alex83]

Originally Posted by beglobal

I do like soccer.. but I dont find it so important or even interesting that Beckham plays for another team or not... what I dont understand is why they get pay that much?????

welcome to the site beglobal, to be honest i think the reason why they offered him so much is becuase they could. i dont really think he needed that much, not becuase i think its a totally ridiculous amount of money but because he probably would have come over for half that. hes coming to the states to enjoy the film, mingle with celebrities, try and get a few more bucks through endorsements and if someone gives $250mil for kicking a ball about hes probably thinking WOW ive hit a gold mine on this one.

i think the Galaxy offered him so much because they were worried someone else would take him becuase there was a lot of talk about the Red Bulls picking him up

[beglobal]

thanks for replying... I kind of understan that... but stiil it is a totally ridiculous amount of money!!!! but if they can pay it... ....