Beckham set to become owner of the 22nd MLS team

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Miami Spice XI: 1. Casillas. 2. Alves. 3. A. Cole. 4. Ferdinand. 5. Alex. 6. Xabi Alonso. 7.Gerrard 8. Xavi. 9. Ibrahimovic. 10. Robinho. 11. Motta.

I presume Barnes will be on the bench ?

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

I wonder if he has thought about putting a small part of his vast wealth into helping out one of the English Football League or Non-League teams that are struggling? I think I know the answer to that already.

not sure what right you have to judge a man on how he is legally investing his hard earned money? and do you expect him to give money to EVERY struggling football team in england? he'd be bankrupt within a week!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

A BBC reporter said to him earlier that it looked like he was "fulfilling a British and American dream".

He seemed to humour it OK, but I'd like to meet the British schoolkid whose lifelong dream is to own a soccer team in one of the world's least passionate footballing nations.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

A 25K seater stadium. A huge Hispanic population in the area who love Soccerball. Brand Beckham behind it all and a place for Europe's great players to get one last pay day in the sun before they retire. Sounds like a good plan.

As someone who has lived in Miami, I disagree. You'd think a Miami team would be a going concern, but getting football fans to watch US soccer in Miami has often been difficult. For one thing, many have favourite teams in the countries their familes come from and are unlikely to be impressed by a club put together from a squad of European has-beens. Just as Chivas USA in LA, even though affiliated to the Mexican club Guadalajara, had the lowest average crowd in MLS last season.

And don't believe that all Hispanics are soccerball fans. The largest percentage of Hispanics in Miami are Cubans, whose national game is baseball. As for the stadium, it will almost certainly have to be entirely privately-funded because of the furore caused by the huge public investment in the new Miami Marlins ballpark.

Posing around on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach and having a place on Star Island might appeal to the Beckhams, but I doubt if there's a large constituency holding its breath for a Miami soccerball franchise. We'll see...

 

[Leighgull]

Will you be able to buy some of his PANTS or FRAGRANCE on the concourse?

If not...count me IN!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

As someone who has lived in Miami, I disagree. You'd think a Miami team would be a going concern, but getting football fans to watch US soccer in Miami has often been difficult. For one thing, many have favourite teams in the countries their familes come from and are unlikely to be impressed by a club put together from a squad of European has-beens. Just as Chivas USA in LA, even though affiliated to the Mexican club Guadalajara, had the lowest average crowd in MLS last season.

And don't believe that all Hispanics are soccerball fans. The largest percentage of Hispanics in Miami are Cubans, whose national game is baseball. As for the stadium, it will almost certainly have to be entirely privately-funded because of the furore caused by the huge public investment in the new Miami Marlins ballpark.

Posing around on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach and having a place on Star Island might appeal to the Beckhams, but I doubt if there's a large constituency holding its breath for a Miami soccerball franchise. But we'll see...

Was just thinking the same (about Cubans/baseball). The reports suggest that the previous Miami franchise was the lowest supported in the league, which certainly pours cold water on the Hispanics theory. Aren't some of the best supported sides in the Pacific Northwest currently? Seattle, Vancouver, Portland?

 

[Leighgull]

Was just thinking the same (about Cubans/baseball). The reports suggest that the previous Miami franchise was the lowest supported in the league, which certainly pours cold water on the Hispanics theory. Aren't some of the best supported sides in the Pacific Northwest currently? Seattle, Vancouver, Portland?

Have you ever been to Miami? The Hispanics are too busy cleaning pools and mowing lawns on Saturday afternoons to go to the football. Those who were off couldn't afford the bus fare let alone Florida sports pricing anyway.

Besides. All the migra would need to do is arrest the crowd at the Dolphins stadium when Miami were playing El Paso and they'd solve the immigration problem in a flash.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Have you ever been to Miami? The Hispanics are too busy cleaning pools and mowing lawns on Saturday afternoons to go to the football. Those who were off couldn't afford the bus fare let alone Florida sports pricing anyway.

Besides. All the migra would need to do is arrest the crowd at the Dolphins stadium when Miami were playing El Paso and they'd solve the immigration problem in a flash.

Miami bus fares are pretty reasonable, as it goes.

And if we're talking about Miami rather than the ten-block stretch of Miami Beach that most tourists visit, then the Hispanic population is well-established and a large percentage of it is doing very nicely, thank you. They used to say that when Castro died, Miami would lose half of its professional classes in the stampede to get back to Cuba and redevelop Havana.

I rented a flat from a Cuban contractor and property developer and met a few of his friends, and most of them had arrived with nothing but worked their way up quickly with the help of a large local support srevice. The guy cleaning the pool may already have something better lined up.

 

[KZNSeagull]

not sure what right you have to judge a man on how he is legally investing his hard earned money? and do you expect him to give money to EVERY struggling football team in england? he'd be bankrupt within a week!

I have no right whatsoever. I would just like to think that someone supposedly so passionate about the game would like to do something to help the game in the country in which he was born and made his reputation - I was actually thinking about the likes of Hereford, clubs that are going to the wall for want of an hours of Gareth Bale's salary, for example.

Or at least do something in a poor country that loves football. But then, there's no money in that, is there.

 

[Leighgull]

Miami bus fares are pretty reasonable, as it goes.

And if we're talking about Miami rather than the ten-block stretch of Miami Beach that most tourists visit, then the Hispanic population is well-established and a large percentage of it is doing very nicely, thank you. They used to say that when Castro died, Miami would lose half of its professional classes in the stampede to get back to Cuba and redevelop Havana.

I rented a flat from a Cuban contractor and property developer and met a few of his friends, and most of them had arrived with nothing but worked their way up quickly with the help of a large local support srevice. The guy cleaning the pool may already have something better lined up.

Yes...well the bit I was in...the posh bit...had a REALLY expensive Mall, my hotel and a bar. I didn't go native and befriend the locals.

 

[Leighgull]

I have no right whatsoever. I would just like to think that someone supposedly so passionate about the game would like to do something to help the game in the country in which he was born and made his reputation - I was actually thinking about the likes of Hereford, clubs that are going to the wall for want of an hours of Gareth Bale's salary, for example.

Or at least do something in a poor country that loves football. But then, there's no money in that, is there.

Don't be a fool. Where are the Marketing opportunities in Hereford or bong bongo land?

If I was selling overpriced underpants and terrible aftershave I wouldn't put my dollars into the harebrained schemes you describe...and I'd know, I'm a Chartered Institute of Marketing member and associate fellow.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Don't be a fool. Where are the Marketing opportunities in Hereford or bong bongo land?

If I was selling overpriced underpants and terrible aftershave I wouldn't put my dollars into the harebrained schemes you describe...and I'd know, I'm a Chartered Institute of Marketing member and associate fellow.

 

[Leighgull]

On the subject of Beckham and his ventures...how're the Orang Utangs getting on?

 

[KZNSeagull]

On the subject of Beckham and his ventures...how're the Orang Utangs getting on?

. Dunno - that's not me. Kalimantan Gull is your man for that.

 

[Simster]

One thing, I AM slightly dubious that having 2 new york/new jersey teams will work out. I'm not basing my opinion on much other than having 2 teams in LA hasn't worked that well, with Chivas getting poor crowds. Im sure you'd have better insight lyndhurst

Comparisons with LA are probably not valid for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Chivas was a ludicrous concept. They were bought by the owner Of CD Guadalajara, share a badge, kit and "identity " with the Mexican parent club, and then squat at the Galaxy home ground. They even started off saying they'd only play Mexican born players.

It was a laughable idea, that patronises American soccer fans, alienates LA based fans of other Mexican clubs, and belittles the MLS brand, who supposedly want to actually compete with Mexican clubs rather than become farm teams of lite versions of Mexican clubs. But back then, MLS was primarily concerned with diversifying it's ownership base, as they had become over reliant on 3 or 4 deep pocketed people.

The situation is very different now. NY was bought for $100m (Beckham's ringfenced $25m price meant he could buy anywhere for that price except NY) and as many people know, will be based in NY city, as opposed to over the river in New Jersey. New Yorkers are funny like that - they rarely get behind New Jersey teams (with the exception of gridiron), so they ought to get behind NYCFC.

The spanner in the works is the emergence of the reincarnated NY Cosmos who have just started playing in the level below MLS (NASL). They have just won a title and despite the big bucks behind NYCFC, they seem closer to building their 25k all seater. How will that affect the pull of NYCFC? No-one knows...

 

[Randsta]

I'm interested to hear the name of the new franchise. The last team in Miami flopped because they had a shit name - The Miami Fusion.

They need something hard and manly, like a hammer or a crusher. My choice - The Miami Vice.

The Miami Golden balls?

 

[Pavilionaire]

I have no right whatsoever. I would just like to think that someone supposedly so passionate about the game would like to do something to help the game in the country in which he was born and made his reputation - I was actually thinking about the likes of Hereford, clubs that are going to the wall for want of an hours of Gareth Bale's salary, for example.

Or at least do something in a poor country that loves football. But then, there's no money in that, is there.

You seem to be suggesting Beckham is doing this for the money. Doesn't the fact he played for free whilst at PSG indicate that nothing could be further from the truth?

Personally, I think this project is exciting. There is no team and no stadium, simply the memory of the failed Miami Fusion. He has a lot of obstacles to overcome so fair play to him for being game for the challenge.

 

[vegster]

]You seem to be suggesting Beckham is doing this for the money. Doesn't the fact he played for free whilst at PSG indicate that nothing could be further from the truth?[/B]

Personally, I think this project is exciting. There is no team and no stadium, simply the memory of the failed Miami Fusion. He has a lot of obstacles to overcome so fair play to him for being game for the challenge.

Although he gave his salary away to charity, he was still getting image rights plus the benefit for his other sponsors of him still being in the limelight. It was merely yet another marketing exercise.
Although he may nominally be " The Owner " of the franchise I'm pretty sure he will have nothing to do with the day to day running of the club or the playing squad or any real input. That will be handled behind the scenes by experts and Mr Beckham will mostly be wheeled out to shake hands and smile at various launches/lunches/press conferences in order to grease the wheels of the business.

 

[Leighgull]

. Dunno - that's not me. Kalimantan Gull is your man for that.

Oh yes. Apologies. On the subject of Beckham, how are the wildebeest working out? Still dopey looking and covered in mess?

 

[rocker959]

Will he ever disappear from our lives ..............................