Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to Michael Malone’s article “How to waste $252 million.”
Firstly, if Malone knew anything about sports, he should at least know who David Beckham is. Come on now, he is only one of the most famous athletes worldwide. He has played along amazing soccer players like Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo, but I suppose Malone has never heard of them either.
Secondly, Beckham is not being paid $252 million to come to America to play soccer, but instead $9 million annually. The rest of the money he is earning through sponsorships and other expenses.
Beckham also claims that he is not just in it for the money, but that he wants to help build on to the soccer scene we already have in America, and I truly believe he is very capable of doing that.
Anyhow, the contract Beckham signed is definitely a mega-deal and is comparable to contracts of popular football and baseball players, leading me to believe that soccer is becoming very popular, unlike Malone believes.
Why shouldn’t professional soccer players be paid as much as athletes competing in other professional sports?
For Malone to say that it is a disgrace for such an incredible athlete to be paid what he is going to be paid is outrageous. Bringing Beckham over here to play soccer for the L.A. Galaxy will definitely help soccer to grow even more quickly in the United States.
Before Malone continues to call himself a sports editor, he should at least brush up on his knowledge of such a popular worldwide sport and at least the most famous players to participate in it.
-Hannah Johnson

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