Coming to America
By Judy Sultan
OnlineTickets.com
In one of the most momentous moves in MLS history, the Los Angeles Galaxy signed global soccer icon David Beckham on January 11, 2007 – and completely transformed the 2007 MLS soccer season.On July 13, 2007, David Beckham is officially introduced as the newest member of the L.A. Galaxy, and the international superstar is destined to change the face of MLS soccer. And though, it's technically Friday the 13th, it's possibly a very lucky day for L.A. Galaxy fans and the entire MLS league. With already great MLS superstars like Landon Donovan, Freddy Adu, Alecko Eskandarian, David Beckham will only add more excitement and value to MLS soccer.
Even after desperate attempts by the now-fired coach Fabio Capello – sacked just 11 days after the Italian led the Spanish team to their first league title since 2003 – to keep him in Spain, Becks has said “adios” to Real Madrid, his Spanish club, and “cheerio” to England, his home, after signing a 5-year deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy for an initially reported $250 million. Now it’s known that David Beckham will earn an MLS- record base salary of $5.5 million annually with the Galaxy, not counting his share of jersey sales, sponsorships and endorsements. Becks has already brought the L.A. Galaxy an additional $13.3 million in revenue, more than enough to cover his salary for two years – and hopefully Posh Spice’s clothing budget.
The high-class English duo had already been spotted house shopping previously in the L.A. area prompting rumors that the Beckhams now preferred Old Hollywood instead of Old English. Beck’s wife, Victoria Beckham, a.k.a. Posh Spice, had reportedly wanted to move to L.A. to expand her fashion line and be closer to some of her American celebrity friends. Now, NBC plans to air her new show, "Victoria Beckham: Coming to America," on July 16, which follows Beckham's wife as she prepares to move from Europe to the U.S. with her husband. Everything is moving quite quickly for the Beckhams as they transport the glamour, fame, fortune and everything Beckham from Madrid to Los Angeles.
So how will this move impact American soccer fans?
BIG TIME.
David Beckham already had an L.A. and London-based soccer youth academy (bidding for an Asian city to host The David Beckham Academy has already started) that teaches young children how to “bend it like Beckham” and other soccer skills. In England, one session costs £75.00 per person, or about $145. The $150 million Home Depot Center is the 125-acre home to Beckham’s Academy and kids can register for 3 or 5-day sessions which include, among other amenities, a full adidas kit (jersey, shorts, socks, cleats), a daily washing of their jersey, shorts and socks, catered lunch everyday, daily access to the locker rooms and media room, and hotel accommodations at the Doubletree Hotel Carson Civic Plaza in Carson, California. Sounds like an all-inclusive vacation to most people.
So how is David Beckham already impacting American soccer? Two words: More money. The L.A. Galaxy sold an additional 7,000 season tickets for this season at an average price of $700 according to Tom Payne, Assistant General Manager. In a nutshell, that translates to $4.9 million in added revenue. Club seats for the L.A. Galaxy, however, 48 percent from $2,700 for its 20 home games. The $4,000 ticket generated an additional $800,000 after selling 1,000 tickets. In general, ticket revenue for the L.A. Galaxy is expected to double this season to about $10 million.
The L.A. Galaxy’s season already started in April but Beckham won’t actually join the team until August. Yet, he has already made a significant impact economically for the team. As a league, however, the Beckham deal might not actually do anything for the MLS. Most soccer fans understand that David Beckham is only the most recognizable soccer player in the world – but not necessarily the best. For true soccer fans, they might not care that Becks is coming to town, but the teenyboppers of America probably don’t mind the blond addition to Hollywood. So is the L.A. Galaxy going to see an increase in sales and fan attendance of girls between the ages of 12-24? Maybe. And maybe K-Fed and Britney Spears will get back together. Anything is possible, but the odds are risky.
Lastly, most say that David Beckham is in his final years of playing soccer. Will he really impact the MLS league the way MLS officials believe? He is a masterful passer and a goal scorer but not always when it counts. He helped the Spanish team Real Madrid win a league title this past season, but injured his knee simultaneously. His presence never dominated games, but maybe that’s a good thing when trying to promote the already present MLS players.
But what happens after David Beckham eventually calls it quits in the MLS? Pelé at one point signed for the New York Cosmos back in 1975 for some $5 million. Clive Toye convinced the Brazilian star that he could become a legend by selling the game to Americans, and it worked. But not for the NASL. Pelé became a global brand, but the game still maintained an overall anonymity. Even as some express the opinion that Beckham "sold out" and his priorities aren’t straight, that he wants fame and fortune rather than a chance to win titles, he's just what the MLS needs – a face.
The MLS has talent, but more so, the MLS needs recognition. It needs more airtime on ESPN, and it needs more fans in the stadium. The price tag on Becks may be a bit high but well worth the cost. One of the first high-rolling deals David Beckham netted was Brylcreem, which paid him £1 million for styling his hair with their products. It helped raise their sales by 50% and made him household name. Who knows what this new MLS deal could do for the L.A. Galaxy and the entire MLS soccer league itself? Moreover, David Beckham’s global image and lucrative tie-ups with the likes of Vodafone, Pepsi, adidas, and Police sunglasses over the years generates at least £13 million a year in addition to his wage bill. His earnings, combined with the wealth of his wife Victoria, put the Beckhams firmly at the top of the football rich list, with an estimated joint worth of some £65 million. In dollars, that’s approximately $126.5 million every year!
While Becks will be joining the Los Angeles Galaxy in August, the impact will be felt now as people rush to order their MLS soccer tickets for the new MLS season. Don’t get caught in the rush, and reserve your MLS soccer tickets with OnlineTickets.com today. Enjoy watching your favorite MLS soccer players live while your buddies are watching them at home.
Welcome to America, Becks.
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