Earlier this season, David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy played a series of barnstorming games in South Korea and China. Aside from England, Asia has been Beckham's most rabid fan base since hosting the 2002 World Cup.
In the first match against FC Seoul, the 65,000-seat stadium was only half full. Five years ago, they would have required riot police to keep people out.
After one year in America, David Beckham is already fading from the world's consciousness. Has Beckham been a success for Major League Soccer?
When he committed to the league, Beckham and MLS had a few goals:
1. To increase the league's profile;
2. To raise interest in soccer in general;
3. To boost the level of play in the league;
4. And encourage other international stars to join MLS.
Last January, the league's profile shot through the roof, at home and abroad. North American journalists and reviewers who never before wrapped their lips around the word "soccer" without scorn were forced to reconsider.
The problem here is that this news is always Beckham-centric. Interest in his arrival has yet to translate to any interest in the league generally.
The MLS still has work to do promoting its other stars and teams, while continuing to use Beckham as the sharp point of the marketing spear— it’s a tough job. Beckham also, promised to do his utmost to push the game forward in the U.S.
Soccer already is a mass participatory movement among North American kids. Beckham set himself a goal that had already been accomplished in this case.
The English star, also talked about raising the level of play in the league. That's been a bust.
First, he didn't play. Beckham managed only five appearances in league games all season. When he did play, he did it on a wretched team that couldn't make the playoffs.
Without Beckham as a foil, we weren't able to see if anyone else had to boost their game to offset him.
Arguably, Juan Pablo Angel, with his quickness and ability in the air, did more than anyone to raise the stakes for MLS defenders last year— which brings us to Beckham's fourth objective: blazing a path for other international stars.
This was key to MLS's plan for Beckham.
They correctly realized from the start that the league would not enjoy widespread international respectability until top players who weren't so interested in the ancillary benefits of U.S. sports stardom— endorsement deals, Hollywood careers— chose MLS.
Aside from a trickle of fading South and Central American stars, that has not happened. In fact, the balance seems to be tilting the other way.
The best, young U.S. talent views MLS as a gateway to overseas leagues.
That's the most worrying trend.
If Beckham becomes a one-off, there's no other way to view the experiment of winning him to this side of the Atlantic than as a failure.
I continue to believe that over the long term, this continent will embrace professional soccer on a massive scale.
Immigration trends, especially in the southern U.S.; the ready availability on TV of Premier League and Serie A games and highlights; the live spectator experience of soccer—all those factors and more will eventually push soccer onto the mainstream conscience.
Last year Beckham touched down in the MLS, I’m still waiting for him and the league to take off.
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2 months ago
You raise some very provocative points here. Hopefully this stirs up some healthy debate.
You've got to give him more than what's basically just amounted to a half-season to prove himself. Yeah, he was hurt when he first arrived, but that shouldn't be a surprise considering that he had just finished up a season in La Liga. This season, he's been healthy and the results on the field have reflected that.
The judgment on LA's last season is harsh. When he arrived, the team was in such dire straits that it would have taken a miracle to get them to the playoffs. He went out on the field hurt to try and will his team into the playoffs, but it takes time for a new acquisition to gel with their teammates. Look at this season if you want a more accurate representation of his effect on the Galaxy. They've scored the most goals in MLS and are tops in the Western Conference thanks in large part to his creativity.
How many Galaxy games do you watch? He makes his entire team better with his vision of the pitch and his leadership. His opponents raise their game too because hey, beating a name like Beckham would be quite the accomplishment.
Beckham was not brought over to MLS to recruit other international stars. LA brought him over because the league was at the point where they didn't need a savior; they could just get Beckham because they wanted his quality. Pele was brought to the NASL to save it, Beckham's role here is not the same. Take a look at some of my previous MLS articles. I've tried to make a case for Beckham being a success, though I've not taken as direct of an approach as you have here.
2 months ago
yes..he is a success. in fact he and MLS are achieving all of their 4 goals that you've stated above. just look at the whole stadium the next time you went to see an MLS, okay, a Galaxy game will ya! about recruiting the international stars..i think that's not his original goal, but he has succeeded in making them, and everyone in the higher leagues (the players, the fans, the coaches, the media), talking about MLS now (in many ways). cheers!
2 months ago
I am from england. I would have no interest in the MLS if it weren't for beckham. As far as I am concerned he has already done more for the MLS than any player in the brief history of the league. Angel could not get a place in the team in English football but beckham is a legend how can you even compare the two?
2 months ago
totally disagree. Beckham has certainly made huge impact on Amereican footable.
2 months ago
You have to have patience. David Beckham has done a lot to raise the status of MLS. Attendance is continuing to grow because of David Beckham. MLS media partners relationships and sponsorships are expanding exponentially because of David Beckham. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't see David Beckham in the media raising American consciousness about MLS and soccer. Although David's popularity may not be as high in a few place in the World, in the U.S. it's continues to rise.
He wasn't able to play last season because if injury but has certainly made a difference this season. Many other top international players are looking to make the move to MLS. Attendance at away games for Beckham & the Galaxy continues to be high. Many of those in attendance haven't been to a professional soccer game but many are coming back to support there home team.
2 months ago
I think beckham has really improved MLS image as far as the world is concerned. Before him I never gave a damn about MLS but now I even know some club names... I think the guy who wrote this article certainly doesn't like beckham.
2 months ago
expecting results in less then a year is rediculous....
i agree that all the media is focused primarily on Beckham.. and we are getting hordes of screaming teeny girls to the stadium in every city sporting their Galaxy Beckham jersey, its really quite sad....
does Beckham make a difference on and off the field?? yes.
Is Beckham the biggest impact player to step on the field?? No
id put money on the fact that Blanco and Schelotto are just as big, if not bigger impacts for their teams.... however, i cant write off beckham yet, b/c he's on a terribly thin team with little talent.... you can thank Lallas for that one
2 months ago
also why is the trend of america talent going abroad a bad trend?? id like to see more talent stay in the MLS, but the fact is, pretty much every league on this hemi is a feeder league into europe... like or hate it, its how it is....
the league is young, and needs time to grow... we are having more and more youth developement anyhow... the league is becoming more and more competitive despite having this splurge of transfers abroad... for every 1 player that leaves, we have others that take his place...
ie. Pickens went to england, Busch stepped up...
and lets not forget the slew of returning players... BMB, Wolff, quite possibly Jaqua as well... just this year...
things will change, but expecting this league to be the next BIG league in a span of a few decades is farce.... we'll end up being a feeder league, but we also feed on other leagues... and we will continue our youth growth in academies and youth teams.... such is the way and will continue for decades to come (most likely)
2 months ago
Ridiculous article. Beckham has made a succes of his time in MLS and given the sport in the US so much more exposure. His performances right now are top notch and it is clear that his biggest problem is that his team-mates are not able to take advantage of his vision and passing. To even mention his name in the same sentence as Angel, a player that could not even hold down a position on a mid-table Premisership side, is totally absurd and evident of your prejudiced view (a common problem Beckham has always faced with the media).
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