MLS stands to gain from the "Beckham Effect"

By Greg Wiley

Major League Soccer finally signed the marquee player it was seeking for the last 10 years when the Los Angeles Galaxy inked England's David Beckham to a five-year, $250 million deal on Thursday.

In the past, MLS has gone after some of the biggest names in the sport and always came up empty handed. Rumors swirled when the league first began in1996 that Germany's Jurgen Klinsmann was being sought, but nothing ever happened. Then, more recently, MLS tried to sway Brazil's Ronaldo, again coming up short. International players like Equador's Marco Etcheverry, Columbia's Carlos Valderrama and Italy's Roberto Donadoni all played in the league, but in reality those players were never at the level of popularity of Beckham. So for the league to score a player like this is a huge step in theright direction.

Off the field, it was reported that the Galaxy sold 2,000 season tickets on the day of the announcement. Also, the league received the most media coverage it has had in years because of Beckham. On the field, Beckham, who has played for the top two club teams in the world (Manchester United and Real Madrid) and scored a goal in the last three World Cups, brings a level of play that has not been seen before.

But let's not kid ourselves here, this signing is not meant to throttle the MLS into the sports mainstream in this country immediately or an attempt to create sell outs at every stadium. Rather, the impact is that this gives the league credibility when seeking the other big name international players in the future. On the business side, the league has now proven that it is willing to spend the money and if the players want to continue to play soccer at a somewhat competitive level while also seeking other career endeavors, then theUnited States is the place to be.

Beckham, though, has a different spin on this and his expectations are much higher.

"I've enjoyed my time in Spain," said Beckham, who will join the Galaxy after his contract with Real Madrid runs out at the end of June. "It's been an incredible experience...but another challenge has come up and it's the right time to do it."

That "challenge" is something that this country rarely has seen -- a player that can single-handedly motivate a generation to take up a sport and bring it to a level of success it hasn't seen. Beckham said that he wants to try and do this for soccer in this country. While admitting he doesn't think soccer will ever reach the popularity of baseball or American football, he wants to inspire kids of all ages to stick with the sport, which is loved everywhere else except the U.S.

"Soccer in America is the most played sport up to a certain age," saidBeckham. "I want to take it to another level. Potentially it can go higher than anyone could probably believe in America."

Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan might be the only athletes to ever successfully do this. Woods put golf on his back and more people than ever began playing. Weekends at courses throughout the country reaped the rewards of the "Tiger Woods Effect." And who didn't "Want to be like Mike?" Pele did it to an extent with soccer in this country, but Beckham is looking to take the sport to a whole new level.

For this to work, the league has to maintain this momentum created on Thursday and it won't be easy. Beckham has to become the face of MLS and soccer in America. Commercials, media appearances, gossip pages, movies and more need to be secured. Even if Beckham fails on the field, which is unlikely since the MLS is the equivalent to a third division league in Europe, the league has to market the heck out of him.

Certainly a great deal needs to happen for the "Beckham Effect" to succeed. For one person to inspire an entire generation is unlikely. But looking at this from the league's point of view there is a tremendous amount to gain. The MLS just went from a company with a foundation to a league that has begun to construct a skyscraper.

-You can talk about Posh Spice's husband with Greg Wiley at gwiley18@aol.com.


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The Phanatic