Beckhams Arrive in LA Amidst Much Hoopla
Fri, 2007-07-13 17:08 — Berger
The hype machine for soccer star David Beckham and his wife Victoria is in full swing. Throngs of reporters showed up at LA International Airport last night to greet the newest member of the MLS Galaxy.
Today David Beckham will be introduced to the U.S. media at a 10:00am PT at The Home Depot Center. MLS Commissioner Don Garber, AEG President & CEO Tim Leiweke, Galaxy President & GM Alexi Lalas and head coach Frank Yallop are expected to be front and center for the press conference with Beckham, their prized catch. The event will be carried live by ESPNews. According to the LA Times, 700 media credentials have been issued for the press conference.
The Beckhams will have the paparazzi following their every move in America.....especially in LA.
So my question is this........how long will the hype for the Beckhams last? My guess is that the Galaxy season ticket holders and the hard core soccer fans will ride this wave for a while.
The A-list paparazzi will follow the Beckhams for a few months, but after that only the C-list tabloids will remain on their tails. I'm sure the Beckhams will be invited to attend Hollywood parties and they'll even appear in a TV show or movie or two. David Beckham's profile with American sponsors will increase dramatically and lead to more opportunities as a spokesperson after his soccer career ends. Beckham will cultivate opportunities like developing a soccer academy.
But will Beckham's arrival in LA thrust the MLS into the spotlight enough to compete with the likes of the NFL, MLB, NBA and NASCAR? No way. Soccer is just not compelling enough for American fans who want scoring and lots of action when considering their sports options.
Will Beckham's arrival be a short-term financial windfall for the MLS and the Galaxy? Yes. The league and team are already securing record sponsorship deals. TV ratings on ESPN will increase as American fans will be curious to what Beckham is all about. Attendance at Galaxy home and road games will increase sharply. Beckham Galaxy jersey sales will likely sell through the roof. adidas and Beckham's other sponsors will profit off of his arrival in the U.S. - the country that consumes more than any other country on earth.
But three to five years from now though, I don't think we should expect Beckham's U.S. arrival today to finally make soccer the success in this country that it is abroad, where it is widely considered the world's most popular sport. Not even the most popular soccer star on the planet will be able to make that a reality.
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"But will Beckham's arrival in LA thrust the MLS into the spotlight enough to compete with the likes of the NFL, MLB, NBA and NASCAR? No way. Soccer is just not compelling enough for American fans who want scoring and lots of action when considering their sports options."
I think there's more to it than just fans who want scoring and lots of action--if that was all they were looking for than NHL would be far more popular than MLB(oring). As for NASCAR--as one comedian put it (loose paraphrase): If you don't understand why people like NASCAR, go meet some of the fans. Then you will understand why a shiny object moving in a circle is entertaining.
The thing is that culture dictates what people watch on TV--and it's culture that dictates what fans think is "exciting". Beckham isn't going to change US culture singlehandedly. But with youth soccer exploding in popularity all across the country (as it has for the past several years), my guess is that in 10-15 years, MLS is going to enjoy a much healthier market share than it does today. Personally, I can't wait for the Women's and Men's World Cup to start again--now that's compelling.
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