David Beckman...USA Soccer Savior? Yes, you read that correctly, Beckman, not Beckham...if you don't believe me, ask Shogun's Uncle.
Anyway, why do people insist on asking this question?
Sure, Beckman is a superstar, both on and off the field. But why does he need to "save" US Soccer?
There is a reason he is here, but its not to save US Soccer. It's to play the beautiful game. It's to promote the beautiful game in this country. It's to help elevate its status as a growing and legitimate sport. And of course, its to allow Mrs. Beckman to elevate her "major" status.
With Beckman, we have seen increased attendance at all LA Galaxy away games, better television ratings for games, and a huge increase in jersey sales and sponsorship money. Beckman deserves all the credit in the world for all of that and soccer fans throughout this country hope that the hype will continue for years to come.
However, the hype will eventually fade.
News flash: US Soccer is alive and well without Beckman.
Of course, he is more than doing his part in the last month or so to help it further along, but Major League Soccer and US Soccer was growing before he signed with the Galaxy.
For the first time ever, ESPN Classic will replay an instant classic MLS game this week between the New York Red Bulls vs. LA Galaxy game. The game was one of the best MLS regular season matches ever and it was seen by 66,000+ at Giants Stadium.
Sure the game involved Beckman which helped make it an instant classic, but a young 17-year-old named Josmer "Jozy" Altidore proved to be a huge star in the making. In the near future, he will most likely acquire the largest US transfer fee for a soccer player going to Europe ever. How many times have you seen a young MLS Soccer player be the front page story on Yahoo.com? Once...Jozy Altidore last night!
Other recent MLS and US Soccer success stories include the great recent showing from the U-20 US Soccer team in the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Freddy Adu being signed by Benfica, a prominent club from Portugal, and Tim Howard continuing to progress as a top keeper in the world while plying his trade in the English Premier League.
The naysayers will ask, if MLS as a league is getting better, why are all these players leaving? MLS and US Soccer has proven that it can develop these players to advance to bigger and better leagues. Examples include Brian McBride, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley, and Claudio Reyna.
Anyway, why do people insist on asking this question?
Sure, Beckman is a superstar, both on and off the field. But why does he need to "save" US Soccer?
There is a reason he is here, but its not to save US Soccer. It's to play the beautiful game. It's to promote the beautiful game in this country. It's to help elevate its status as a growing and legitimate sport. And of course, its to allow Mrs. Beckman to elevate her "major" status.
With Beckman, we have seen increased attendance at all LA Galaxy away games, better television ratings for games, and a huge increase in jersey sales and sponsorship money. Beckman deserves all the credit in the world for all of that and soccer fans throughout this country hope that the hype will continue for years to come.
However, the hype will eventually fade.
News flash: US Soccer is alive and well without Beckman.
Of course, he is more than doing his part in the last month or so to help it further along, but Major League Soccer and US Soccer was growing before he signed with the Galaxy.
For the first time ever, ESPN Classic will replay an instant classic MLS game this week between the New York Red Bulls vs. LA Galaxy game. The game was one of the best MLS regular season matches ever and it was seen by 66,000+ at Giants Stadium.
Sure the game involved Beckman which helped make it an instant classic, but a young 17-year-old named Josmer "Jozy" Altidore proved to be a huge star in the making. In the near future, he will most likely acquire the largest US transfer fee for a soccer player going to Europe ever. How many times have you seen a young MLS Soccer player be the front page story on Yahoo.com? Once...Jozy Altidore last night!
Other recent MLS and US Soccer success stories include the great recent showing from the U-20 US Soccer team in the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Freddy Adu being signed by Benfica, a prominent club from Portugal, and Tim Howard continuing to progress as a top keeper in the world while plying his trade in the English Premier League.
The naysayers will ask, if MLS as a league is getting better, why are all these players leaving? MLS and US Soccer has proven that it can develop these players to advance to bigger and better leagues. Examples include Brian McBride, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley, and Claudio Reyna.
However, leagues like the EPL have been around for a 100 years. MLS has been around for 12! There is no comparison, but give the league some time to develop and it may prove itself to be equal or better than some of the better leagues in the world. Decades from now, these local products will stay for their careers like they do in Spain, Italy, and England.
MLS is developing youth soccer development programs in most teams regions. MLS teams are building their own stadiums where new revenue streams can be realized. They are slowly starting to bring in world class talent (in addition to Beckman, Juan Pablo Angel, Guillermo Barros Schellotto, Youri Djorkaeff, and Cuatehomoc Blanco have all shined recently for MLS teams). Individual ownership groups and new communities throughout the USA are quickly realizing that the league is growing and want to come aboard as expansion markets. US Soccer is scheduling friendlies against world powers like Brazil and Sweden.
Sure, MLS and US Soccer have many areas they need to fix and get better, but the positives are there and the future is bright.
Thanks, Beckman. Thanks for the increased coverage across all media platforms. Thanks for the increased interest from marginal fans and non-traditional fans. Thanks for displaying the ability you have and the determination you show in trying to grow this sport. Thank you for showing early on that you are worth every penny that your contract will eventually add up to. And of course, thanks for showing off your trophy wife in all her "major"-ness.
However, it's not a 1 man job or a 5 year effort. MLS has positioned itself well by growing incrementally and slowly at a grassroots level. It has not overspent early and often like the NASL of the past.
So don't worry about saving the league Becks, it'll be fine long after your 5-year multi-million dollar contract expires.
But thanks for the help along the way...
MLS is developing youth soccer development programs in most teams regions. MLS teams are building their own stadiums where new revenue streams can be realized. They are slowly starting to bring in world class talent (in addition to Beckman, Juan Pablo Angel, Guillermo Barros Schellotto, Youri Djorkaeff, and Cuatehomoc Blanco have all shined recently for MLS teams). Individual ownership groups and new communities throughout the USA are quickly realizing that the league is growing and want to come aboard as expansion markets. US Soccer is scheduling friendlies against world powers like Brazil and Sweden.
Sure, MLS and US Soccer have many areas they need to fix and get better, but the positives are there and the future is bright.
Thanks, Beckman. Thanks for the increased coverage across all media platforms. Thanks for the increased interest from marginal fans and non-traditional fans. Thanks for displaying the ability you have and the determination you show in trying to grow this sport. Thank you for showing early on that you are worth every penny that your contract will eventually add up to. And of course, thanks for showing off your trophy wife in all her "major"-ness.
However, it's not a 1 man job or a 5 year effort. MLS has positioned itself well by growing incrementally and slowly at a grassroots level. It has not overspent early and often like the NASL of the past.
So don't worry about saving the league Becks, it'll be fine long after your 5-year multi-million dollar contract expires.
But thanks for the help along the way...
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