Recently in Business of Football Category

No wonder this man is smiling

LONDON (AP) -- David Beckham earned nearly $16.5 million from personal sponsorship deals during his first full season with the Galaxy.

The England midfielder's latest accounts show that his marketability was unaffected by his move from Real Madrid to the United States, where soccer is less popular.

Newly released figures from the official British company registry show that Beckham's income from his Footwork Productions company in the year ending Dec. 31, 2008, soared by 91 percent from the previous year.

The company's gross profit of $20 million, which rose about 15 percent, includes income from endorsements. That figure is believed to account for two-thirds of the 34-year-old Beckham's sponsorship income.

A separate company, Brand Beckham, receives his $5.5 million basic salary from the Galaxy, the share of the merchandising he generates for the MLS team and joint endorsements with his wife, Victoria, including their range of fragrances.

Beckham joined the Galaxy on a five-year contract in July 2007. Despite the non-renewal of sponsorship contracts with Gillette and Pepsi, his advisers at 19 Entertainment are confident of expanding his off-the-field portfolio.

As well as developing his own apparel range with Adidas, Beckham's management team is looking to secure up to six sponsors in various areas.

Beckham's global appeal is likely to be helped by a second five-month stay at AC Milan
beginning in January, which will boost his chances of going to a fourth consecutive World Cup with England.

That's according to Brian Boswell, coach of the Rolling Hills Estates-based Women's Professional Soccer League club Ajax America (for years now one of the top women's teams in the nation and a WPSL finalist again last year) and a sometime contributor to this blog.

The revelations were contained in what is essentially a begging letter circulating via e-mail that seeks to ensure the continued existence of Ajax.

Boswell also has close ties to the Sol and it's the first-time I've seen semi-confirmation from someone associated with the team regarding the long-rumored magnitude of the team's losses.

Still, Anschutz Entertainment Group, which has part ownership of the Sol, has committed to the team for at least one more season and the club will play next year at Home Depot Center again from what I've heard.

Here's the text of Boswell's e-mail exactly as he wrote it:

Hi Everyone,

Please excuse this mass e/mail but many of you have watched the Ajax women play and/or participated in 1 or more of the Ajax Academies.

Ajax is one of the top women's teams in the world. Last year we were the LA SOL's reserve team and had 11 of the SOL players on our roster. We have been US Soccer National Champions 6 times, WPSL national Champions twice in the last 9 years and in the WPSL final 4 of the last 4 years.

Ajax is broke.

Each year we have been able to raise money through the Academies and some wonderful sponsorships. Plus 4 years ago we won $20,000 playing in an international tournament in Korea which we have been using.

For Ajax to play next season we need to raise a minimum of $12,000. This covers league fees, field fees, travel fees, referees fees etc. Notice no coaching fees.

We were hoping this year we would get financial support from the LA SOL but its possible there will not be an LA SOL. They lost over $2 million last season and may not be around for next year. Leaving Ajax as the best women's soccer you will be able to see locally.

Obviously we would love to find 1 sponsor who would donate the whole $12,000 but we realize that is probably impossible but please feel free to be that sponsor. Realistically we are hoping to find 120 families who would be willing to donate $100 each to the Ajax team.

We hope there are enough of you who have watched and enjoyed Ajax playing that you would want it to continue. We have never charged admittance, just hoped you would come up, watch and enjoy.

Please let me know if you would like to donate or have any ideas that we could use to raise the money.

Please consider this and please pass this onto anyone you feel could help or anyone we have missed.

Any donations are tax deductible.

Thank you all for your support in the past and hopefully the future.

Sincerely,

Brian

Brian Boswell Ajax

Brian's telephone number is listed on the team's page, BTW, for anyone who wants to help or get in touch with him.

Eurosnobs and assorted critics (like this one) often wish MLS would open its wallet a little more to attract better players and improve the quality of play.

Well, a fiscally conservative approach has its benefits as this story below out of Europe today confirms. Put this one in the careful what you wish for department.

BRUSSELS (AP) -- Almost a quarter of Europe's top division soccer clubs reported major financial losses last year, UEFA said Thursday, with a third of the teams in the rich and successful English Premier League losing at least 20 percent of income.

UEFA secretary general David Taylor warned a conference on financial responsibility in sport that more red ink is expected this year as leagues feel the full weight of the sputtering global economy.

Of the top leagues in the world, the Premier League was by far in the worst position when it came to the number of clubs with major losses. Only Romania, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Poland had more clubs losing money among Europe's 53 federations.

Italy was in 15th position on the 2008 club losses list, with Spain ranked 35th and France and Germany among those in the best financial shape.

Across Europe, barely half of teams break even or make a profit, UEFA reported.

The financial problems come despite income that's tripled for clubs since 1997, largely
through marketing and media revenue.

The problem is costs are rising, too. For instance, while income rose 5 percent last year, player costs increased 9 percent.

"The huge spending on players produces constantly an inflationary effect with consequences on the whole club football movement," Taylor said.

On top of that, "the current financial crisis has exacerbated the situation."

This offseason alone, Real Madrid and Manchester City combined to spend more than $487 million on new talent.

In an attempt to contain such massive spending, UEFA has imposed new rules for clubs to break even on soccer-related businesses by 2012 or be stripped of their licenses. The governing body of European soccer appointed former Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene to lead its campaign to control excessive spending.

On Thursday, the European Union, often at loggerheads with soccer when it comes to imposing sports-specific rules, embraced UEFA's efforts.

"I welcome and support these," EU Sports Commissioner Jan Figel said. "I look forward to the implementation."

Taylor said the system will teach leading clubs to compete for European titles with their
revenues instead of their debt, and to protect the long-term future of the sport. UEFA's
financial fair play policy has also been endorsed by most club owners.

Early this week, the Premier League also announced a new financial plan to regulate its 20 clubs. The league will take temporary control of clubs that run into financial problems and ban them from buying players or raising salaries. Clubs will have to submit accounts each March to ensure they can begin the next season in August.

Inter Milan unveiled their 2009-2010 season kit that celebrates the centenary of the club's first league title at an invitation-only flashy production Thursday night at Nike Sportswear at The Montalbán in Hollywood.

Photos by Susan Goldman courtesy of Nike

Dejean Stankovic, left, waves to the crowd while Alessandro Mancini, Thiago Motta, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Francesco Toldo look on.

The event apparently included a "blue carpet" arrival by team and a "history of Inter kit runway show."

The new kit will be worn first at the World Football Challenge tournament that includes a game between Inter and Chelsea Tuesday at the Rose Bowl.

From the press release:

The new kit is subtly infused with stories from their glorious past starting with their first win in the 1909-1910 season. Additional inspiration for the uniform was taken from several triumphant periods including the 1965-1966 season when Inter won their tenth Championship thus earning the star that now sits proudly above their club crest.

As the press release reminds us, they are from Italy:

The cut and fit of this new kit reflects the best of Italian tailoring by taking Milan's innate sense of style from the catwalk and boutiques on to the football pitch.

From the this isn't just a soccer kit, it's a "sweat management fabric" department:

The uniform is made with Nike's Dri-FIT fabric, a cross-category and successful versatile, sweat management fabric resulting from years of research and testing. Nike Dri-FIT apparel is designed to keeps players drier, cooler and lighter by drawing sweat from the body to the fabric's surface; the three-dimensional structure creates air space around the skin, reducing clinging and maintaining athletes more comfortable on the field.

Briefly:

*U.S international Jozy Altidore will sign autographs and take pictures with fans from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the adidas Sports Performance store on the Third Street Promenade. The address is 1231 Third Street Promenade. There's adidas product giveaways, too.

*Pasadena City College product Yura Movsisyan spoke publicly for the first time Wednesday about his pending move from Real Salt Lake to a club in Denmark.

*Finally, will Chelsea's John Terry join Manchester City before his current club plays at the Rose Bowl later this month? Find out goalkeeper Petr Cech's opinion here.

If approved, financed and built it will be called South Coast Soccer City.

I'm told it will look very similar to the picture that accompanies the story.

The usual crew of anonymous bigots has hijacked the comment section at the bottom of the story, so allow me to clarify one thing: no taxpayer money is involved.

This is an ambitious venture and some folks I've talked to worry those involved may be reaching a little too far. Nevertheless, given the demand for fields in the greater L.A. region, there should be plenty of interest from varying demographic groups (and yes, to answer another question I received via e-mail, there will be adult leagues for men).

Frankly, I've barely played soccer since moving to Torrance from Ventura, so I'm looking forward to this, too, assuming it gets off the ground (the backers declined to tell me how much they're spending on this and I have the impression they still may be looking for investors).

The backers understand the risks involved, BTW. Kevin Gilmore observed that because this is the first purpose-built facility of its type they know of "therein lies the challenge and the opportunity."

BTW, I was told it will cost about $550 per team for an eight-week season, which isn't bad split up between 8-10 people. And no, you can't sign up yet.

The proposal calls for seven fields: three 49 feet by 90 feet fields, one 60 feet by 120 feet, one 60 feet by 120 feet field (the size required for international play) and two 40 feet by 90 feet field turf arenas.

A few futsal facts (culled from the project's overview):

*Futsal is not played with walls like traditional indoor soccer in the U.S. and therefore is considered the best way outdoor soccer players can train indoors "to refine and maintain their control, skill and touch."

*Futsal is considered one of the fastest growing indoor sports in the world and is played by 12 million people worldwide, including 70,000 in the U.S.

*"In futsal you need to think quick and play quick so it's easier for you when you move to normal football," said Pele.

Updated: It was approved by the Planning Commission.

Carson code enforcement officer Glenn Miller confiscates the food - but not the cart - of a bacon-wrapped hot dog vendor outside last weekend's Chivas USA SuperLiga game. Authorities plan to crack down again tonight.

Daily Breeze photos by Sean Hiller

The tentacles of Los Angeles-based Anshutz Entertainment Group extend throughout not only Southern California pop culture and civic life, but around the globe to include such figures as dead pop icon Michael Jackson and nominal Galaxy midfielder David Beckham.

But AEG, always it seems unnecessarily heavy-handed given their increasingly powerful and visible corporate profile, are now going after bacon-wrapped hot dog vendors at tonight's Gold Cup doubleheader at Home Depot Center.

It's always more about money than astute public relations for AEG who should think about improving the quality of the food and service inside the stadium.

Even better: AEG should try legitimizing some of these carts by providing the required access to running water and restrooms and slapping on an extra 75 cent charge rather than give their (over) paying customers another reason to gripe about bad sports teams, price gouging and plastic public realms like L.A. Live.

Soccer fan Oscar Rodriguez is a bacon-wrapped hot dog devotee.

And so is former Daily Breeze food critic Chris Cognac:

Hollywood Hitmen. Coldplay. Ballack. SuperLiga. Fireworks. Canada. Messi. NBA.

A FourFourTwo magazine spineline stumper? No, today's column.

BTW, more info on the July 4 game at the Coliseum is here.

And here's the official SuperLiga Web site.

The 100 Percent Soccer blog is on hiatus until next weekend and there is no Tuesday column in the print edition either.

I have a couple of posts scheduled to appear and a guest blogger or two may show up, but there will be no news updates from me.

Is it a coincidence this happens during a week when the U.S. opens World Cup qualifying against Mexico at 4 p.m. Wednesday with the game live on ESPN2 HD? I think not.

Enjoy the game.

And here's a sampling of recent 100 Percent Soccer posts for those looking to get caught up:

The failures of David Beckham.

My subsequent interview with The Guardian on the Beckham effect.

The Sol sign the "female Beckham."

Tuesday's Column: Handicapping the 2018 and 2022 World Cup Bids.

Chivas USA Camp Update: Razov Signs Contract, Promptly has Surgery & More.

I need to get down to work writing Tuesday's column, but wanted to note in passing that:

*The transfer rumor of the day had the Galaxy chasing Argentine defender Andrés D'Alessandro, who is currently with Brazilian team Internacional. The club reportedly turned down a $10 million bid from the Galaxy (and yes, that is yet another indication - were one needed - that Landon Donovan is indeed gone).

*Shocker! The steal of the year comes as former Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid is set to be announced Tuesday as the new coach of the Seatttle Sounders.

*The deal of the young week so far has U.S. Soccer confirming today what 100 Percent Soccer reported over the weekend; U.S. Women's National Team Coach Pia Sundhage has signed a a new four-year deal.

*From the Haven't We Heard This Before Department? comes word that to play for England David Beckham must play club games.

*Cal State Dominguez Hills senior forward Kyle Holland and Coach Joe Flanagan will appear live between 5 and 7 this evening on Fox Football Fone-In on Fox Soccer Channel to discuss the program's NCAA Division II National Championship.

*In a coup for Women's Professional Soccer during these tough economic times, Puma has stepped up to become the league's "official sport and lifestyle apparel, footwear and equipment supplier."

"Puma has built up a strong momentum in women's soccer over the past 10 years collaborating closely with pioneering partners that have redefined the game on a global and local stage. Today, we are proud to be one of the founding partners of Women's Professional Soccer in what promises to be a new pioneering chapter for women's soccer," said Puma Chairman & CEO Jochen Zeitz. "The WPS partnership provides Puma with a perfect platform to reinforce the brand's positioning as the most desirable sportlifestyle brand in the world as well as underline our continued commitment to women's sports."

The move makes sense given that Puma also sponsors Brazilian star Marta and is likely to be paying most of her salary if she indeed signs with the Los Angeles Sol.

But I guess that's better than the 5 percent figure that was going to be on the March ballot.

Details here.

A 10 percent ticket tax proposal didn't find enough support on the City Council a couple of weeks ago, but now a 2 percent tax is under consideration tonight.

Photo by Juan Miranda/Chivas USA

Plenty of media attention for Juan Pablo Angel and the New York Red Bulls Friday, but is the general public noticing?

I pitched my editor (the news, not sports editor) a front page Robbie Rogers profile on Sunday to coincide with MLS Cup in Carson.

I figured it was a safe bet: a South Bay native, one of the best players on the best team in the league, an Olympian, MLS Goal of the Year finalist, a 21-year-old having a breakout season who was named to the national team for the first time.

Who's going to turn down that story?

He did.

Obscure athlete playing for an obscure team in an obscure league for an obscure championship, he said.

Instead, he said, why don't you write a story about how many people locally know whether a national championship of a supposedly major league is being played here?

So I did, figuring if that sort of story was going to get written (yet again) at least it will be by someone (who thinks) he knows something about the game and not some ignorant soccer bashing reporter.

I'm of the P.T. Barnum mindset when it comes to soccer: there is no such thing as bad publicity.

And the story duly landed on the front page, at least publicizing the game (and this blog).

There was no other mention of the game in the entire newspaper this morning. Soccer still has a way to go whether fans like it or not.

I usually don't print e-mails sent to me privately, but I thought I'd share the following one below that appeared in my inbox before I'd even staggered out of bed this morning:

Just read your article on MLS Cup.

Here's my take on the event.

First off, it's time to get rid of the myth that Americans love to play not watch soccer.

Ratings for major Soccer events (World Cup, Euro Cup, English Premier League) have been increasing at a rapid upward pace for a number of years.

As far as MLS. The relevant metric for a 12-year old-league, which unlike other American leagues exists in a worldwide environment, is hard core fans put into the seats on a weekly basis.

By that standard MLS is doing quite well, averaging more that 16,000 fans per game, in a terrible economic climate especially for families (i.e. the non-corporate crowd) who make up the core of the MLS' fan base.

I wonder where the NBA, NHL, MLB, etc. were in their 13th year?

Are fans into the MLS Cup in New York? Not really the right question. Hard core fans of the Red Bulls like me will and given time the "gospel" will spread to the masses, just as it happened in football, baseball etc.

Perry
Flushing, New York.

Amen, Perry.

Thanks for writing.

Of course, even the soccer-hating guy mentioned in the article watches World Cup soccer so there's a tremendous difference between MLS viewership and how many people watch the World Cup.

And as the Commish pointed out Thursday in his speech at USC, ratings for the Galaxy are higher than for the Kings, but ratings are higher nationally for the NHL than for MLS.

Fans going to the game tomorrow should be aware that:
*The Red Cross will collect donations for victims of the recent wildfires outside the entrances to the stadium.

*The Los Angeles Sol, the new Women's Professional Soccer franchise, kicks off a toy drive Sunday with defender Kendall Fletcher signing autographs for all donors who drop off a toy at the Sol booth before the game. In addition, any fan donating an unwrapped toy worth $3 or more will receive a voucher for one free ticket with the purchase of a full-price ticket to any Sol home game in 2009. The Team LA store at Home Depot Center also has a collection box.

Also, earlier this week I blogged here about some of my favorite South Bay bars, eateries, etc., for those of you visiting the area from out of town (or locals who live under a rock).

MLS Cup is not the only soccer game at the HDC this weekend, BTW.

At 7 tonight Cal State Dominnguez Hills plays hosts Midwestern State at the Track & Field Stadium with a place at the Division II NCAA final four at stake Dec. 4 in Tampa, Fla.

MLS officials are concerned about the quality of the U.S. Men's National Team and how that could reflect on the league, Commissioner Don Garber told more than 200 students, faculty and guests Thursday at the USC Marshall Sports Business Institute.

"Our national team is struggling," he said flatly. "We looked great last night - last night we beat Guatemala. ... All of those players on that field were playing Major League Soccer or played in Major League Soccer. Many of them came up through the youth system, many of them played in the U.S. Soccer Academy down in Florida and they were pretty good - they beat Guatemala pretty handily.

"You take that team and play them against England's - maybe not England's, but Germany's or Italy's first team - and boy, we've got a long way to go. ... Let's not believe our own press and think that we're OK because we're beating each other. Let's think about how we're competing against the world - and against the world, we're worried.

"I'm really worried about how we're going to do," (in 2010 is what it sounded like he was going to say here), before he quickly added "I hope there's no media people here, they'll get me in trouble for this," (too late, Don).

"We're going through qualifying pretty well, we're one of the best teams in our region. But when we get out we have to compete against world powers who have been doing this for 100 years. It's not the same game - and that's a big concern of ours."

That's because, Garber observed, the league's number one goal is to raise the respect and credibility of the league domestically and internationally in the eyes of an "increasingly more sophisticated soccer consumer."

"We think we could be as big as the NFL," said Garber, former head of NFL International.

But the quality of the product is the key to that.

"We have to have value, we have to have a product people care about," he said. "We've got to show our fans and players the game matters."

One way is to have more than a cursory knowledge of it.

So here's a little "Are Your Smarter Then Don Garber When it Comes to Soccer?" quiz.

Question: How many teams are in InterLiga, the competition played in the U.S. (including Home Depot Center) that qualifies two Mexican teams to enter Copa Libatadores?
Answer: Garber wondered aloud whether the answer was 10. If you said eight, you're smarter than Don Garber.

Question: Does Mexico have relegation and promotion?
Answer: Don said "no" they have the same system the U.S. does. Not so. If you said Mexico does have relegation, again, you're smarter than Don Garber. (The system is based on a formula over three years designed to ensure the richer/bigger clubs are unlikely to go down and lose out on the revenues from the top league).

Still, he conceded about relegation, "Our fans are screaming for it. Our coaches are screaming for it," while adding, "We're not structured for it."

Meaning rich dudes paying $40 million for a franchise plus the cost of building a soccer-specific stadium don't want to entertain the prospect of playing in the USL.

Finally, Garber noted that although MLS has the cheapest average ticket price of any major sport ($21) "the sports business is not immune from the economic crisis we're living through." He said he didn't feel "as good" as he did six months ago about the league's financial prospects.

Join the club, Don.

Not much of a surprise there.

BTW, Carson shelved the idea of a Home Depot Center ticket tax - for now.