Beckham to join LA in summer

[fatshaft]

£70k a day!!!!!

I feel a little sorry for him actually, a great player and Real Madrid are now making him train with the reserves.

[Henrik's fan club]

Well BBC news were saying he's on £1 million per week. I'd have thought no US footy team could afford that!

[keveh]

He'd have been a Bolton player had it not been for the board's tightfistedness!!! Just think his contract is for more than our owner's total worth

I personally am outraged with our board for not coughing up the money to bring Beckham here.

We never show any ambition, and this goes to prove it!

Where is SH when you need him anyway?

Also, another reason for Beckham wanting to go to the US is to set up his academy over there, I'm not saying that's the sole decision for his move, but that money sure could set up a fkn good academy!

[communistworkethic]

exactly Keveh. "Lack of ambition" sums it up. We should be competing for these sorts of players.

[H. Pedersen]

I think their theory must be that whatever Beckham earns will be made back in shirt sales in Asia and increased attendance. Real Madrid played DC United here in the fall and they sold out a 66,000 seat stadium . . . those people weren't there to see Iker Casillas. It's great news for MLS as nothing short of a Zidane headbutt can raise the profile of the sport in this country to this degree. Let's hope people come for Beckham and stay after he leaves.

[americantrotter]

I am only bothered that the National team get better and I get to see the Prem.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I think their theory must be that whatever Beckham earns will be made back in shirt sales in Asia and increased attendance. Real Madrid played DC United here in the fall and they sold out a 66,000 seat stadium . . . those people weren't there to see Iker Casillas. It's great news for MLS as nothing short of a Zidane headbutt can raise the profile of the sport in this country to this degree. Let's hope people come for Beckham and stay after he leaves.

It's a f*ck of a lot of money to gamble on the entire population of Asia retaining their brand loyalty to someone who isn't picked for his national team, hasn't won a trophy in nearly half a decade and is currently in an underperforming team's reserves.

Or to put it another way, "£128m? Your country is insane"

[H. Pedersen]

I think their theory must be that whatever Beckham earns will be made back in shirt sales in Asia and increased attendance. Real Madrid played DC United here in the fall and they sold out a 66,000 seat stadium . . . those people weren't there to see Iker Casillas. It's great news for MLS as nothing short of a Zidane headbutt can raise the profile of the sport in this country to this degree. Let's hope people come for Beckham and stay after he leaves.

It's a f*ck of a lot of money to gamble on the entire population of Asia retaining their brand loyalty to someone who isn't picked for his national team, hasn't won a trophy in nearly half a decade and is currently in an underperforming team's reserves.

Or to put it another way, "£128m? Your country is insane"

Yes, fair points. However, MLS needs to gamble. Some of the teams are starting to turn a profit as they get their own soccer-only stadiums, but the best players from the U.S. are starting to be poached by top leagues in Europe so it seems unlikely that MLS will ever be able to offer high-quality football. So they need to hook people with something else, and that may well be with fading superstars.

[Montreal Wanderer]

I think their theory must be that whatever Beckham earns will be made back in shirt sales in Asia and increased attendance. Real Madrid played DC United here in the fall and they sold out a 66,000 seat stadium . . . those people weren't there to see Iker Casillas. It's great news for MLS as nothing short of a Zidane headbutt can raise the profile of the sport in this country to this degree. Let's hope people come for Beckham and stay after he leaves.

It's a f*ck of a lot of money to gamble on the entire population of Asia retaining their brand loyalty to someone who isn't picked for his national team, hasn't won a trophy in nearly half a decade and is currently in an underperforming team's reserves.

Or to put it another way, "£128m? Your country is insane"

Yes, fair points. However, MLS needs to gamble. Some of the teams are starting to turn a profit as they get their own soccer-only stadiums, but the best players from the U.S. are starting to be poached by top leagues in Europe so it seems unlikely that MLS will ever be able to offer high-quality football. So they need to hook people with something else, and that may well be with fading superstars.

Yes, but the Galaxy avarage 13,000 fans per game and their stadium capacity is less than the Reebok. They'd need crowds of 200,000 per game to pay that obscene salary. America is not a 'soccer' country and the Galaxy ownership must have taken leave of their senses.

[Faran]

MLS wanted him anywhere in America in general, but I am shocked that any US club can afford this. They did some poll on ESPN asking people if they would be more interested in "soccer" after this and people 48 states responded NO and only California and Nevada responded with indifference...none saying YES!

I thought it was a bit moronic how he said he's doing it for the children really....those poor, poor American children. Perhaps it's a habit from all the commercials

But it should be interesting

[communistworkethic]

No club can afford it based on just ticket sales. This is a much more complex financing package than any other transfer. This is an investment in Brand Beckham as a marketing exercise as much, if not more than, in the player. The money is coming from the owner's pocket and probably sponsors' pockets rather than any delving in to the club coffers.

[Raven]

Its not all wages from the club, their are sponsership deals, other media tie ins, profit sharing and lots of other bits and pieces thats too confusing for my old head. There is also something about the wage caping where they can have one player on silly money and trade that right to another club who can then double their money on one player or something (look I didn't really understand it).

But remember folks as Mrs Posh Spice said, money had nothing to do with it and its a challenge (sure esp as the football is league one standard).

As for us signing him, I'm over the moon the vastly overated marketing machine has not joined us!

[Montreal Wanderer]

It's certainly produced shockwaves on all the sports shows over here. The general consensus is that it is - lunacy.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

No club can afford it based on just ticket sales. This is a much more complex financing package than any other transfer. This is an investment in Brand Beckham as a marketing exercise as much, if not more than, in the player. The money is coming from the owner's pocket and probably sponsors' pockets rather than any delving in to the club coffers.

True. It's a massive gamble on a fading name.

[americantrotter]

I'll go out to see him play when LA comes to town. I was thinking that i'd wear my England shirt, but I'll probably just stick with a Bolton jersey instead.

[James B]

nolan oozing with jealousy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6248127.stm

[warthog]

nolan oozing with jealousy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6248127.stm

You reckon? He mentions the word 'money' five times and 'cash' twice.

[TANGODANCER]

nolan oozing with jealousy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6248127.stm

Nah, he's making fair comment, although, if Beckham never made another buck he'd be seriously rich. To even indicate he needs a big payday is ridiculous. Oh, but then there's Mrs Tra-la-la and her shopping trips. Forgot about that.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Nah, he's making fair comment, although, if Beckham never made another buck he'd be seriously rich. To even indicate he needs a big payday is ridiculous. Oh, but then there's Mrs Tra-la-la and her shopping trips. Forgot about that.

Funny old life. Just done a piece on Kevin Beattie, supremely talented player now completely potless (and his wife's succumbing to a serious illness, too). Obviously throws the Becks cashpile into sickening relief.

Obviously players now are earning enough money to live in comfort forever. But I suspect they won't. Expenditure often expands to suit the income, and somehow many modern players don't strike me as intelligent enough to squirrel it away or have any kind of perspective. Sure, they'll have People around them (leeches more like) telling them what to do, but as the fame recedes so will the help. They'll probably never be charity cases to the extent that some of the greats of the past have become, but they have much further to fall and I'm sorry to say I foresee severe psychological problems for many in the future.

[malcd1]

There is no doubt his 5 year salary (Yes I can't believe it 5 BLOODY years when he has been a has-been for the last 4) will be based on image rights, merchandise and sponsorship percentages.

PS Can I punch the first person I see in a LA Galaxy football top please.