Star power

Will David Beckham’s arrival bring about a great American soccer awakening? | John Dawson

While it may be difficult to surmise whether the arrival of international soccer star David Beckham into U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) will help invent a mass market for soccer in the United States, it's certainly not hard to see why the superlative footballer would hop across the pond.

Move over, Alex Rodriguez: There's a new $250 million sports star. But unlike Rodriguez's 10-year baseball deal, soccer star Beckham could get $250 million over five years—all to play soccer in the United States. With a contract that could pay the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star about $1 million every week for the next five years, the MLS club L.A. Galaxy is banking on Beckham's ability to put people in the seats. To the extent Beckham does that, he will maximize his contract, which guarantees $10 million a year, plus possible endorsement and profit-sharing deals.