{"product_id":"the-beckham-experiment-how-the-worlds-most-famous-athlete-tried-to-conquer-america","title":"The Beckham Experiment: How the World's Most Famous Athlete Tried to Conquer America","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 2007  David Beckham  the golden boy of soccer  shocked the international sports world when he signed a five-year contract with an American team  the Los Angeles Galaxy. Under the direction of his manager  Simon Fuller  the mastermind behind American Idol and the Spice Girls  Beckham was ready for a monumental challenge and a risky adventureready  as Fuller put it  to earn his stripes Stateside. Could he pull off what no player had ever accomplished (including Pel in the 1970s) and transform soccer into one of the most popular spectator sports in America? It was a bold experiment: failure meant a team  a league  a sport  and Beckham himself might miss their chance to hit primetime in the U.S.  With unprecedented access to the Galaxy and one-on-one interviews with Beckham  veteran Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl focuses on the inner circle of the experiment: Beckham  Galaxy leading scorer Landon Donovan  Simon Fuller  controversial former coach Ruud Gullit  outspoken former Galaxy president Alexi Lalas  and Mrs. Victoria Posh Spice Beckham. Wahl takes readers behind the scenes  on the road with the team and inside the locker room  to reveal just what happened on and off the field when the most renowned player in the world left the glamour of European soccer to play in a country that has yet to fully embrace the sport. We find out what his teammates really think of their superstar captain  who was calling the shots behind the scenes  how Beckhams management conducted a shadow takeover of the Galaxy organization  and if the team plans to embrace himor notwhen he returns from AC Milan for the 2009 season.  The Beckham Experiment is a no-holds-barred account of ego clashes and epic winless streaks  rivalries and resentments  big gambles and great expectations  cultural and class collisions  and ultimately the volatile mix of celebrity and professional sports. As Beckham embarks on his third season with the Galaxy  the question remains: even for a player the caliber of David Beckham  are some goals out of reach?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44945758027829,"sku":"ByrdShop_030740787X","price":26.85,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780307407870.jpg?v=1769909202","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-beckham-experiment-how-the-worlds-most-famous-athlete-tried-to-conquer-america","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}