Bend It Like That One Guy

The big news yesterday (aside from Denver getting the DNC convention--more about that at some point, I'm sure) is that international football star David Beckham is coming to play for the LA Galaxy, in a deal reported to be $250m (in salary and endorsements) over five years.

Beckham, as you may have heard, is huge. He's, like, bigger than the Beatles. Or Jesus. People who know nothing else about football know the name David Beckham.

For several years he played for Manchester United (the Yankees of Premier League football) and then in 2003, he left to play for Real Madrid. After a dismal World Cup performance in 2006, Beckham stepped down as team captain, and then later was removed from the squad altogether by England's new coach, Steve McClaren.

At that time, we speculated that he'd probably be coming to the States soon. As a football player, Beckham is past his prime (though still a very strong player) and the day-to-day grind of playing at the international level takes a toll on one's body. By coming to the United States to play for MLS, he's able to retire with grace and dignity, make buckets of money, and not have to work as hard as he would in Europe. It's sorta like pro ice skaters doing the Ice Capades tour.

Part of the reason he's coming to MLS is to help increase the profile of football in the United States. As Keith Olbermann pointed out last night on Countdown, others have tried before--Pele, George Best, and others--without success. But I think the time might just be right for Beckham to have an impact. Football is more popular here today than it's ever been, and with an increase in both youth leagues and the Hispanic/Latino population, that popularity will only grow.

A great example--last summer, XM Radio had a 24/7 World Cup channel and it was insanely popular. Show hosts were frequently commenting that they couldn't believe the volume of calls they were getting or the smart, educated questions and commentary from callers. I think that took everyone by surprise, myself included. We saw more mentions of World Cup during the summer than I've seen for any other one yet, with more bars opting to show matches--and those bars were packed with fans.

I think David Beckham can do a lot for Major League Soccer--maybe not save it, and certainly not change its status in the world arena--but he will increase its visibility. Someone yesterday asked me about MLS, and I had to stretch to think if we've ever been to a match. We were, years ago, but it's not something we follow at all.

To me, it's like watching AAA baseball when you could be watching a World Series game. Yeah, sometimes it's fun, but the caliber of play is night and day. MLS is soooooo sloooooow. But you can bet we'll be buying tickets the minute we can to watch the Colorado Rapids v. the LA Galaxy this summer.

And, if nothing else, we always have the lovely and talented Victoria "Posh" Beckham to take America by storm. Ooh, and speaking of which! Here's a great way to learn more about the Royal couple. Check out this Ali G. interview of the fabulous Becks & Posh. (And get the kids out of the room....)