Can David Beckham become savior of football (Soccer) in America, where football does not look like ball, is played with hand and the game looks more like a bull fight. Beckham made brief America debut on last Saturday when he entered the ground on 78th minute against Chelsea (Once a rival, during his heydays in Old Trafford). Unfit Beckham failed to make any impression on the field during his brief stint but off the field he had already made a big splash in mainstream media. Most people gathered to see Beckham than to watch soccer, most cameras zoomed in on off-field Beckham rather than on-field action. It always troubles me when a gamer is given more materiality than game itself, especially because of his off-field activities than on-field performance. That Saturday evening American media portrayed Soccer inferior to David Beckham and eventhough Chelsea emerged victorious in an over hyped but painfully slow, spiritless & dull contest, the result was insignificant as Football itself was already defeated.
We all know - "every cloud has silver lining". Football and its truest fans will always be grateful to David Beckham if he can change the fortune of the game in America. Personally, I seriously doubt it, particularly on a person’s ability that is more mercurial than majestic and has already left his prime days behind. Much will depend upon his on-field charisma rather than off the field hoopla. Thanks to the publicity, now everyone in USA knows who Beckham is but promotion of football will depend on what he does with air filled sphere of nine inches in diameter.
LA Galaxy (now better known as David Beckham’s team) is second from the bottom on the league standings. So, it will be more interesting to notice Beckham’s effect on team position in Major League Soccer (MLS), which attracts only 0.2% of cable TV audience. It will also be very interesting to see the influence of Beckham’s stardom on his team-mates, who earn almost 500 times less. Can they ever commingle in a team or will Beckham’s aura always keep them away?
Beckham always rejects the plan of his career in Hollywood and iterates his major focus is only soccer. But living near Hollywood hills is much more different than living in Manchester or Madrid and his friendship with class-A Hollywood celebrities attracts lots of distraction. Nobody can reject that the Beckhams always want to stay in limelight and make sure they do everything appropriate to create waves in media. For example, to make sure their relocation receives a blaze of media attention, Posh and Becks blitzed the US press with most saucy photo shoot yet. They are seen posing in underwear, kissing and striking provocative poses in August edition of "W" Magazine. Their attempt to add more and more Hollywood super-dupers in an already illustrious friends’ list also justifies the above claim.
Whatever the Beckhams say at this moment, many believe that the real motive to join LA Galaxy is much more than Football alone. It can be Beckhams’s careful planning for future. Beckham already 32 can not play professional football for too long and Victoria can not sing forever. So, what do they do then? With their massive notoriety and Hollywood contacts they can easily start a movie career. And, everyone knows LA is the place where people get lost in Showbiz.
I do not assume monopoly on truth and will be more than happy to be proved wrong & to see the development of Soccer in USA.
4 comments:
good post, i appreciate it.
Whatever be the case it will impact soccer in america in positive way, I guess. LAGalaxy is not a big club and America is not a big country for soccer and I dont feel that presence of Beckham is gonna hamper its position. I have heard that regardless of Beckham's presence soccer is gaining its popularity and maybe its a high time that Beckham is here. Plus this is america: hype can create a big conundrum here.
Great post. I like ur posts.
Thats a good analysis. i never thought that before. I fully agree Beckhams have more than football in their mind. Few years and I guess we will have Beckham in a hollywood movie. (By the way, I think Beckham became popular here not because of the soccer but because of 'Bend it Like Beckham' movie).
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