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Becks!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...pe/6248835.stm
Beckham agrees to LA Galaxy move
David Beckham will leave Real Madrid and join Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy at the end of the season.
The 31-year-old former England captain will sign a five-year deal, reportedly worth £128m.
Beckham said: "This week Real asked me to make a decision regarding their offer to extend my contract.
"After considering several options to stay in Madrid or join other major British and European teams, I have decided to join LA Galaxy."
In a statement, Beckham continued: "I would like to thank the supporters and people of Madrid who have made my family and I feel so welcome in my time here, making this an extremely difficult decision to make.
I am proud to have played for two of the biggest clubs in football
David Beckham
"I have enjoyed my time in Spain enormously and I am extremely grateful to the club for giving me the opportunity to play for such a great team and their amazing fans.
"I am proud to have played for two of the biggest clubs in football and I look forward to the new challenge of growing the world's most popular game in a country that is as passionate about its sport as my own.
"For the rest of this season I will continue to give 100% to my coach, team-mates and fans as I believe manager Fabio Capello will bring this club and its supporters the success they truly deserve."
Real Madrid confirmed Beckham's departure in a statement, saying: "Both parties have agreed that Beckham will not extend his current contract, which ends on 30 June 2007."
Beckham left Manchester United in July 2003 to sign for Real, who paid £25m for the midfielder's services.
However, in the three-and-a-half seasons since his arrival, the Spanish giants have failed to win any major trophies.
This season has proved particularly disappointing for Beckham, who was dropped by England coach Steve McClaren and then fell out of favour with Real boss Capello.
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.
"It is something we aspire to and in order to do that you have to have quality players, a direction and a passion, a good coach and you have to get credibility domestically and internationally.
Becks!
My prediction:
Won't significantly effect the MLS one iota.
If Pele couldn't spark the US professional soccer market, Beckham damn sure won't.
wrong...in terms of game, you're probably right...in terms of marketing, you're wrong
remember when real madrid played real salt lake in a friendly back in auagust? people went ape at the game because of one thing: beckham...this happens everytime he comes to the states and l.a. is certainly the place for him to be if he's going to be here at all
So 45K showed in Salt Lake to see the match and BYU averages 55K+ for each of their home games. Apeshiat? Don't think so.
Marketing? I don't know. I'd hazard a guess that if you took 10 people off the streets and asked them who David Beckham is, maybe 2 could tell you.
Nothing personal, but I just think that the MLS will remain a 3rd tier draw to the average American viewing public.
Completely wrong, Beckhams signing will impact other players, like Ronaldo, to come over which will completely shift Americans at ude towards soccer. And 2 out of 10? Come on the guy is one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. He wont change much talent wise, but the atmosphere of the MLS has been steadily changing over the last couple of years, and this helps even more
Mardigan, we'll just have to agree to disagree. I've worked all over the planet, and I realize the draw Beckham has, but that's not in the U.S. People here just don't know who he is.
I thought Pele's signing with the NY Cosmos was supposed to change Americans at udes towards soccer 30+ years ago?
I'm not opptimisitic, but hopefully this will bring more people to the game here in the US.
I agree with you on this. While basketball was already popular here, international players have made a huge impact on the sport and I think that the same will happen to football.
On a side note, 5 year 250 million is a bit steep. And we will have to disagree, because if it is on espn front page and cold pizza somebody in America has to care, otherwise ESPN is just throwing money and airtime away, so someone must care. I have been all over the world too, thats fine, but I think anyone who has ever even heard of soccer as a sport, which is a lot considering EAs Fifa game is one of the biggest selling games in the US year to year, has heard of Becks. Im not arguing that he isnt more known in other places, but the fact that it made ESPNs main page speaks volumes to me about how much more Americans are caring about the worlds sport, and this signing is going to double it. havent you seen how many premiership games that fox sports have started to air, along with espn addition of a soccer page, those things speak to me more than your opinion
Mardigan, who owns ESPN?
Who has broadcast rights to the MLS?
That's why you're seeing the coverage on ESPN.
Not much coverage here though.
Except at the top of the page where it says in bold Bechkam bends bank
The same coverage its giving to the Bonds story
250 million for five years?????? A-Rod who? I don't think he will have much success as far as the team and his personal stats go. However, he will make MLS a lot of money.
Yeah, he wont have much of an impact, just because his wheels are slowing down and the talent level in the MLS has grown, but he will make them so much f-ing money that 250 mil will eventually seem like a bargain
Also Clint Dempsey is leaving the Revolution for Fullham, showing how much better the US is becomin in soccer
Leaving Germany without any wins also shows how much better they're becoming.
Different story alltogether, tougth pool+wrong lineups+Bruce Arenas=0 wins in Germany
MLS seems to be where older, popiular South American and European players go to die.
See Hristo Stoitchkov & Carlos Valderrama.
Its true, because they are playing against lesser compe ion, can get more money and playing time, and live it up in the US. But the way I see it, players like Bekham and soon to be Ronaldo are also good mentors to our inexperienced young US players, making the US improvment slow, but steady
david beckham will be earnin 50mill a year?> nba/nfl/mlb highest salary....heck he will earn even more jordan will earn.
look if the usa teams have that much money, they can just buy out all the best players in the world to come and play there.....and what will the current players think of the salary as compared to becks or any over the hill players comin to usa.
But the comp in latin america, europe will always be better in america even if they buy all the good over the hill players who are comin there for a payday....
Beckham.... . two things:
1. i can't believe he is going to make $50 million/year
2. he will make a positive impact on the sport, i don't know that it will be enough...but i hope so
Well yeah, the US is a was a late bloomer to the sport, so there will be a huge talent gap for a long time between us and the other countries that have great club, and junior teams. Im not saying Beckham or any other over the player they ring in is going to even things up, but it does help give the US a little more confidence, and eventually will help our younger players learn things that no US coach could teach them. , what if Beckham stays in the US forever and his son ends up playing for us? You never know.
Eh, soccer is boring and it won't get big in America even with this asshat making 50 million a year.
Field's too big, players are too gay, and I think I speak for a majority of Americans when I say we like our sports fast, high scoring, and violent.
However, I do think Posh e is hot.
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