Up to Soccer Betting Trends

posted April 3, 2007 at 19:25 in Soccer Betting Trends

When mega soccer star David Beckham agreed to cross the pond, traveling to America to join the Los Angeles Galaxy, life in the MLS changed as we know it.

The chance to glimpse a magical Beckham strike was still months away, yet, following his formal announcement on January 11th, the Galaxy sold 5,000 new season tickets in just two days. This is the kind of impact the most popular footballer in the world can deliver with one swell boot.

The simple fact is David Beckham draws a major crowd wherever he goes. He might not be as recognizable a face in the US yet, but he will take the MLS, and America, by storm when he laces up his cleats to make his debut this season.

Approaching 32 years-old, David Beckham may not be quite the elite player he used to be, but he continues to reign as an elite celebrity – and the most watched footballer in the world. So, before acknowledging David Beckham’s amazing achievements on the soccer pitch, we need to recognize his power as one of the elite global advertising brands in the sports world.

Think of Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan or Peyton Manning – that’s the allure and branding power that this soccer phenom will inject into Major League Soccer. In much of the world, David Beckham is a fashion trendsetter; whether it’s a faux-Mohawk, buzz-cut or corn rows, legions of soccer fans imitate his style.

When paired with his attractive wife, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, the couple is universally known as "Posh and Becks". It won’t take long before Posh Spice becomes known for lavish shopping sprees and a fixture on Rodeo Drive. David Beckham’s own new line of fragrances, called Instinct, will soon be flying off the shelves of boutiques across America.

On the soccer field, David Beckham’s illustrious career ranks him as the fifth most capped English player of all time, though his longstanding tenure as captain of the English side, from 2000 to 2006 seems to have come to an end when new coach Steve McClaren decided to go in a different direction, incorporating more youth in the British ranks.

Beckham is the only English player to score in three different World Cups, and is also only the ninth player in World Cup history to score twice from direct free kicks. He has twice been the runner up in the FIFA World Player of the Year Award, in 1999 and 2001.

As Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas sees it, "He's 31 years old and I think he has some of his best soccer ahead of him.

And he's facing a new challenge. What could be a fresher start for him than to come to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy?"

There is no question that the addition of David Beckham will help strengthen the midfield, where he will play alongside 36-year-old Cobi Jones, who is excited about the prospect of playing with a player of such skill and credentials, "I know if I'm running around the field with a David Beckham, I want to impress him," Jones said. "I want him to go, 'Hey, this guy is good.' I think it's going to give us credibility and a perspective.”

Beckham will also target leading scorer Landon Donovan with some of his famed crosses into the box. There’s no question that the Galaxy’s chances are now far better for winning back the championship that the Houston Dynamo claimed last season.

The MLS has come a long way since its inception in 1993, but Beckham’s move is an unprecedented coup, unlike any thus far.

His career has seen him perennially play for some of the strongest soccer powerhouses in the world such Manchester United and, currently, Real Madrid, where he is playing out his contract until August.

If the competition isn’t quite on par in the MLS, Beckham’s salary will be: a five-year deal that will earn him 10 million a year in direct salary, and with endorsements and profit-sharing, Beckham could earn up to $50 million a year (or 90 dollars every second he’s on the field!).

President and CEO Tim Leiweke of AEG, the sports and entertainment company that runs the Galaxy, believes Beckham can make a huge difference, "Certainly, he will bring an audience, a fan base and intensity to our sport that we've never had."

The MLS salary format sees owners share the cost for all player salaries except for a new designated-player rule where owners only have to contribute $400,000 for 13 selected players – David Beckham is the first player to be designated in this way. So it doesn’t hurt that the Galaxy’s owner Phil Anschutz has deep pockets with a net worth estimated at somewhere around $7.8 billion, according to Forbes.

Whether more high profile players migrate to the MLS is yet to be seen.

The addition of David Beckham to the MLS ranks is another positive sign that the popularity of soccer continues to grow in North America. The league’s aim to expand continues with the addition of three more teams targeted for before 2010. A high profile talent like David Beckham is a strong set play for the MLS, and he will elevate the game to new celebrated heights on and off the pitch.

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