Neal the problem i see with Football which you call soccer :lol: Is that it will never be a major sport in the USA because the is no way to have a advert break every 5 minutes the is not the stopage is play that the is in say the NFL. You only have one break and that is at half time and last for 15 minutes. The is no way for the sport to make the big bucks in the USA because the is not enough time to sell for advertising. The only way it will ever take off over there is if someone came up with an idea of how to have more advert breaks.

Most rich people don't give a hoot and that's one of the reasons why this planet is a mess. As for the Becks they can (censored by STEED)

You are probably right. I wish the NFL would decrease the number of advert breaks for their games. They have way too many.

Ive just gotten used to the brakes in NFL coverage. You have plenty of time to keep your drink top up that is all i will say;)

Its disgusting how much footballers are paid. :down:

Football?

thats no sport anymore, in the past it was a sport because it was about the competition.

now its a stupid political game...its all about the money...:stare:

I wasn't aware that any MLS franchise could afford to pay out that kind of money. They certainly do not sell out the stadiums. They don't sell any merchandise. ABC is the only major network that is intersted in covering MLS, and as such, they get the rights for peanuts. From whence has this money come?

I'm probably wrong ~drunk~ but I understand from the BBC* that the figures quoted include his income from advertising, endorsements etc - not his pay packet for kicking the ball around for LA Galaxy. I'm probably wrong though...

* Standard criticism for quoting the BBC (from certain members) not withstanding.

And you wonder why I don't bother to watch sports or support them in anyway these days? I am not paying this guys salary, nor any other sports persons crazy salary! Do you realize how many additional people have to go poor because this guy is getting paid that much? That money has to come from somewhere.

America is slowly leaving it's middle class system and is going back to the traditional few super rich, many poor type clas system that history has seen since the beginning of time. California is already there - it has both the largest percentage of millionaires and the largest percentage of poor people in the entire world that are together under one state. There is absolutely no middle class left in the entire state. Of course, the entire poor class as pointed out by Lou Dobbs on CNN is in areas purely made up by illegal aliens, so draw your own conclusions from it.

-S

They can't.

The Galaxy will only be footing a tiny fraction of the bill, most of the money is from corporations who will be buying his image/endorsments, not his feet.

I wish he had signed with the Raiders, they could use a cool guy like Beckham.

Just had a 'debate' over Beckham with my work'mates'. They claim Henrik Larsson is a better footballer and as he played for Celtic, they are obviously biased. They are both of similar age but Larsson's playing for Manchester United and Beckham has just signed for .. and no disrespect intended here .. some obscure [to us] US 'soccer' team which is the foundation for their claim.

I think the majority of sports players are over paid. What makes a guy who in essence just kicks a ball around a field, albeit skillfully worth more than a doctor or nurse who actually do something worthy, or an engineer etc.

I like Formula 1 but I don't see why drivers should be paid so much for driving around in convoluted circles.

Pop stars the same. Robbie Williams for example, how come he was worth an £80 million record deal?

People say it is only because we maybe jeallous, I think it is obscene and really hope it comes down with a crash.

A pity as I think Becks isn't a bad guy. A little dim but a nice guy and he is a good father which I think he would be rich or poor.

The kicker could be the highest paid player on the team. Take that, NFL payscale.

And that is just it: This isn't Euorpe or South America. Most of the people here that I have spoken to; and I have only spoken to sports fans about this; could care less about this acquisition. I don't think that any advertising campaign built around David Beckham is going to be nearly as successful as the companies would like, which will probably make for a very short marriage.