Within minutes of the Los Angeles Galaxy’s signing of David Beckham, the team had 1,000 additional season ticket requests. Sports pundits across the country immediately began to debate the impact this will have on Major League Soccer. Although the Beckham signing is a step forward for the MLS, don’t be fooled; Beckham will not bring soccer popularity to the American masses.
The deal isn’t as big as it appears to be. Beckham will receive $250 million to play soccer for the Galaxy over the next 5 years. However; his yearly salary from the Galaxy will only be $10 million. $25 million a year will come from endorsements, which he’d get wherever he plays. The other $15 million dollars a year will come from a share of his jersey sales, and partial ownership shares in the team. If no one buys a Beckham jersey, the total will be considerably less.
At his introductory press conference, Beckham talked about how so many American youth play soccer, and how he was looking forward to broadening its mainstream appeal. Herein the lies the problem: soccer is the most popular sport among the youth of America, but Americans don’t seem to like it in any other capacity. Soccer has never been a popular sport to watch – not even Pel