By Ridge Mahoney
Today, Tuesday, the day after David Beckham announced he’s ending his Galaxy playing career on Dec. 1, the world is different, justas it was nearly six years ago when MLS announced the England international was forsaking one of the world’s great clubs to take up with a decidedly lesser party.
The seeds of hismove from Real Madrid to the Los Angeles Galaxy had been sown during the summer of 2005, when the teams met in a friendly at Home Depot Center. In postgame interviews, Tim Leiweke,president of the Galaxy’s operator-investor, Anschutz Entertainment Group, just couldn’t stop talking about the buzz and electricity generated by a star-studded opposing team and which oneof them he’d like to bring aboard one day.
Leiweke and AEG were chafing at the constraints of MLS. Big thinkers and major players balk at austerity, which in effect is what theleague’s prudence imposed. They were also puzzled as to why a successful team — a perennial contender that featured the nation’s best player in Landon Donovan — couldn’t regularlyfill up Home Depot Center.
Rapaciously high costs for hot dogs and beers and parking spaces, plus a fleet of sneering concessionaires convinced that customers were vermin, didn’tfactor in their calculations. Star power drives L.A., the land of Entertainment Tonight and Hollywood and Staples Center (another AEG project, by the way) and Dodger Blue and MagicJohnson and Phil Jackson and Wayne Gretzky, so that’s the card they played.
They surmised, correctly, the MLS fan base wasn’t enough.And so was created the Designated Player option, known previously and unofficially as the Beckham Rule.
A year and a half after that friendly at Home Depot, in January of 2007, followingsome intense negotiations and drawn-out drama that edged Beckham toward the Real Madrid exit door, the little league that drew disdain if it merited any attention at all suddenly grew up. The world,for better or worse, discovered MLS through the allure of a limited yet very adept and glamorous midfielder adorned by a plasticized, pop-star wife and borne by his personal marketing agency.
Yes, only in America.
A clandestine loan to AC Milan, the absences prompted by Olympic commitments and a royal wedding, the petulant pissy fits with rival fans, his perceived aloofnesstoward teammates, the cautionable fouls and arguments that escaped sanction, and a more than a few dreary performances taint the sheen of his stay.
Yet with him in the lineup, at least afair portion of the time, the Galaxy has reached three of the last four MLS Cups. With him in the league, players such as Juan Pablo Angel and Thierry Henry andRobbie Keane followed in his wake. With Beckham in the public spotlight, jersey sales and attendances and TV ratings and sponsorship dollars rose sharply. That the league expandedfrom 13 to 19 teams and upgraded its television deals during his tenure are not coincidences. He’s not the sole reason but he’s been a vital cog, an accelerant, in the process.
He’snot done with MLS, per se, though how he could play for another league team under its single-entity system is unclear even though he’s about to end his career with the Galaxy. A short-term stintabroad (Australia or England, probably) seems most likely, after which he’s expected to re-join the league as an investor.
A minority share in a pending expansion team would neatlysuit the needs of MLS, New York, and Brand Beckham. There are hurdles to clear, but Becks in the Big Apple makes a lot of sense. Attached to him, a New York team would be beset by investors andsponsors ready to spend. He’s a money magnet. Or he could also stay in L.A. and invest in the Galaxy, which as part of the AEG sporting empire is up for sale.
As the future beckons,there’s sharp scrutiny of the past. As a player, a rocky, injury-riddled beginning gave way to a solid finish. If he’s not the crowd draw he once was the Galaxy still led MLS in awayattendance (27,026). Seattle opened up all of CenturyLink Field for three regular-season games this season; its rivalry matches with Portland and Vancouver, and its game against the Galaxy.
One can find ample evidence to buttress any position regarding Beckham, from spectacular bust to monumental success. His sharply whipped crosses and swerving dead balls dazzled crowds throughoutthe country as well as abroad (face it, without him nobody wants a touring Galaxy). His charming demeanor and flashy smile endured thousands of interviews and appearances and press conferences. Hispouts and snarky behavior confirmed he can play the villain as well as the hero, and more than a few Galaxy fans were exasperated when he embarrassed the team and MLS by cutting his own loan deal onthe sly with AC Milan.
But when the Western Conference trophy was presented to the Galaxy Sunday night in Seattle as the rain poured down, along with the players and coaches could be seena soaked yet beaming Tim Leiweke, sans umbrella or raincoat. He loves the spotlight as much as winning, and Becks helped bring Leiweke and AEG ample doses of both.
As he did for ManchesterUnited, England, and Real Madrid, Beckham played crucial roles for the Galaxy and MLS. At no stop in his career has he been the best player, but for the Galaxy and MLS, in several ways he’s beenthe most significant.
I’m glad to see one more european opportunits gone, he contributed little or nothing to the USA soccer, plus he always showed absolute contempt for our country and the sport of soccer. All he did for the Galaxy was to sell shirts. He swindled the USA Soccer Federation and the investors of untold million of dollars, with practically nothing in return. Go away Beackham, and do not came back.
As a Brit living and coaching in the USA for the past 12 years thankfully I am NOT one of the idiotic Englishmen who builds up our hero’s before cutting them off at the knees.Becks is a prime example of just how the game should be played by letting the ball do the work unlike our English players who run around like headless chickens so our moronic fans can marvel at their work rate!!!!Whatever decision Becks makes I sincerely hope that when he finally hangs up his boots the US Soccer Federation can offer him a senior coaching role working with the youth of America rather than, returning to the UK where any player who can trap a bag of wet cement is considered WORLD CLASS.
As a Galaxy fan and season ticket holder, it will be sad to see him go. But being LA their is always someone waiting in the wing to take the stage. Perhap its Frank Lampard’s time to shine in the hollywood lights after all. You talked about the possibility of Becks being part of NY2. NY2 will happen in a big way with or without Beckham’s name attached to it. I have the feeling that MLS has different plan for Beckham’s ownership options. WIth the drum banging for southeastern expansion. I think they really need him to get a Miami franchise off the ground. History shows when expansing into a new region of the country, its best when its two teams. Example, such as when the league added Portland and Vancouver into the Pacific Northwest. (Granted I know Seattle was already there, but they are a special case). Now at this time when it comes to Southeastern expansion, we hear that Orlando is almost ready to go,except they would like to bring another team into the region at the same. So, enter the Beckham group in Miami. It makes perfect sense. But only time will tell.
Since this article and comments seem determined to hilite the two faces of Saint David, can’t resist throwing in my two bits. During his stint in Italy w/ AC Milan, where he had real players around him, I thought his field vision and long range passing were the best I personally have ever seen. I know everyone oohs and aahs about his passing, but it is his ability to keep the entire field of play updated in his mind, so that he doesn’t have to look around to figure out where to pass, but already knows who will be open in the next few seconds is what sets him apart — and then of course he delivers the ball with magical precision to exactly where they are supposed to be, that sets him apart. His restarts were magical in MLS, but only occasionally did Donovan manage to get to the right point at the right time in the run of play to take advantage of Beckham’s field vision. I’m very grateful to have been able to see him play, even though his Hollywood persona is not exactly my cup of tea. Overall the game in this country grew during his tenure, and I believe he deserves a significant share of the credit.
When does it become mandatory for all American Schools, Colleges and Universities to have a Project dedicated to the study of David Beckham?The MARKETING was fantastic but the TRUTH will pitch-up on December 2 2012!The LEGACY is what counts today and even that will be fleeting I suspect!
Allan Lindh’s comments are spot on … sure, every player has weaknesses, but Becks contributions as one of the best crossers ever, one of the best passers ever, one of the most tactically gifted midfielders ever and one of the best dead ball strikers ever … well, that’s pretty good!
I’m a died in the wool Landon Donovan fan. Then when Beckham arrived, regardless of a few setbacks, I was willing to drive 130 miles to see the Galaxy play because he brought excitement to L.A. Galaxy fans, and me. He also made Landon a more effective player. Anybody that says David Beckham did not help MLS become a better more exciting league, is blind and nuts.