MLS okays the "Beckham Rule"

PotatoPeeler · 11-13-2006, 10:15 AM

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...391320&cc=5901

From the opening line of the article...

Quote:

Major League Soccer teams will be allowed to sign high-profile players such as David Beckham, Ronaldo or Luis Figo after club owners Saturday approved a change to salary-cap regulations.

For a two-bit soccer league, MLS sure has a high opinion of themselves. Beckham or Ronaldo playing in the US? Keep dreaming, boys.

mikev · 11-13-2006, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PotatoPeeler

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...391320&cc=5901

From the opening line of the article...

For a two-bit soccer league, MLS sure has a high opinion of themselves. Beckham or Ronaldo playing in the US? Keep dreaming, boys.

Well, other than Beckham already talking to MLS about possibly coming to the US, and the MLS all star team beating Chelsea...

Fool Inc. · 11-13-2006, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PotatoPeeler

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...391320&cc=5901

From the opening line of the article...

For a two-bit soccer league, MLS sure has a high opinion of themselves. Beckham or Ronaldo playing in the US? Keep dreaming, boys.

Like the wierd warnings on products, this rule wouldn't be there if there was no chance of this happening.

disposableheros · 11-13-2006, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikev

Well, other than Beckham already talking to MLS about possibly coming to the US, and the MLS all star team beating 3rd string Chelsea...

Chappy · 11-13-2006, 12:29 PM

From a week or so ago...

http://sports.yahoo.com/mls/news?slu...v=st&type=lgns

Sdpm100 · 11-13-2006, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by disposableheros

They may have been in pre-season form, but it certainly wasn't a third string team.

CHL -- Carlo Cudicini (Hilario 64), Geremi Njitap, Paulo Ferreira (Ricardo Carvalho 46), John Terry, Wayne Bridge (Lassana Diarra 46), Michael Essien, Michael Ballack (John Obi Mikel 46), Frank Lampard, Shaun Wright-Phillips (Joe Cole 46) (Jimmy Smith 52), Didier Drogba (Salomon Kalou 46), Andriy Shevchenko (Arjen Robben 46).

Cooleyvol · 11-13-2006, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikev

Well, other than Beckham already talking to MLS about possibly coming to the US, and the MLS all star team beating Chelsea...

Why wouldnt he want to play in the US? Think of the amount of stardom he would have immediately. Stardom in Europe is one thing, but the same amount of stardom in the US is something totally different.

eriqjaffe · 11-13-2006, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cooleyvol

Why wouldnt he want to play in the US? Think of the amount of stardom he would have immediately.

Yeah, he'd easily be the most popular soccer player in the U.S., which would rank him right up there with somebody who played a guest role on "Veronica Mars" three weeks ago.

Beckham coming to the U.S. would do infinitely more for MLS than it would for Beckham.

Chappy · 11-13-2006, 02:24 PM

Well, seeing has he's been benched, it would get him back onto the field. Or should I say the pitch.

Jordan · 11-13-2006, 04:55 PM

I know Ronaldo and Beckham are sitting in Madrid not doing much. I don't see why they wouldn't want to go to a team where they are the stars again.

Jonzard · 11-13-2006, 04:57 PM

Bendin' the rules for Beckham!

mikev · 11-13-2006, 05:03 PM

I think they should try to get little ronaldo instead.

Make him the star of an expansion team in San Jose please, thanks.

Cooleyvol · 11-13-2006, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

Yeah, he'd easily be the most popular soccer player in the U.S., which would rank him right up there with somebody who played a guest role on "Veronica Mars" three weeks ago.

Beckham coming to the U.S. would do infinitely more for MLS than it would for Beckham.

I think you're a bit off on that, but ok.

I do agree that it'd be better for MLS than Beckham, but he wouldn't be livin' on the streets.

The Professor · 11-13-2006, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Major League Soccer teams will be allowed to sign high-profile players such as David Beckham, Ronaldo or Luis Figo after club owners Saturday approved a change to salary-cap regulations.

Big money for guys like Beckham?

Ignoring the lesson of the NASL at their peril, MLS has to be very careful about this or they, too, will find themselves an Old-Timers home for aging European stars.

TC Dale · 11-13-2006, 06:11 PM

True Prof, but some of these players could drive more fans to the games, to see the legends of the sport that most wouldn't have the opportunity to. Overdoing it is a possible side affect.

I see it more of a plus than a negative, only if they get some players that aren't on their last leg.

Jordan · 11-13-2006, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Professor

Big money for guys like Beckham?

Ignoring the lesson of the NASL at their peril, MLS has to be very careful about this or they, too, will find themselves an Old-Timers home for aging European stars.

I would hope that our managers today would be able to tell the difference between a good young American, like Clint Dempsey, or an older guy, like Pavel Nedved, for example. I don't forsee the US ever letting the MLS become the league where old European soccer players careers go to die

The Professor · 11-13-2006, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan

I would hope that our managers today would be able to tell the difference between a good young American, like Clint Dempsey, or an older guy, like Pavel Nedved, for example. I don't forsee the US ever letting the MLS become the league where old European soccer players careers go to die

Oh, I would hope so, too.

I don't mean to sound like Chicken Little. I do agree with TC that wise management re: European stars can help the MLS.

Over the summer I was working on a paper on the NASL and it was amazing to me how they insisted it was going to be slow and steady, that their primary goal was to build a strong base for soccer in the USA. It was: "Oh, well, look at St. Louis and the surrounding area, how it's a hot-bed for the game and SLU and SIU-Edwardsville are such great collegiate programs...there is a foundation in this country."

Not quite a decade into the experiment they begin to talk about George Best. Then Pele. The Cosmos erupt with Pele, The Kaiser, Chinaglia and Co. (Once in a Lifetime is an interesting book, pretty good documentary as well) and other teams try to follow suit despite limited funds (Cruyff in L.A. etc.) and to less stellar results.

Almost any history of the NASL will highlight the turn from "building foundations" to "drawing crowds" and New York sure did do that. It didn't benefit the rest of the league, though.

Soccer in the USA still has a long way to go. A careful pursuit of European stars can help. If, however, large sums of money start getting earmarked for European stars (almost certain to be guys chasing $$'s in the later stages of their careers) and management overestimates the foundation that they've built...it could get ugly very quickly.

Cowboys3356 · 11-13-2006, 11:12 PM

Beckham is nearing the end of his career and is barely half the player he once was. He would be wise to leave Europe for America where he can again be the top player and rack in the glory of being a superstar. Although there is the minor detail that nobody in America cares about soccer but at least soccer is more popular than hockey and bowling!

ey215 · 11-14-2006, 01:30 AM

One other aspect not being mentioned here is that this new rule would allow some teams in the MLS to hold onto American players that would not previously have been able to make the money that they could overseas. It's too late to hold on to Dempsey, but in the future this could work out for keeping American talent in the MLS.

Yes, the rule is aimed at bringing in star players from overseas, but I suspect a few wise franchises would use this to hold onto good young players that have grown within the MLS.

On a side note, the newly approved ability for MLS teams to sign players from their own youth systems without subjecting them to the draft will have more of an affect on the strength of the league than this new "Beckham" rule. One of the weaknesses of professional soccer in the US is how the game has been structured at the levels when players are younger. Specifically, how college soccer works in realation to youth systems in other countries.

eriqjaffe · 01-11-2007, 12:09 PM

So...um...ESPN is reporting that Beckham is going to sign a 5-year deal with the L.A. Galaxy.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...399465&cc=5901

Just...well...there you go.

11-13-2006, 12:29 PM	#5
Chappy Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,721	From a week or so ago... http://sports.yahoo.com/mls/news?slu...v=st&type=lgns __________________ NPBL - Pennsylvania Freedom AFBL - North Carolina Aviators MLB-Pro - Kansas City Royals

11-13-2006, 02:24 PM	#9
Chappy Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,721	Well, seeing has he's been benched, it would get him back onto the field. Or should I say the pitch. __________________ NPBL - Pennsylvania Freedom AFBL - North Carolina Aviators MLB-Pro - Kansas City Royals

11-13-2006, 04:57 PM	#11
Jonzard Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,647	Bendin' the rules for Beckham! __________________ For a scientist must indeed be freely imaginative and yet skeptical, creative and yet a critic. There is a sense in which he must be free, but another in which his thought must be very precisely regimented; there is poetry in science, but also a lot of bookkeeping. — Sir Peter B. Medawar FTB

11-13-2006, 05:03 PM	#12
mikev Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 4,014	I think they should try to get little ronaldo instead. Make him the star of an expansion team in San Jose please, thanks. __________________ Global Unified Baseball Association - Vice Commish and Oakland Oaks GM

11-13-2006, 06:11 PM	#15
TC Dale Global Moderator Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 4,994	True Prof, but some of these players could drive more fans to the games, to see the legends of the sport that most wouldn't have the opportunity to. Overdoing it is a possible side affect. I see it more of a plus than a negative, only if they get some players that aren't on their last leg. __________________ ----------------------------------

11-13-2006, 04:55 PM	#10
Jordan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chi Suburbs now... Posts: 2,058	I know Ronaldo and Beckham are sitting in Madrid not doing much. I don't see why they wouldn't want to go to a team where they are the stars again.

11-13-2006, 11:12 PM	#18
Cowboys3356 All Star Starter Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,571	Beckham is nearing the end of his career and is barely half the player he once was. He would be wise to leave Europe for America where he can again be the top player and rack in the glory of being a superstar. Although there is the minor detail that nobody in America cares about soccer but at least soccer is more popular than hockey and bowling!

11-14-2006, 01:30 AM	#19
ey215 All Star Reserve Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Woodstock, GA Posts: 581	One other aspect not being mentioned here is that this new rule would allow some teams in the MLS to hold onto American players that would not previously have been able to make the money that they could overseas. It's too late to hold on to Dempsey, but in the future this could work out for keeping American talent in the MLS. Yes, the rule is aimed at bringing in star players from overseas, but I suspect a few wise franchises would use this to hold onto good young players that have grown within the MLS. On a side note, the newly approved ability for MLS teams to sign players from their own youth systems without subjecting them to the draft will have more of an affect on the strength of the league than this new "Beckham" rule. One of the weaknesses of professional soccer in the US is how the game has been structured at the levels when players are younger. Specifically, how college soccer works in realation to youth systems in other countries. __________________ "It is a haunted game in which every player is measured against the ghosts of all who have gone before. Most of all, it is about time and timelessness, speed and grace, failure and loss, imperishable hope - and coming home." Ken Burns, Baseball

01-11-2007, 12:09 PM	#20
eriqjaffe Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Under The Christmas Fish Posts: 7,767	So...um...ESPN is reporting that Beckham is going to sign a 5-year deal with the L.A. Galaxy. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...399465&cc=5901 Just...well...there you go. __________________