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Soccer star David Beckham was in LA yesterday to open up his new soccer academy at the Home Depot Center, and rumors were flying that he could one day play for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
"I never thought that I would ever be playing anywhere apart from Manchester United, and then I make the move to the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid," Beckham said. "… Things happen. Playing in America does interest me a lot."
And considering the Anschutz Entertainment Group practically owns MLS, that they view the Galaxy as their flagship franchise, and that Posh Spice (Mrs. Beckham) might like to be in Hollywood to advance her career, LA makes a lot of sense for Beckham. Not to mention that AEG is a partner on his soccer academy. AEG President Tim Leiweke weighed in on the matter:
"David knows he has a long-term partnership with us," Leiweke said. "I think it would be amazing for the sport in this country [if he played for the Galaxy]. I think it would be amazing for the legacy of David Beckham. We'll leave that up to him. He's currently under contract, so I'm not allowed to tamper...Although I think I just did."
Oh, that Tim Leiweke. Always opening his mouth when he shouldn't. Regardless, Beckham's contract with Real Madrid expires in two years, and at that point LA could very well be on his radar.
LAist wonders if Beckham could be to soccer in Southern California what Wayne Gretzky was to hockey when he was traded here. The Galaxy are already doing well for an MLS team, but would they just explode in popularity if David Beckham actually played here? Or would it be more like the New York Cosmos of the now defunct NASL when Pele was on the roster - popular, but not earth-shattering. We shall see. All LAist can say is that we'd like Beckham to bend it here too.
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When I was a kid on the east coast in the 70's and early 80's, the North American Soccer League (NASL) seemed to be blazing a trail for Soccer in the U.S. I would watch guys like Pele and Georgio Chinaglia play for the New York Cosmos vs my home team, the Washington Diplomats, and I thought that Soccer was a big US sport. Went to a "Dips" soccer camp in 1978 and got the entire team to sign the ball; still have it.
Then the mid-1980's rolled around and the Pro Soccer Leagues in the US basically had their audience dry up and the leagues disbanded. Pele and other big stars left to play abroad. And, of course, if you were playing select or high school or college soccer at the time and were looking to make the U.S. pro-leagues you were sh@* out of luck.
There doesn't seem like there is a precedent for a big star to make a team or a league for the long term in U.S. soccer; so I doubt a Beckham and his Camp and/or move would make a big change in the U.S. game other than forcing the headlines in the direction of the LA Galaxy for a little while.
Frankly, I think that a U.S. Soccer League needs to field teams that strictly play opponent teams based in other nations. The domestic, "DC United vs The Metrostars"-type matches just don't seem to register with people or me. Seriously, if you are going to have teams of people play each other in the US, make it at Baseball or Football. In the U.S., Soccer is a sport you best play versus foreign competition.
(But, who knows maybe with LA's "Chivas USA," that needed "foreign competition" has started to come to the U.S. ?)