The big news today is that David Beckham will be coming to MLS and playing for the LA galaxy for a reported $250 million. I don't know how the league can afford it, and I think that it makes some crazy assumptions about how much of the contract will be covered in endorsement money. But I leave all the talk about this to the sports stations; Sportscenter anchors love talking about this just so they can bring up Victoria and show scantily clad pictures of her.
In terms of the international game tapping into the American market, I think there is a much more interesting story. With the news that Clint Dempsey has been approved for a work visa in the UK, EPL team Fulham now has 3 current or former US national team players in their team (I think Brian Mcbride technically retired from the national team after the World Cup). Word has also been out for weeks that Fulham are also pursuing a transfer for US player Oguchi Onyewu who is currently playing in Belgium. The question is, with so much quality talent out there, why so much interest in US talent from Fulham. A likely reason is that they are finding US talent highly undervalued internationally. What they get out of McBride is a steal for what they pay him. Maybe they just are finding that they can get good US players for cheaper than their international equivalents. Then again, the $4 million they paid for the unproven Dempsey certainly seems like more of a gamble than a frugal tactical move. I think its possible that they are hoping to tap into a growing US market for top-tier soccer. There are a handful of cable channels that now regularly broadcast premier league games in the US, and some of the ratings numbers indicate that more people in the US want to watch the EPL than the MLS. Can you blame them? It is possible that Fulham could parlay some of these US national players into a loyal fan following in America. Time will only tell.
Friday, January 12, 2007
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4 comments:
What, no picture of Posh?
Dammit.
Here's my Halloween getup next year.
i'm not sure how unproven dempsey is. he score the only u.s. goal in the last cup, and had decent scoring for new england (8 in 21 games). i do think he is a gamble as he has not shown to be the most durable of players. but we'll see.
i am pumped that fulham now has three u.s. players, and i think i've mentioned it before here, that this may make me start really following their squad.
I would say that dempsey is very unproven. He has played his whole career in more wide open, unstructured leagues, where defenses are poor and turnovers are more readily tolerated. Many players that come from similar atmospheres in central and south america are totally frustrated in the EPL and usually end up on the bench as a result of risky play and turnovers.
i see. i think we were thinking of unproven in different terms. you have explained what you were thinking. i was thinking more about his ability to finish and have a presence on the field/be a threat. which, i think he has demonstrated @ times.
now, i do think he'll definately need to step up his fitness, and not have so many injuries. and, hopefully this will produce a reliable goal scoring threat. but, i also agree that if he doesn't produce, turns the ball over frequently, and doesn't contribute all around, he'll be on the bench. hopefully mcbride will serve as a mentor to him, show him the ropes of the premier, and so on.
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