Beckham's new deal?!?!?

**htownclone** · 01-12-2007, 07:31 AM

So in case you haven't heard. David Beckham just signed a 5 year/$250 million contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Now I understand Beckham is one of the biggest names in the sport, but $50 million per year just seems ridiculous. If you do the math, that is roughly $1 million a week. $1 MILLION...IN A WEEK!

Although the MLS will surely gain in popularity from bringing him over from Europe, do you think that it is worth the price tag on him? I don't believe that bringing one player, even Beckham, into the league will revive a suffering league and sport in the U.S. I would say the chances that it will jump start the MLS are about the same as the Spice Girls getting back together.

**cycloneworld** · 01-12-2007, 07:52 AM

Where is the national media and their outrage?!?! When ARod signed that huge deal...people were all over him.

This guy will be making TWICE what ARod makes...playing soccer...which no one cares about.

**mwitt** · 01-12-2007, 08:05 AM

A-Rod's 252 was strictly his salary. Beckham's 250 includes endorsements. Still ridiculous, though.

**joepublic** · 01-12-2007, 08:10 AM

What's soccer?

A couple years' back I was in a pub in Kinsale, Ireland and we were talking to a couple locals. They kept mentioning "Posh" and "Becks" and eventually I figured out Posh was a Spice Girl. But I had to ask who "Becks" was and they looked at me like I was from another planet.

As our trip wore on, I was watching Sky News. Every day the lead story on the frigging news was Posh and Becks.

**htownclone** · 01-12-2007, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by joepublic

Every day the lead story on the frigging news was Posh and Becks.

That's because in England they are pretty much royalty. We've got too many freak shows of our own in the U.S. that take up all the media attention...Paris, Britney, etc. I don't foresee ever going into a bar in the U.S. and hearing about "Posh" and "Becks." At least, I hope to God I never do.

**cycloneworld** · 01-12-2007, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by mwitt

A-Rod's 252 was strictly his salary. Beckham's 250 includes endorsements. Still ridiculous, though.

Yeah, you're right.

However, he is guaranteed those endorsement dollars so it's pretty much salary for him...it's just not all coming directly from the team.

Anyone know what he making making across the pond?

**jay moe** · 01-12-2007, 08:21 AM

Soccer??? We play professional soccer in the US?

**Knownothing** · 01-12-2007, 08:25 AM

There would be outrage and not rightfully so if this were any other sport. Nobody really gives a rip about Soccer in the U.S. Also if he can get it he deserves it.

**EggMcClone** · 01-12-2007, 08:43 AM

I think he was making about $37 mill a year but only around $10 mill was coming from Real Madrid.

AEG has their hands in a little bit of everything so expect to see his face everywhere from now on. They're not paying him that much money just to run around and score goals.

**htownclone** · 01-12-2007, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by EggMcClone

I think he was making about $37 mill a year but only around $10 mill was coming from Real Madrid.

AEG has their hands in a little bit of everything so expect to see his face everywhere from now on. They're not paying him that much money just to run around and score goals.

Actually he only made $6.7 million in salary from Real Madrid(Only!

) He made an additional $30 million in endorsements. Reguardless, it's a ridiculous amount of money for a player that has already reached his peak.

**BryceC** · 01-12-2007, 09:25 AM

This seems like a last ditch effort to add legitimacy to a league that is struggling to find fans in the US. I think soccer is a wonderful sport, I just don't want to watch it.

Frankly, I think this move will be the deciding move either way if the league is going to stick around or die.

**cycloneworld** · 01-12-2007, 09:27 AM

Why does the US not care about soccer when the rest of the world goes f'ing crazy for it?!

I think it's because we have the NFL which is far, far more entertaining.

**soccercy** · 01-12-2007, 09:46 AM

To say nobody cares about soccer in the US is simply ignorant. Soccer is the #1 sport in terms of youth participation in the US, the number one, more than any other sport. I don't care if you like soccer or not, that is your own choice, but to disregard it simply because you don't know anything about it is foolish.
MLS isn't struggling, they are consistently building soccer specific stadiums for their teams, they have expanded the league again this year with a team in Toronto and plan to expand in the near future. Adding a name like Beckham gives legitimacy to the league. He may be past his prime but don't be surprised to see a few more names come over soon.

**cycloneworld** · 01-12-2007, 09:49 AM

That may be true soccercy, but most people don't care about soccer. No one really cares about the World Cup which is a freakin' huge deal everywhere else, obviously a lot of people do but in general no ones does.

No one watches MLS (see ratings).

Many people couldn't name 2 US soccer players.

You may not like it but that's the truth.

**HGPuck** · 01-12-2007, 09:59 AM

It sounds like he will be making about 9 million a year in salary for five years according to reports. I follow football pretty closely and its not that big of a deal, an overrated player coming to a league thats not that good. The MLS would have to get a half dozen other players of his caliber to raise the level of play. To be honest the MLS doesnt really play the same game as the rest of the world.