Thierry
Henry will be formally unveiled as the new icon of US
Major League Soccer on Thursday, but sports business experts have
already claimed he will not be as big an attraction
as
David
Beckham.
New MLS guidelines allow clubs to have up to three
designated players whose salaries are not included in the League’s
£1.67m annual salary cap, so only a small portion of Henry’s wages
will count against the club’s cap. The remainder will be paid by
the owner Red Bull.
“Thierry Henry will be used to attract the crowds and
the TV money,” said Emmanuel Hembert, football business expert for
management consultants AT Kearney.
“They would really need to attract big crowds and sells
lots of shirts to make it worthwhile. They will also need Henry to
show big motivation and really perform.
“Henry is going for the money, it is clear, as it is
his last contract before retiring. The problem for MLS, from what I
have heard, is that they are really struggling to attract crowds.
People are watching the European leagues with the big stars. That’s
why they are trying to attract the stars, even ones who are past
their prime.”
Popular | Henry is unlikely to match Beckham's appeal
Alex Brownsell, of marketing magazine Brand
Republic, does not believe Henry will be able to shift shirts like
Beckham.
“For the game in America it certainly makes sense to go
down the tried and trusted route of getting a big European player,
just as LA Galaxy did with Beckham,” explained Brownsell.
“In this instance, he isn’t nearly as big a global star
as David Beckham, who is hands down the most famous football player
there has ever been, possibly along with Pele.
“Henry is a world renowned footballer but he doesn’t
have the same level of celebrity. He is almost certainly not going
to sell as many shirts. I’m sure there will be a commercial return
but, no disrespect to Thierry Henry the player, the level of
awareness there will be for him in north America is nowhere near
the same.
"I’m sure people would have heard of him but there
won’t be the same populist knowledge there would be of
Beckham.”