CARSON, Calif. – When David Beckham joined the LA Galaxy in 2007, the club and soccer in the United States changed forever.
As part of a recent edition of MLSsoccer.com’s ExtraTime Radio, former Galaxy General Manager Alexi Lalas discussed the impact of the establishment of the Designated Player rule, which was used to sign the English soccer legend had on the league.
In his extensive conversation with the podcast, Lalas touched on a variety of topics from how Beckham’s signing saw ticket prices change to how the advent of the DP role emboldened other owners to add players like Thierry Henry and Cuauhtémoc Blanco to their rosters.
“I think the Designated Player rule was a seminal moment because it changed the way that the league and the teams think about building their team,” Lalas told Extra Time Radio. “It broadened their horizons, and it gave them a mechanism that in the past that they had the inability to do so to the extent that they can with the Designated Player rule.
“It’s no surprise to me that they continue to add Designated Player spots because you have ownership that is dying to spend some money and do different things with the recognition and respect that the only reason that we’re into the third decade of Major League Soccer is because of the restraint and fiscal responsibility.”
In addition to touching on Beckham’s role in the growth of the league, Lalas also stressed the need for more players like Galaxy striker Gyasi Zardes to help grow the league's Homegrown Player project.
Listen to the podcast in full here. Lalas' portion speaking about Beckham and the advent of the Designated Player rule can be found at the 26:45 mark.
