Yes, It’s True: David Beckham’s Coming To America!

By | Posted on January 13th, 2007


It’s official, and all the papers are talking about it: Posh and Becks are coming to America, as David Beckham has signed a five-year deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The deal is allegedly worth $250 million, which makes him one of the most well-paid athletes in history. Beckham made the following statement:

“This week, Real Madrid asked me to make a decision regarding my future and the offer to extend my contract by a further two seasons,” Beckham said in a statement.

“After discussing several options with my family and advisers to either stay here at Madrid or join other major British and European clubs, I have decided to join the Los Angeles Galaxy and play in the MLS from August this year.”

USA Today’s sports columnist, Christine Brennan, says:

“David Beckham coming to the United States is…[like] Tiger Woods meeting Brad Pitt on the red carpet,” said USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan. “This transcends sports. This is a big, big deal.”

WHILE Beckham isn’t exactly a Tiger Woods-level talent, and some say he’s actually washed-up, Ian Plenderleith in the Guardian’s Sportblog says that’s actually a good thing:

Due to his limitations as a player, Beckham may actually fit in very well in US soccer. While his name reaps sponsorship money, merchandise sales and enhanced media attention, we all know that on the field he’s brilliant at what he does – but that that includes little beyond crosses, free-kicks and probing long passes. This will be ideal: he won’t dominate games, but he’ll produce the kind of highlight moments that can be easily packaged to a sporting audience that loves short, sharp thrills.

Quite the backhanded compliment, I’d say. It all comes down to this: the MLS is betting $250 million on a David Beckham lights-and-magic show. Wise move? Time will tell. Ultimately, this is bigger coup for US Weekly than it is for MLS: the Posh ‘n’ Becks show is coming to America, folks, and Cali has much better lighting than grey ol’ London. Imagine the double dates with TomKat at the Sci-Fi Center.

In other news:

  • Simon Cowell says something incredibly stupid, and it makes headlines because he’s Simon Cowell, creator of America’s No. 1 show.(Guardian)
  • Robbie Williams has made £40million ($80 million) in the past four years, according to his company’s accounting records.(The Sun)
  • Preston stormed off the set of the game show, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, when host Simon Amstell mockingly read from Chantelle Houghton‘s book.Preston explained his actions to Radio 1: “I went on Never Mind The Buzzcocks and I was very up for the kind of rib-poking that you get on it but then he just started insulting my wife and, as any married man would know, if that was in any other situation I would have literally hit him and knocked him out.”
  • Did Billie Piper enjoy a New York vacation with her new beau, Laurence Fox?(The Sun)
  • Did Russell Brand enjoy a saucy threesome with “two giggly brunettes in fishnet stockings”?(The Sun)
  • Jade Goody‘s mom, Jackiey (what the eff is up with the spelling?), is the first person to be booted from Celebrity Big Brother.(Daily Mail)
  • Danielle Lloyd is now being sued by the Miss Great Britain organization for bringing their pageant into “disrepute.”(The Sun)
  • Who is Kate Dickie, and why should you know who she is?(Guardian)