The Los Angeles Galaxy presented their new superstar as David Beckham greeted fans and media at Home Depot Center on Friday.
But the club did not present the savior of American soccer, Galaxy officials said.
Beckham will take his place alongside friends Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes on the entertainment pages while joining as Landon Donovan and Abel Xavier on the field during Galaxy games. He'll also help the 12th-year league continue to grow as opposed to tossing it a life ring.
"First off, our sport and our league doesn't need a savior. It doesn't need to be saved. What it does need is an injection and a moment of truth the way any other product needs and this is about as big and bold as you can possibly get," Galaxy President and General Manager Alexi Lalas said. "It's also not what you do in the short term but what you do in the long term. I think that even beyond David Beckham's years, we'll still feel the benefits of this."
The Galaxy and Major League Soccer benefited greatly from Beckham's arrival on Friday. In a 30-minute presentation broadcast across the world on television and internet, Beckham greeted Galaxy fans and local, national and international media that in total numbered some 700.
Confetti danced and floated around Beckham and dignitaries as he held his long-sleeve Galaxy jersey before cheering onlookers.
While it was a moment to savor, MLS Commissioner Don Garber wanted some of the publicity to simmer down soon for the sake of the player.
"I hope the hype goes away," Garber said. "I want this to settle in to a routine where David comes to practice, goes to games, he can go out to dinner with his family, he can have a nice life here in Los Angeles so that his experience can be one that can be replicated by other players. If this hype continues the way it is today, then it's going to be difficult for everybody to manage."
Garber said he hoped Beckham's arrival would bring respect to MLS and thrust the league into a similar standing among the national media that leagues such as the NFL and NBA enjoy.
"We want to be in a situation months and years from now that people look back at the David Beckham signing as one that had stimulated the increased respect and credibility for the sport so that there are no more soccer-bashing articles in major newspapers and people treat us and treat like they treat the other major leagues," Garber said.
As the league continues to grow, as soccer-specific stadiums continue to open throughout MLS and expansion remains a hot topic, Garber said the league is stabilizing its foundation for future successes. While there will be setbacks, Beckham's arrival is a grand step forward and his presence on the Galaxy and in MLS could help soccer reach a level of respect in this country.
"We'll have our trials and tribulations, our ups and downs, our successes and failures just like the other leagues have and when the other leagues go through with them no one is thinking that it's the end of the league," Garber said. "When we go through with them everybody says 'See, I told you. Soccer is never going to make it.' That's what I'm looking to get past and I think by the way we're almost there today."
Still, despite a likely impending media circus and sweltering temperatures, Galaxy and league officials said the moment was enjoyable and pulsating, the memories of which would last a lifetime.
"It was a wonderful moment, a historic moment for us not just for the Galaxy but for Major League Soccer, for the sport," Lalas said. "It was a great opportunity for us to officially welcome David to L.A. and to the world."
At the same time, though, Garber said he hoped it wouldn't be replicated soon.
"We don't try to do this again," Garber said. "There will be other moments like this but we're not sitting back in the office saying, 'We did this today. What do we do now to make a bigger splash tomorrow?' If we do that, we're going to be making some bad decisions."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
