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SBD/Issue 79/Sports Industrialists
Newsmakers: Beckham Puts MLS On International Map
Published January 12, 2007
THE DAILY each Friday offers our take on the performances over the past week of
some people and entities in sports business. Here are this week’s newsmakers:
WIN: MLS –- DAVID BECKHAM crossing the pond to join the Galaxy marks by far the single biggest leap the league has made in gaining credibility on the sporting stage, both domestically and internationally. Landing one of the world’s most popular athletes puts a global focus on the league comparable to PELE’s move to the Cosmos over 30 years ago. The deal virtually guarantees sellouts across the league when Becks comes to town, and broadcasters should see ratings spikes when the Galaxy hit TV screens.
LOSE: MARK MCGWIRE -– The summer of ’98 will no longer be looked back upon as magical, as McGwire’s first appearance on the Baseball HOF ballot garners just 23.5% of the vote, far from the 75% needed for election. It is clear voters held his suspected use of steroids, as well as his appearance on Capitol Hill in ‘05, against him, and one has to wonder if Big Mac will ever get into Cooperstown without a ticket. It appears the precedent has been set, making the future induction of suspected players from the era doubtful.
DRAW: FOX –- The net earns a solid 17.4 Nielsen rating for Florida’s blowout win over Ohio State in the first BCS National Championship game, but the other BCS bowls underperform, with the Orange Bowl generating the lowest BCS game rating ever. Also, while Fox sees generally positive reviews for talent and production, some question why the affable pair of HOWIE LONG and TERRY BRADSHAW was not used for the title game instead of TV rookie BARRY ALVAREZ.
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WIN: MLS –- DAVID BECKHAM crossing the pond to join the Galaxy marks by far the single biggest leap the league has made in gaining credibility on the sporting stage, both domestically and internationally. Landing one of the world’s most popular athletes puts a global focus on the league comparable to PELE’s move to the Cosmos over 30 years ago. The deal virtually guarantees sellouts across the league when Becks comes to town, and broadcasters should see ratings spikes when the Galaxy hit TV screens.
LOSE: MARK MCGWIRE -– The summer of ’98 will no longer be looked back upon as magical, as McGwire’s first appearance on the Baseball HOF ballot garners just 23.5% of the vote, far from the 75% needed for election. It is clear voters held his suspected use of steroids, as well as his appearance on Capitol Hill in ‘05, against him, and one has to wonder if Big Mac will ever get into Cooperstown without a ticket. It appears the precedent has been set, making the future induction of suspected players from the era doubtful.
DRAW: FOX –- The net earns a solid 17.4 Nielsen rating for Florida’s blowout win over Ohio State in the first BCS National Championship game, but the other BCS bowls underperform, with the Orange Bowl generating the lowest BCS game rating ever. Also, while Fox sees generally positive reviews for talent and production, some question why the affable pair of HOWIE LONG and TERRY BRADSHAW was not used for the title game instead of TV rookie BARRY ALVAREZ.
