Comments on: Beckham paying off http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/05/30/beckham-paying-off/ Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:23:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chris Lesley http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/05/30/beckham-paying-off/#comment-32646 Chris Lesley Sat, 02 Jun 2007 08:54:56 +0000 http://www.dhpromo.com/blog/?p=491#comment-32646 I agree it isn't at the point yet, but when they hear the earning potential from players such as Beckham, they may think again about taking up soccer. Also, alot of players are signed by clubs in Europe when they are teens, therefore bypassing college altogether. The salary cap moved from 1.5 million to 1.65 million next season (not including a marquee player) in the Australian A-League, a change of 10%, this rise does not happen in any other Australian league. I agree it isn’t at the point yet, but when they hear the earning potential from players such as Beckham, they may think again about taking up soccer. Also, alot of players are signed by clubs in Europe when they are teens, therefore bypassing college altogether.
The salary cap moved from 1.5 million to 1.65 million next season (not including a marquee player) in the Australian A-League, a change of 10%, this rise does not happen in any other Australian league.

]]> By: chris http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/05/30/beckham-paying-off/#comment-32414 chris Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:03:59 +0000 http://www.dhpromo.com/blog/?p=491#comment-32414 Just to elaborate on my point, there are roughly 200 D1 soccer programs who are allowed 9 scholarships per year, so that is 1,800 D1 soccer scholarships per year. In football there are 119 D1A programs that are allowed 85 scholarships and 122 D1AA programs that are allowed 65 scholarships for a total of over 18,000! In D1 hoops there are 336 teams allowed 13 scholarships or a total of 4,368. Baseball is close to 3,444 D1 scholarships a year. So the breakdown: Football - 18,000+ Basketball - 4,368 Baseball - 3,444 Soccer - 1,800 Baseball is the closest thing, but if you count the kids that jump straight from HS to the pros and then kids that go to Junior Colleges just to get drafted (who get scholarships) it isn't even close. Just to elaborate on my point, there are roughly 200 D1 soccer programs who are allowed 9 scholarships per year, so that is 1,800 D1 soccer scholarships per year.

In football there are 119 D1A programs that are allowed 85 scholarships and 122 D1AA programs that are allowed 65 scholarships for a total of over 18,000! In D1 hoops there are 336 teams allowed 13 scholarships or a total of 4,368. Baseball is close to 3,444 D1 scholarships a year.

So the breakdown:
Football – 18,000+
Basketball – 4,368
Baseball – 3,444
Soccer – 1,800

Baseball is the closest thing, but if you count the kids that jump straight from HS to the pros and then kids that go to Junior Colleges just to get drafted (who get scholarships) it isn’t even close.

]]> By: chris http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/05/30/beckham-paying-off/#comment-32411 chris Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:56:49 +0000 http://www.dhpromo.com/blog/?p=491#comment-32411 soccer has been the biggest sport among youths since i was a kid (i'm 26 now), but it doesn't carry over once kids get to the high school level. the scholarships available in football, basketball, and baseball dwarf those available to kids in soccer. also the money that the average big league football, basketball, or baseball player earns is SIGNIFICANTLY more than the average MLS player. that's why soccer has struggled and will continue to struggle in the us. yes it is great kids are playing it, but the best athletes, who are likely the best soccer players, end up in one of the big 3 sports. soccer has been the biggest sport among youths since i was a kid (i’m 26 now), but it doesn’t carry over once kids get to the high school level. the scholarships available in football, basketball, and baseball dwarf those available to kids in soccer. also the money that the average big league football, basketball, or baseball player earns is SIGNIFICANTLY more than the average MLS player.

that’s why soccer has struggled and will continue to struggle in the us. yes it is great kids are playing it, but the best athletes, who are likely the best soccer players, end up in one of the big 3 sports.

]]> By: Chris Lesley http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/05/30/beckham-paying-off/#comment-32310 Chris Lesley Fri, 01 Jun 2007 08:55:18 +0000 http://www.dhpromo.com/blog/?p=491#comment-32310 It happened in Australia, after an overhaul it changed into a dominate sport, with massive crowds. It happened in Australia, after an overhaul it changed into a dominate sport, with massive crowds.

]]> By: Anton http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/05/30/beckham-paying-off/#comment-32279 Anton Fri, 01 Jun 2007 06:32:10 +0000 http://www.dhpromo.com/blog/?p=491#comment-32279 The salary cap is not going to change in the near future, but the "star" clause will allow teams to pay two players (or more if they trade for the star exception) as much as they want. This allows them to be more competitive on the international market and attract better players. The hope is that this will lead to an increase in quality of play and star power and will bring in more sponsors and fans. The question is will soccer ever break into the mainstream. My opinion is yes, eventually, as soccer is an extremely popular youth sport and as these youth age soccer will be more popular among those who count, the money spenders. The salary cap is not going to change in the near future, but the “star” clause will allow teams to pay two players (or more if they trade for the star exception) as much as they want. This allows them to be more competitive on the international market and attract better players. The hope is that this will lead to an increase in quality of play and star power and will bring in more sponsors and fans. The question is will soccer ever break into the mainstream. My opinion is yes, eventually, as soccer is an extremely popular youth sport and as these youth age soccer will be more popular among those who count, the money spenders.

]]> By: chris http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/05/30/beckham-paying-off/#comment-32063 chris Thu, 31 May 2007 16:24:54 +0000 http://www.dhpromo.com/blog/?p=491#comment-32063 Just to play devil's advocate, would an increase in the salary cap raise the salaries, significantly, of the average MLS player? Or would it just give teams more cap room to overpay "stars"? Just to play devil’s advocate, would an increase in the salary cap raise the salaries, significantly, of the average MLS player? Or would it just give teams more cap room to overpay “stars”?

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