How can any person justify paying/receiving $250 million in US DOLLARS?
No matter how famous the person is, paying that kind of money for being
an ambassador of soccer is simply insane.
Tiger Wood made $250 million after 10 years of combination of winning the
major tournaments, endorsements and compound interests.
He was projected to be a billionaire in another 10 years.
This deal makes Tiger really worked hard for his money.
Perhaps Beckham is “soccer seed” trying to make soccer popular years
down the road by being popular with youth of America.
When the kids grow up, they will be more acceptable to soccer,
enhance popularity grows but that’s very long time to invest for something
very uncertain. I’ve watched World Cup with a lot interests and it is exciting
to watch the game when there is so much is at stake and it is incredible sight
watching +60,000 fans in a stadium chanting in unison BUT the extra
activity of fake injuries and diving to draw penalties in my view really
tarnish the game. I think all soccer players should have hockey or
N.American style football (CFL/NFL) boot camp before the season begins;
extra penalty for diving/faking.
Soccer is not physically tough and not fast enough for N.American market.
I don’t think making the field smaller would make difference.
Unlike Europeans, N.Americans enjoys hockey, football, baseball and basketball,
to occupy through out the season and new kid on the block
would have to fight very hard to capture the sporting market in here.
Time will tell if someone made smart? risky? investment that will pay off handsomely or not.