SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums College, Pro & International Soccer Beckham to America?

And then the MLS gets crap for not allowing their young stars to play on the biggest stage. The MLS is trying to secure the future of their league. This will give the MLS a so called crossover attraction from non-soccer fans with the hope that they will become true soccer loving fans and spend their dollars. The players mentioned above all desire to change leagues to improve themself both competitively and financially. The hope is that because of the Beckham deal future home grown stars such as those will make bigger bucks here at home at want to stay at home. The MLS is improving the brand recognition while protecting themselves against catastrophic financial collapse as the Cosmos.

Do you really think that he's going to attract very many new fans to the game? He hasn't been able to get a shirt for Madrid in I don't know how long and he's been binned from the England team... player in decline moves to league in denial. Send us Terrell Owens or Tom Brady, see if it improves the EFL... eh... I don't think it would!!

You MUST keep your young talent at home, the next stage of this argument is Americans who love the game and have supported the MLS and its predecessors are left wondering why they have to travel to Europe to watch the cream of American talent ply their trade.

Sure Beckham will put butts in the stands the first season or so.... But the game will still get little coverage by national media...Why not put $250 million into youth soccer and in 10 years we could have a REAL chance at a World Cup?

Is it the MLS's job to win the world cup? You are really comparing apples and oranges when comparing the $250 for Beckham and investing in youth sports. When you get down into the numbers most of his money comes from endorsements. He should be able to raise the awareness of soccer thus hopefully solidifying the MLS for years to come. I am not saying that the MLS will be able to compete with the big 3 sports in the USA but they will be a league that is able to sustain it self. If I am not mistaken the league is just starting to allow the club teams to sponsor/build youth teams. So the investment in youth soccer will come in a more planned way than dropping $25 a year into youth sports.

The MLS will never be a league respected worldwide if we become a "rest home" for Europe's players. And as mentioned earlier, bringing in big names has been tried. All I am saying is he is not going to be the Savior the American soccer establishment hopes for. Deveolping good home grown players and keeping them...that is where the $ is needed and a difference can be made.