Have at thee, varlets: Beckham wants to leave MLS

Landon Donovan leaving to play for Bayern Munich is a bigger deal. Players come and go all the time.

But the shocking thing, and the part of the story getting underplayed, is that Beckham, at 33, is playing well enough to start for AC Milan. Think about it. He was supposedly washed up -- which is why he was going to the Galaxy. And now he's starting for one of the biggest clubs in one of the toughest leagues in the world. Add in his benching, and then resurrection, at Real Madrid and it's a hell of a story. This guy keeps coming back.

Looking at it objectively, you can't blame Beckham, or any player, for picking AC Milan over the Galaxy.

Now, the whole media blitz, publicitiy, etc.? Well, I blame a gullible media and gullible non-soccer public for buying all of that. MLS was already an established league and doing relatively well. Beckham was brought on board to sell T-Shirts and get people excited about the league. He served his purpose.

Now the league, which as any non-top tier league, needs money. So they get to sell this guy for big bucks and hang on to the profits. Win-win.

Only ignorant simpletons think this is any kind of reflection on the future of MLS, soccer, blah, blah, blah. Life goes on.

 

For MLS to sell him to Milan makes financial sense in the short term, but everyone that bought tickets to a Galaxy game will have been bait and switched. He ws promoted by the league as a superstar that you must come and see, now they are going to leave those fans holding an empty bag. Very bad for credibility and PR.

 

I got an email from the Galaxy this morning saying they expect Donovan and Beckham back from loan in two weeks.

 

How is a roster move a bait and switch? Were the Red Sox guilty of bait and switch when they traded Manny Ramirez?

 

Despite the recent rumblings, it wouldn't surprise me if Beckham did return. This is a way to placate the Milan support. Then, if Beckham returns to the US, the excuse is that an agreed upon price couldn't be reached.

I'm not even sure Milan would like to purchase him.

Donovan is an interesting case. I think he wants to give it a go. It just depends upon the asking price that MLS puts out there.

 

Beckham's contract is misleading. The bulk of it was paid by adidas, not the MLS, but in the long run, this is probably a good thing for MLS.

Beckham didn't provide the huge boost in sales that many predicted and on some level the league will probably be relieved not to have to pay him the salary.

I covered the MLS early in my career and I think it's a good product if you accept it for being what it is. It's a second-tier league for a sport that in this country is second-tier. That doesn't mean it's a bad product. As a parent with two young kids, I would take them to a MLS game in a second before I pay the kind of money it would take for baseball, football or basketball tickets.

I really don't think this hurts the league much, if at all. Keep in mind the MLS had expansion teams that were profitable in their first seasons in the league. As these smaller soccer-only stadiums keep opening, the league does better and better and they don't need someone like Beckham to sell tickets.

 

To the casual American sports fan, Beckham was/is the most famous soccer player in the world. But his game is not one of stepovers or blinding athleticism. He can take over moments of a game with set pieces or corners, but during the run of play, he's mostly a very hard worker who is a fantastic passer. A great complimenary player, but no Ronaldinho or Cristiano Ronaldo or Messi

I've made the argument before that, during his entire senior club career, he's never been the best player on his team. I think that still was true with the Galaxy.

As a result, he was bound to be a disappointment.

I think it admirable that he wants to play in one more WC for his country. He was probably England's best player in 2006.

 

Every time a top player comes to the US or the US has a good showing in the World Cup, people say "This is just what we need to make soccer popular in this country."

Pele couldn't do it. Beckham couldn't do it. Hosting the World Cup couldn't do it.

It can't be done.

I think the reason the MLS is successful (being around more than a decade is impressive, especially when you're not being financed by another league) is because it is accepting its limitations and they're not trying to fill football stadiums anymore.

 

I am a long time MLS season ticket holder. I've been to many qualifiers and 2 World Cups. Even though I really never played soccer and spent far too much of my life on a basketball court, soccer is now my favorite sport.

Having said that, the sport will never be more than the 4th most popular team sport and that is just fine with me. Don't set the bar too high and the league will be just fine. We already have a tribal sport in this country -- college and pro football. There isn't room for another.

MLS is affordable -- even with excellent seats, I'm out less than $400 per season per ticket. I can bring my 3 year old to the game without a pack of drunks (except for Pastor) bothering us.

 

It's certainly a reflection on the future of the designated player; was that program really established just to (continue to) pull stars from south of the border? Or was it (ideally) there to lure a Beckham, and later, his buddies?

Be honest, now.

No amount of sugarcoating will change the fact that Beckham came in with a lot of fanfare, a massive media push, and the feeling that he would raise the league's profile - in a POSITIVE way. And now he's leaving, two years in, because he has the chance to play in a better league, with much better players, with a shot at securing a national team spot. Can't blame him for doing what is best for his career.

But along with the fact that much of the league never bothered to fill their DP slots, it is a good indicator that the DP experiment is over. Yay, Schelotto is good. And Argentine . . . no crossover star there. Blanco is very good, and loved only in Chicago. Neither will sell a bushel of extra tickets. Neither is a massive enough name internationally for people to take notice. Remember, MLS has had very good Mexican stars before.

Beckham's individual stint is ultimately a failure. A flash in the pan that sold tickets and shirts for a brief moment, and led to little success (victories, not his individual play) on the field, both short- and long-term. But it's not a failure for the league; MLS can handle this pretty easily. I don't think the DP program will ever take off now, though. Not like the early signing of Beckham optimistically indicated it could. The league will survive, obviously; doesn't take a genius to know that.

If they are wise, they will continue to patiently grow it, and pour what money they have into stadiums and domestic player development. Wouldn't mind if some more news and players came out of that whole youth development initiative of a couple years ago . . . .

Mizzougrad96 is correct above. MLS honchos know the league (and the sport's) limitations in this country. Attendance-wise, MLS is as successful as it will be. And there's nothing wrong with that. I just hope that it can continue to improve on the field and produce some hidden gems for the national team, more domestic players that youngsters can seek to emulate.

 

How is the Chivas team doing? Honest question, not a shot.

 

Well enough on the field. Playoff team, but has trouble advancing in the playoffs.

Poorly, attendance-wise.