I think this move says more of the marketing abilities of the MLS than anything else. Obviously they haven’t found any way of marketing the CURRENT crop of players they have and instead have fallen back on IMPORTING an already existing marketing icon.

The MLS marketing dept now really has nothing else to do but have Beckham show up for the MLS.

Maybe Beckham is getting paid so much because the MLS fired its ineffective marketing department?

I read the Souhan piece but didn’t think it was too bad, considering that he’s said far worse.

I can’t remembere hearing about soccer outside of the World Cup and a Thunder piece on MPR or interview with Amos on Kfan. PA & Dubay had quite a few shows on soccer during the World Cup. I know for the first USA game their entire show was all about soccer, of course thanks to the US performance against the Czech’s it was all doom, gloom and “how can the US improve?”. They aren’t great soccer minds but they did have Amos and Lavelle on and a tip of the hat to PA&Dubay for not turning the show into a “I don’t understand how you guys like the game” show.

Reading the letter to the editor I was wondering did I miss a Jim Souhan piece on the Beckham deal?

I voted for, “great for the game” but I’d probably actually say it will be good for the game. There will be a huge spike of interest for the game to begin with but that will eventually taper off but not to pre-Beckham levels. What I’m trying to say is some of those who tune in will stick around and even become hooked.