Now that Beckham has traveled for a few MLS games but has only played in one game for about 20 minutes, do you think that the Beckham effect is having a good/bad or maybe even non-effect on the league? there was a lot of buzz when he signed and when he first joined the team but it appears now with his ankle problem there has been some backlash. I guess most of the backlash is not that he is hurt. But how MLS teams have either hiked up the price for LA Galaxy matches, packaged them in with other games, or marketed the game as the only Beckham appearance of the year. I wonder what people's opinions are and whether if MLS teams had to do it over again would they do the same things over. Also what impact you think this may have on the league now and in the future? Do you think people who saw the following: 20 mins of beckham in DC Beckham on the bench in NE Beckham not showing on FC dallas Beckham showing up in Toronto in a suit will keep coming to MLS games?
Good, for sure. Toronto sells out every game whether Becks plays or not so it's impossible to gauge the effect he's had here. But look at New York where attendance has gone 10,000 (Chivas) . . . 10,000 (Toronto) . . . 55,000 and counting (LA). Obviously there are many fans who will see that LA game and will not be back (especially since I don't think Becks will play). The "Beckham effect" won't be nearly as dramatic for other venues but he is certainly raising the league's profile and can only have a positive effect on attendance once he's playing regularly. And then again, remember what they say: any publicity is good publicity . . . cheers, Ted
Haha! Beckham's effect on the MLS & soccer in general in this country is good short term but long term it won't change anything. The Galaxy/Red Bulls game was high scoring but anyone who follows or understands the sport knows very well high scoring games like that are rare & few & far between. Somebody on another thread posted that the Galaxy & the MLS never chased down Beckham for being one of the best player's in the world ...(Which he's not!) but went after him for his image which is exactly right & that's what's exactly wrong about the direction the MLS & it's key investors are taking. In this sport we all love it's true quality of a player rather than image that stands the test of time. The good old American corporate money making machine that designed this grand plan with all the Beckham hype just doesn't understand the true nature of the game & that's why other than making Beckham ton's of money as well as the Galaxy owners along with the main investors' of the MLS this will all fail. I live in Southern California & the Los Angeles/Hollyweird culture is a weird little sub-culture that thrives within the general American culture. It's a fast food culture so to say. Create a hype, get the people in, get their money, get them out, laugh all the way to the bank! Here today, gone tomorrow! That's why I'm pretty sure a year from now all this hyped up Beckham three ring circus will have died down & there will be another freak show to step up & take it's place! Beckham was as I've already stated in other post here on other threads an average, nothing special player in his time in Europe. The key was he was a member of two very big & powerful clubs that were loaded with some of the best players' in the world so of course an average player is going to look much better than he actually is when all his teammates' are world class players'! Beckham's real gift is he's very media savy. He understands how to use a media fourm to his advantage & he's been able to reinvent himself over & over again when former club & national team managers' have put him out to pasture. Beckham might not be a great player, he's not even the best player in the MLS but Beckham is no fool. The people that buy into all this hype are the fools! Like I've mentioned Beckham was brought here to sell tickets & for his image & not for being a world class player. He fit's right in out here with his Rodeo Drive look & that's what's most important to the people that brought him over here that are now going to shove Beckham down everyones' throats every chance they get to make their money & then they, along with Beckham will be gone. That's where this league, the MLS is going wrong. They are pumping up an image. In Europe & South America where the real leagues are, the powerful ones' club owners', managers' & fans' really don't care about a player's image. What they care about is if that player can ... Walk the walk! It's about the quality of play & the level of talent that counts most of all in say leagues like the EPL, La Liga, serie A & the German leagues. The MLS has painted it'self into a corner now by bringing Beckham over for the insane amount of money they are giving him. Does anybody really think that players' like say Rooney,Messi, Ronaldo,Hardgreaves, David Villa, Fernando Torres, Gerrard, Joe Cole or any other world class player on top of his game would come over to America to play in the MLS for anything less than what Beckham's getting? .... Of course not! Players' like I've just mentioned would want & demand far more & why not! They are all so much better than Beckham. In the MLS the league & the club owners just cannot afford to splash out that kind of money on a regular basis as they don't have it. Like I said Beckham won't change anything for the sport here long term. Beckham being here was designed to make he & a small group of people a huge amount of money while trying to make you & I believe he's like the second coming of Christ, at least in the soccer world!
Haha! Almost forgot. When you look at the structure of the MLS there are only a few clubs' ...( The Galaxy being one of them) ... That can actually afford to splash out the kind of cash they did for Beckham. 30 years ago the same formula was used with the old NASL. In that league it was the Cosmo's of New York that were the big spenders'! Other than maybe the Aztec's of Los Angeles there were very few clubs' in that league that could spend that kind of cash on players' & that's part of the problem with this league the MLS. History repeats it'self once again sorry to say! It's also one of the reason's the MLS will never be as big or reach the quality of skill to be found in the big leagues in Europe. If you look at the EPL, La Liga in Spain, serie A in Italy, The top leagues' in Germany, Holland, France & Portugal every single one of the clubs' in the top flight of those leagues forks out millions upon millions each year for the best players' they can find in order to compete. This is why the same big named clubs' all over Europe in every single one of the leagues I've just mentioned does so well each year. The differience is in Europe these clubs in every single one of these leagues is in it for the long run! Different cultures' produce different business practices & the owners of the MLS know this but actually don't care as bringing Beckham here is for short term, high profit gains & once these people along with Beckham make their money they will be gone. Chances are I'm very unpopular here on the forum as the many love letters' I get in personal messages each time I sign on is proof in the pudding! What I've found is there is a ...(Cult of David Beckham) That is alive & kicking & just as if somebody in America speaks up against George W. Bush if you speak up against David Beckham your going to catch major stick for it! Funny thing is though most of these die hard Cult of David Beckham back slappers' are just hype & fad addicts' that have jumped on the Beckham Band Wagon & they know very little about him in reality. They watch too much tv, play too many computer games & cannot tell the differience between what's real & mere hyped up illusion! A year from now all this Beckham this, & Beckham that will have for the most part blown over & these same sheep will be caught up in the latest hyped up alter reality!
So you feel it's up to you to set all of us straight. To let us know what the real deal is because we're too stupid to know the difference between "fantasy Becham" football and the "real" football. Why does the Becham mania bother you so much? I've played and followed this game all my life. I know how soccer is played in Europe and South America. I'm sure that many people here that think the Becham signing is awesome are also very knowledgeable soccer fans and players. Your opinion is your opinion. But I understand, you want to set everyone straight cuz apparently noone on these boards understands the game like you do. Why does the Becham buz bother you so much? Why?
well I for one am hoping beyond hope that we dont have a bajillion "what's the beckham effect after____ weeks or ____months" threads from here until eternity. but as with many things I am certain I will be dissapointed.
Of course "Good" Have you heard this many people talking about soccer in America... EVER? Have you seen this much soccer coverage in America ....EVER??? Have u seen 66k people in Giants stadium watching America soccer..EVER? Have u ever seen fans of MLS from other countries ...EVER? Yeah... theres bad crAp that has happened but the good stuff is totally outweighing the bad.... Simon Allen WORLD SOCCER WRAP on i-tunes
David Beckham could train with AC Milan to extend England career David Beckham has been offered the opportunity to train with AC Milan. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-Milan-to-extend-England-career-Football.html
It can be difficult and frustrating being a Revs fan.... but I've gotta say that probably no team has so thoroughly p%ssed on its own as much as LA Galaxy. If Becks does this, then he is shown to be a dishonorable narcissistic chump. The Galaxy management shown to be a gaggle of dishonorable chumps. MLS shown to be just plain ol' chumps. And the Biggest Chumpeens shown are those of us, such as I, who bought into the idea that Beckham was committed to his American experiment, and that the league would have 5 years to build itself to a new level. F&%k 'im, & er, & em
Not that I really care about AEG/Becks or LA as a Quakes fan however, with all respect to the MLS, I think he is doing this to secure a WC spot for England. I'm not so sure I can blame him though.
Isn't this just for the off season? The LA Galaxy are out of the playoffs, and Becks is just showing that he doesn't mind playing in more games even during the off season. Much more then the Revs can say.... RRRREV IT UP