2008 LA Galaxy

It could actually be a shrewd piece of business by LA G too, as a method of ensuring some of the money burnt over 5yrs boosting the club's profile and feeding the Beckham bandwagon filters its way back to the club's coffers. And obviously they would maintain the kudos of the Beckham brand.

 

Very true - astute observation

 

i shall definitely be reading this thread intrigued by the state of football in America. and maybe will help me understand it better as tried managing on football manager and my god is it confusing.

on beckham being able to by the club could be a very shrewd piece of business by both beckham and the club themselves

 

MLS ownership is unusual. You can own the team and you usually own or rent the venue, but the League owns the players and all the contracts.

So how does that relate to Beckham's pay?

The Galaxy pay him just his 'on the field salary' of $425,000/year.
The ownership of the Galaxy are responsible for the remainder of his salary which goes up to $4,000,000 or so/year. A lot of money to be sure, but most of his compensation is actually tied to appearances and image rights, which are strictly between AEG and Beckham, NOT the Galaxy, though obviously they are related (i.e. Galaxy kits with Beckham's name on it). THAT'S where Beckham really makes his dough.

The value of an MLS franchise is not that much. DC United was sold about 18 months ago for $26 million.

So anyone with a couple Million can arrange to buy one, but the question is "Will it make you money?"...most can't see soccer as a reasonable investment, but a few can. The reality is the Galaxy are the first and sometimes the ONLY MLS team to be profitable in any given season. AEG does not want to give up ownership of the G's, I can tell you that. But Simon Fuller must have pulled a negotiating coup and got them to put ownership on the table somehow. All the details have not been released, but it's possible it's just a minority ownership deal...who knows? We'll find out after the '60 Minutes' interview.

If I had $30 million, I'd buy an MLS franchise. I think they are undervalued, and with the future inclusion of more 'Designated Players' (which can be paid over the salary cap) you'll see more and better talent go to MLS raising the league's profile and profitability.

 

4000 attend "Galaxy Fan Fest".

I couldn't go, as I have been a bad boy at home and not done enough of my honey-do's according to my wife. It's all good: I fly to Denver next week for the Season Opener, chores done or no!

 

Luminous colours don't really suit you Fitz

 

One of the following is true:
A) I wasn't there.
B) I became a 13 year old black kid and put on a Chelsea 3rd kit.

 

Neither of those are true, but you did become a 13yr old black kid and put on a Chelsea away shirt :]]

 

good one:whoosh:

 

So who's been whooshed exactly ?

 

I think I am a little confused.

 

Fitz, i originally implied you were the young Chelsea fan as you know and then you claimed otherwise saying about a Chelsea 3rd shirt when in fact that ghastly number is their away kit, i then used this to make my jibe stand but unfortunately YellowYoda ruined it all with his post.

Shame really.

 

That's their real away shirt? It's ghastly. I thought it was for Euro play or something. I hate them, so it's no wonder I've never seen it.

 

The LA Times is a fairly good paper.

Except for their local soccer coverage. This rag seems to have a hate-on for soccer in LA.

Today, one of the worst offenders, Grahame L. Jones, actually wrote a somewhat favorable article about local player and Galaxy icon David Beckham's world travels this year.

This is literally the FIRST article by this canut that hasn't made me fruitlessly google his home address to try to attempt a home invasion with hopes of staging an "accidental death" involving a toaster and a warm bath.

 

I like the last picture because it looks like David Beckham is wearing Abel Xavier's hair.

 

Zavier's hair cracks me up, but a shame he doesn't do the beard now! Top thread Fitz

Who should win the league this season mate and do you think my favourite team Toronto will be any better after last season? Former QPR lump Danny Dichio is now a favourite over there acccording to my cousin but Carl Robinson seems to want to come home.

 

Magic, i'll bring my boots in case the G's need a defender in the Rio Ferdinand mould, but with better hair.

And that pic of Beckham with Abel's hair is classic.

Keep it coming Fitz, this is my favourite thread now the Neighbours one has died.

 

Quick question Fitz my man: Do you have to be a slaphead to be in the Riot Squad?

 

Slaphead?

Bald or asian?

 

Bald; which I'm only really basing on you and that guy in the stall

 

There's three guys who are bald, wear little scruffy facial hair and are LARS. We comprise nearly 1% of "the 300". It's kind of weird when we are together. Very often, someone will start talking to Scott or Spider like they are me, carrying on to continue a conversation I had been having with that person earlier. "You want Fitz...he's over there..." We seem to be virtually interchangeable.

 

Not specifically Galaxy, but on the MLS's reach into Latin America for talent of 'value'.

Click here.

 

Also, Players to Watch in M.L.S.

 

There's my boy De Ros

Is Blanco really only 35?

 

I guess he is...man is he ever easy to hate...

 

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. I hope you enjoyed your trip back from Denver Fitz.

 

On the plane waiting to take off now. Game couldn't have been worse but the hapless Colorado fans who's team always sucks are great fans and people. It was a great trip. assuming I make it home.

 

Well, you wont get back if you don't turn your electronics off.

Terry Cooke pisses all over Becks.

 

That's impossible. Beckham is English!

 

its usually the weather but something will always **** on an englishman

 

Here's a couple of my travel partners with pee face.

 

I think you'll find that Cooke is English too, he moved to the US in 2005 from Sheffield Wednesday. Beckham is but a sheep.

 

Impossible! No Englishman would ever deign to play in the MLS unless paid $25 million/year.

 

For real, the Rapids fans were really cool.
We went into Denver after the game with them to their pub "The British Bulldog" and shut the place down at 2am. That's one of the great things about American soccer: we have way more in common as fans of the beautiful game than axes to grind from supporting different teams. Our league is still young and survival not guaranteed.

For the record, Denver is 5,000+ feet high in elevation, so not only did our players feel the altitude on the pitch, but it got you drunk faster. COOL!