A couple of topics to consider

[smuttleydfs]

A couple of items making the US sports talk circuit in the past couple of days...........first is the great David Beckham signing for a cool 250 million with the LA Galaxy!!!!!

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/6360282

The majority of the feedback I've been hearing is "So what" Personally since Pele and others that have been brought to the states have generated a lot of new found enthusiam I'm not sure someone who is from what I've heard somewhat over the hill will pump up anymore backing. Although settling in LA with the extremely large latino community was a great choice, and they have sold 2,000 season tickets since the announcement was made. Soccer (football) is still something here in the states that is played primarily by upper middle class white kids in the suburbs mainly from families whose parents prefer the kids don't play tackle football. Major city and inner city kids especially African American kids prefer tackle football and basketball. And up north in the colder climes the white kids play hockey.

Also coming out today it looks like the NFL is going to schedule a regular season game to be played in London!!!! With the Miami Dophins against the New York Giants. Just kind of curious as to how this will play with the UK. The NFL Europe I think has dwindled to just a few teams in Germany I think and even there it really only plays well to the US military over there.

Thoughts??? Comments???

[daveduke007]

Im sure Mr BECKHAM will do a lot for LA GALAXY commercial wise but his best playing days are over and hes only gone there for the $$$

As a Manchester United fan myself I witnessed the best of David Beckham as a player at his peak and it was a privelige to watch him play for us and he is a Manchester United fan through and through himself

Our manager Sir Alex did a shrewd bit of business selling him to Real Madrid for £25,000,000 and he had cost us nothing as he had come through the youth academy at Old Trafford and we have replaced him with the "boy wonder" Christiano Ronaldo who cost only half the price we sold Beckham for, hes still only 21 and twice the player Beckham was

I wish him all the luck in the world in his new venture in the states, but you get the package of his wife too

Dave...

[stogie bear]

The Beckam issue - First off Americans do not have the room in their lives nor the desire in their hearts to embrace another national sport. Their TV calender is full and their loyalties have been exploited 'to the max' as they say!

The owner of that media empire that includes the LA football team has more money than sense and kids across the US grow out of 'socccer' when they reach about 12 years old. Understandable really, as playing this idiotic game is NOT gonna get you laid.

Soccer doesn't work as a television spectator sport because pretty much nothing of interest happens out on the field, so unless the rules are changed drastically no one is seriously gonna spend two hours of this time watching the equivelent of tennis on the TV.

Next - there is no cross generational loyalty to soccer teams. This is vital as pro sports in the US survive on integration with the cityies they play in. For example - if you are born in Dallas (or Texas) you like The Cowboys. In the UK if you are born in Norfolk you just pick a soccer team at an early age and go with it!

Finally - American sports are designed as family entertainment which includes a huge social mix of all ages and colors and political persuasions... Soccer will appeal to boys and girls under 13.

Quite simply the game doesn't entertain and whilst it continues to torture the mind to watch it the idea of it being a national sport in America will never catch on...

The NFL in the UK? Who cares... American football is played to fans of the teams NOT fans of the sport, so while one game a year will sell out, until the UK has a National Football team of it's own then you may as well keep it in the US.

[kahuna]

For and out of towner, you got it right...

[Guest]

Well its a great move for Beckham and smart , because no doubt after his career is over he will follow his wife into the entertainment business , either on the big screen or the small screen . No better place to do that than in LA , i get the feeling we will start to see him in some smaller roles even within the next year or 2 .


Umm sorry yeah i dont think this move has anything to do with football .

[stogie bear]

Beckam will always outstrip his wife as far as earning potential goes. However she's a smart one and will probably spend it better!

Beckam will be (one of) the official announcer(s) on the TV broadcasts for every game on American TV much as Troy Aickman is on Fox for the NFL broadcasts. Look for blanket coverage of him in a couple of years time during the next world cup.

Good luck to him and his family. I hope they get the serenity and peace they have earned by stepping out of the madness that is the UK media spotlight and into the bizarre arena of California celebrities, where they will be better treated (and I suspect, better suited.)

[allstar88]

good luck to becks i think its more of a family move than a career move.the yanks will never embrace football(soccer)as the rest of the world as it can be  a dull 0-0 draw at times! as for gridiron coming to england for the odd game it will work but only the odd game ,they  tried before with the london monarchs and it did not work            

[daveduke007]

(monkeyman @ Jan. 13 2007,05:21) no doubt after his career is over he will follow his wife into the entertainment business , either on the big screen or the small screen ..

He will have to have a "voice over"

[Guest]

Call me crazy, but I always thought Posh was super fucking hot.

I know she's getting a little older, and sometimes looks a little strained, but I'd still nail her hard.

[Guest]

soccer will always be a fringe sport in the US at best.

beckham will never see all of that money. what will happenn to his endorsements whenn no one pays attention to the reason he is there-the soccer??

i like football but we get about 4-5 matches here in america evey weekend. why shold i watch an inferior product aka the MLS?? I wouldnt watch MLS if they played in my backyard!!!

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!

[daveduke007]

(grunyen @ Jan. 13 2007,14:09) Call me crazy, but I always thought Posh was super fucking hot.

I know she's getting a little older, and sometimes looks a little strained, but I'd still nail her hard.

I actually spoke to "Posh Spice" once at Old Trafford when The Spice Girls did a half time entertainment slot during one of Manchester United's matches.

This was just before they hit the top in the music business and the day "Posh" met "Becks" so I can claim to have met her before him

She was too thin for my liking, not keen on her smile and she had a fucking great big spot on her chest

Got to admit that shes got a great pair of legs though

Dave...

[Guest]

its an amazing deal, and amazing to think that Becks might just change the whole of US sport into liking football.
i've not watched them much but US sports have always not appealed to me, everyone else in the world loves footy. but why not the US? i.e- its time for a wake up call!
i think this maybe a wake up call to them, and a very expensive but sound investment- u don't pay someone £420 million a week without knowing the facts!!!

[allstar88]

mrs.beckham

[stogie bear]

u don't pay someone £420 million a week without knowing the facts!!!

Er... quite!

[katoeylover]

One meaningfull NFL game per season would be great for the european fans of the NFL, but any more and i reckon they would have trouble filling a staium such as Old Trafford (72000) or Emirates @ 60000.

I for one would definitely go, especially if the steelers were playing.

As for the Beckhams, good for them, if someone is prepared to pay that sort of money than why not take it.