Brand it like Beckham

At 31 years of age, David Beckham is undoubtedly past his prime on the pitch - well that's at least what we all thought. Not to be misunderstood, I'm a huge fan of Becks, and have been a loyal admirer for many years. I still find myself practicing free kicks by bending and contorting my body to injury, and recently, proudly sporting a sweet fauxhawk hairstyle, but like the rest of you, I have been blown away by the recent media attention surrounding his shocking deal with LA Galaxy. To sum up, Beckham will be in the US by August, his contract runs for 5 years, and it is estimated to be worth...wait for it...a quarter of a billion dollars. Now of course this includes salary and endorsements, but how can a Brit earn 50 mills on American soil playing soccer?


What people do not understand (and by people I mean only Americans) is that Beckham's soccer skills are only part of the equation. His status as fashion icon, tabloid fixture and marketing giant have made him David Beckham Incorporated - a multinational phenom with links to Pepsi, Gillette, Motorola and Adidas - or simply put, a money making marketing machine as a walking billboard. David Beckham has conquered the rest of the world as the most recognized person, let alone soccer player. Now, he's beginning his march across America, and like it or not, he is worth every penny. Soccer is a global sport, and the World will have their eyes on Becks, even if America doesn't.