Counting Our Soccer Fans

[Tolstoy]

When things get dull on 2Billsdrive, one can always appeal to a soccer topic to liven things up.

 

I am a growing soccer fan. I would even say now that if I had to choose, I would watch a soccer game over a football game (unless the latter involved the Bills!). Part of that may involve the commercials in a football game, but part of it is also that I would rather watch the best players in soccer doing their thing over the best players in football doing their thing. If any of you need to know why, here is a clue: watch one person's choice of the 50 best soccer goals (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeXoxNP8_xY).

 

Any more soccer supporters out there? What do you think of the Beckham signing?

[Tolstoy]

When things get dull on 2Billsdrive, one can always appeal to a soccer topic to liven things up.

 

I am a growing soccer fan. I would even say now that if I had to choose, I would watch a soccer game over a football game (unless the latter involved the Bills!). Part of that may involve the commercials in a football game, but part of it is also that I would rather watch the best players in soccer doing their thing over the best players in football doing their thing. If any of you need to know why, here is a clue: watch one person's choice of the 50 best soccer goals (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeXoxNP8_xY).

 

Any more soccer supporters out there? What do you think of the Beckham signing?

 

 

Link didn't work. Just go to You Tube and type "50 best goals."

[diver]

I have been involved with coaching soccer for over 15 years. Played in High school and then adult leagues. Soccer is great sport. For those that do not have children playing or haven't played themselves its hard for them to get into it becauseo of the lack of scoring. Soccer is more than scoring its the moves and battles on the field. For women soccer is their football.

[Cugalabanza]

I love soccer (although not quite as much as American football). I've been getting into the English Premier League thanks to the Fox Soccer Channel. It's just awesome.

 

I think the Beckham travelling circus reality tv show extravaganza will be a good thing for the MLS. I still can't believe they paid $250 million though. I mean, take away the swooshy haircut and the great dead ball skills and I'm not sure there's that much of a player there anymore. He's been riding the bench at Real Madrid lately.

[Pete]

I love soccer! Leave for Europe in a few hours and will be there for 5 weeks. I hope to take in a match or two

[IDBillzFan]

There you have it. All three of you.

[Peter]

Yes. I follow the US national team as well as the Dutch national team, Arsenal, and Man U. (I realize that being a supporter of both Arsenal and Man U is a bit like being a fan of both the Yankees and the Red Sox).

[sweetbaboo]

I still can't believe they paid $250 million though.

I don't know how they're going to make that money back.

[BillsFanInTexas]

Played all through childhood through high school. Our Amherst team did pretty well in state competitions.

 

When I got the chance to study in England, I became a fan of Sheffield United. The Blades finally won promotion last year and looks as if they'll stay in the EPL.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if other sports relegated teams that didn't do well????

[smokinandjokin]

I don't know how they're going to make that money back.

 

That figure is not what MLS will pay him, or what they paid for him. That $250M encompasses his current lucrative endorsement deal with his sponsors (Adidas being the primary) as well as future earnings off of planned marketing endeavors in the future, once he is in the U.S. He will get a cut of jersey sales, he is planning on expanding his soccer academy in L.A., televison appearances, commercials, billboards, etc. He will also continue to be an asset for Real Madrid, who will maintain a portion of his image rights.

 

It is believed that his true salary will be around $8-$9 million per year, which is easily makes him the highest paid player in MLS, by many millions. However, MLS as a league is only on the hook for less than $1M of that, with the rest coming from the owners of the LA Galaxy and league-financier AEG Group.

 

Beckham contract linky

 

From the article:

 

However, on closer inspection, one can see that the reported contract estimates have been carefully worded. AP reported that the Galaxy, citing industry experts, said the Beckham deal "is worth more than $250 million in salary and commercial endorsements." The key phrase to note here are the words "commercial endorsements" and not the word "salary." It's actually more an estimate of what people think he could potentially earn as opposed to what he will receive annually in paychecks from MLS and the Galaxy.

 

Case in point: When the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers signed high school phenom LeBron James in 2003, they signed him to a three-year deal that paid him $12.96 million. If James' advisers used the same creative license that Beckham's advisers have done, they could easily have factored in James' reported $90 million shoe deal with Nike at the time and other various endorsements (such as Sprite) and reported that James had signed a deal "estimated to be worth up to $120 million-plus, richest ever for a teenager in sports history."

[eball]

Just look at all these folks who love soccer: Soccer Fans

[meazza]

I have been involved with coaching soccer for over 15 years. Played in High school and then adult leagues. Soccer is great sport. For those that do not have children playing or haven't played themselves its hard for them to get into it becauseo of the lack of scoring. Soccer is more than scoring its the moves and battles on the field. For women soccer is their football.

 

I find it ironic that your nickname is "diver".

[meazza]

When things get dull on 2Billsdrive, one can always appeal to a soccer topic to liven things up.

 

I am a growing soccer fan. I would even say now that if I had to choose, I would watch a soccer game over a football game (unless the latter involved the Bills!). Part of that may involve the commercials in a football game, but part of it is also that I would rather watch the best players in soccer doing their thing over the best players in football doing their thing. If any of you need to know why, here is a clue: watch one person's choice of the 50 best soccer goals (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeXoxNP8_xY).

 

Any more soccer supporters out there? What do you think of the Beckham signing?

 

I'm a Roma fan, although I don't give a !@#$ about the Beckham signing.

[Tolstoy]

I'm a Roma fan, although I don't give a !@#$ about the Beckham signing.

 

 

Well, I don't think his soccer skills match up to the hype, but he is a decent player. At any rate, I do think the league can use some positive publicity, and Beckham at 31 is still a fairly good player who might help the players around him improve (e.g. Donovan).

 

Now if Zidane signs with NY (as rumor has it he might), I would definitely go out of my way to see a game with wife and kids.

 

I, too, have become more interested in English Premier League, but so too with the MLS.

 

I may be wrong, but I think Soccer will eventually become King in the USA: it may not be in my lifetime, but it will happen. The combination of the popularity of youth soccer, continued immigration rates, soccer's dominance on the world stage, and the strength of the fledgling MLS (along with stupidity and greed in the other major league sports) all point to soccer's success. That is why, I think, smart business minds like Robert Kraft, Lamar Hunt, and many others, have invested in soccer. It was not for humanitarian reasons!!! (Though I do think it is a benefit to humanity...)

[buckeyemike]

I follow Aston Villa, which is owned by Browns chairman Randy Lerner.

 

There has been some controversy here in Cleveland that Lerner was spending too much time in Birmingham, England with his new team and that he should be concentrating on the Browns.

 

I say, more power to him.

 

Create a whole new fan base for the Cleveland Browns in the Mid-highlands of Great Britain.

[ajzepp]

I've always loved soccer, but my love has been rejuvenated over the past year or two. MLS is doing a fantastic job of carving out their niche in this country, coverage of the euro national leagues is growing, and this past world cup was in HIGH DEF, BABY!!!

 

Soccer is the one sport where I could know nothing about the teams playing, but I'll sit there and watch the game anyway. I love great passing and ball movement, great saves, great goals, and the overall look of 40k people focused on the pitch.

 

The NFL is still number one, but soccer is more of a 1.b than it is a 2.

 

As for the beckham signing, I think it's fantastic for the league, and any of the Galaxy players who are bitching and moaning about it should just STFU. As I've said before, the rising tide brings all ships to the top, and any of the players who don't understand that should be sent packing, IMO. The league needs visibility, and Beckham brings that in spades. Brilliant move.

 

PS. My team is Werder Bremen....I don't follow a Premiership team specifically, though I lean towards Arsenal since Thierry Henry is one of my favorite players.

[meazza]

Well, I don't think his soccer skills match up to the hype, but he is a decent player. At any rate, I do think the league can use some positive publicity, and Beckham at 31 is still a fairly good player who might help the players around him improve (e.g. Donovan).

 

Now if Zidane signs with NY (as rumor has it he might), I would definitely go out of my way to see a game with wife and kids.

 

I, too, have become more interested in English Premier League, but so too with the MLS.

 

I may be wrong, but I think Soccer will eventually become King in the USA: it may not be in my lifetime, but it will happen. The combination of the popularity of youth soccer, continued immigration rates, soccer's dominance on the world stage, and the strength of the fledgling MLS (along with stupidity and greed in the other major league sports) all point to soccer's success. That is why, I think, smart business minds like Robert Kraft, Lamar Hunt, and many others, have invested in soccer. It was not for humanitarian reasons!!! (Though I do think it is a benefit to humanity...)

 

It won't happen in anyone's lifetime.

[Oneonta Buffalo Fan]

Soccer. I haven't played soccer since I was in 7th grade.

[In space no one can hear]

Could soccer possibly be a new message board on TBD?

[meazza]

Could soccer possibly be a new message board on TBD?

 

I doubt it.