California State University East Bay

The Pioneer

California State University East Bay

The Pioneer

California State University East Bay

The Pioneer

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David Beckham Forever Changed Soccer in America

David Beckham & Ronaldinho.

David Beckham’s May 18 retirement from the Paris grounds of Parc des Princes marked the end of one of the most celebrated careers in modern era “football.” While boasting 115 England National team appearances and four league championships in four different countries, nothing in the 38-year-old’s career truly succeeded his momentous decision in 2007 to cross the pond and play soccer in America.

A lucrative, multi-million dollar agreement to suit up for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer not only made Beckham the most popular Englishman in America, it allowed him to profoundly impact the growth of American soccer through the sport’s diminishing popularity, plummeting financial stability and progressive development of youth soccer academies in America.

In the wake of Beckham’s arrival, MLS was fighting for relevancy. Fading in interest, the league needed to make a splash for credibility to exceed the likes of the NBA, NFL and MLB in fan popularity. With Beckham joining the league in the summer of 2007, MLS managed to steal the headlines by grabbing the attention of viewers across the country.

According to the Associated Press, in comparison to a 422,000 household viewing rating a few weeks prior, Beckham’s inaugural American debut against Chelsea F.C., where he only played 18 minutes, was watched in 947,000 homes.

To highlight Beckham’s specific impact on the ratings that evening, before he stepped foot on the pitch, the game had a 0.5 rating. Fifteen minutes later, when Beckham came on as a second half substitute, the ratings steadily went from 0.6 to 0.8 from 8:45 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Throughout his five-year tenure in America, Beckham continued to assist such drastic rises in attendance, including the 2012 season, his last year in MLS, where the league recorded 18,807 spectators per game, 3,300 more since Beckham signed with the Galaxy.

Overall, amongst the 19 teams, Beckham has assisted a 300 percent rise in attendance since his arrival in 2007.

In addition, since Beckham arrived in America, the league went from 12 teams in 2007 to 19 teams in 2013; with the addition of a 20th team in New York City in the works for a 2015 inaugural season. The correlation between Beckham’s arrival and the growth of professional soccer teams in America is not coincidental; rather, a direct effect of the exposure Beckham has given to cities across the country.

Beckham’s influence on the league’s popularity led to great financial prosperity for American soccer. Major League Soccer’s estimated $350 million loss between 1993 to 2004 has since been overshadowed by the gains received from willing sponsors who, thanks to Beckham’s presence, view the league as profitable.

Sponsors have supported the transition from American football stadiums to soccer specific stadiums bearing their company name, including the Los Angeles Galaxy’s Home Depot Center, FC Dallas’ Pizza Hut Park and Colorado Rapids Dick’s Sporting Good Stadium.

In 2007, the same year as Beckham’s arrival, MLS teams began to sell ad space on the front of jerseys for $500,000 per shirt sponsorship, with the league receiving a flat fee of $200,000 per deal. With the addition of a lucrative television deal with ESPN, the total investment in the league is worth more than $2 billion, a feat that would have never been possible without Beckham’s 2007 arrival.

In sum, the willingness shown by sponsoring companies and television networks to shed money to a league with little to no past success speaks volumes on Beckham’s profitability as a soccer mogul in America and the games growth across the country.

Beckham’s arrival directly put the onus on directors of youth soccer to promote the utilization of youth academies in America. With the establishment of his own David Beckham Youth Soccer Academy in Los Angeles before his arrival, Beckham hoped to mirror European youth academies such as Manchester United, the club that helped him towards a long, successful career.

The European clubs have found this method effective and continue to use this academy system to nurture young talent in hopes of promoting them to the senior team. Beckham’s mindset and sheer presence in America has caused a rise in youth academy leagues across the country, including youth teams from each of the 19 MLS clubs.

The Los Angeles Galaxy, Chicago Fire, Real Salt Lake and Houston Dynamo have boasted supreme youth academy talent against the world’s elite, highlighted by a 4-0 Houston Dynamo victory over Irish powerhouse Rangers F.C. in 2009. The academy system has bred some of the best young American stars, including electrifying attacking players Brett Shea, 23, and Juan Aguedelo, 20, who are fixtures for the United States men’s national team.

When seeking top American talent, scouts from across the world now head to American youth academies to find their player, a scenario that Beckham helped paint during his tenure in America.

As of 2013, soccer in America is booming. The women’s national team is progressing into the best the world has to offer, while the men’s thrive in a competitive sports market. A sport once dim in America has been rejuvenated and polished into a viable and respectable sporting establishment all thanks to one man’s vision.

Beckham did not have to come to America and leave top European clubs in the dust. Ultimately, he was passionate about helping the American game grow to new heights and, looking back on his impact, Beckham did a phenomenal job of shaping soccer’s cultivating success in America.

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David Beckham Forever Changed Soccer in America