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MLS fines Beckham $1000 for fan incident

David Beckham hands (ISiphotos.com) 

                                                                             Photo by ISIphotos.com

Major League Soccer has fined LA Galaxy star David Beckham $1,000 for his actions during the Galaxy's recent friendly versus AC Milan. Beckham confronted Galaxy fans who were heckling him, leading to one fan leaving the stands in an attempt to reach Beckham.

“We support our players interacting with fans, whether it is at clinics, charity events or by high-fiving their supporters in the stands while celebrating a goal,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said. “However, our players should never engage in conduct that can be interpreted as encouraging fans to come out of the stands and onto the field, regardless of the reason.” 

The SBI take? MLS deserves kudos for taking the step to reprimand Beckham. No, the fine doesn't mean anything to Beckham (and I'm sure MLS was limited in the size of the fine it could levy), but the symbolism of the fine does mean something to Galaxy fans who sure felt slighted when it appeared as if Beckham wouldn't be punished or questioned in any way for his actions. The move shows Beckham that he isn't above the league or its fans. and that he will be held accountable for his actions.

What do you think of MLS fining Beckham? Are you happy to see MLS step up? Think Beckham didn't do anything wrong?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. He should have been fined at the same level as any other player who was involved in an altercation with a fan. The money isn’t the issue, its the rebuke.

    Having said that, I can understand his actions perfectly. We are all discussing this from the comfort of our couches, he was listening to a group of people chant some pretty nasty stuff about him and his family while his three sons were in the stands. Yes, I did hear what was said and I do think it was well over the line.

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  2. WHOOP DE DOOO!!! Hahaha watching the USA Honduras game, when Alexi Lalas was saying how he got fined 1K its a good thing the camera wasnt on him, cause im pretty sure he was laughing.

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  3. what about a fine that includes 1000 hours of community service discussing how when you make a commitment you should stick to it?

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  4. WOW!!get some balls mls what a set back.experiment failed we all lose.especially football.we still got Sam’s army go USA.signed very disappointed

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  5. Thanks Garber, I approve. Am I actually witnessing various levels of US Soccer gain dignity and seriousness in the last few months?

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  6. $1,000 and a cage match fight vs Jesse Marsch.

    Posted by: John | July 24, 2009 at 10:55 PM

    Whew. My face is suddenly flushed and I’m having a hard time breathing and I think I need to go find out if my husband is busy right now.

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  7. Sorry, beckham is a big fat liar. Proud that fans in the USA call him on it.

    Fine beckham? Fine him all the way back to europe!

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  8. My first impression was that this was an informal negoiated settlement. We sometimes get carried away and think that professional sports are all about games. It’s all about the business model and branding. He is very talented but the episode with the fan was a little too cute and a little too smug. Ives or someone brought up the most important observation regarding the scene with the fans; none of the Galaxy teammates came to his defense. If the Galaxy team is successful their fans may forget and forgive. I am not inclined to do so, no matter how well he plays in the future.

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  9. Fines should not be based on the player’s ability to pay – they should be based on precedent or established guidelines. Otherwise you’re saying he should pay $10k for a speeding ticket because he makes $50m a year.

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  10. WOW, Way to go MLS. Great job on making our league look even more like a joke.

    I love the MLS and have always supported it but come on! Fine him $10,000 or $20,000

    And yes, what Beckham did was wrong but those Riot Squad guys are always trying to do something to piss a player off. I say get them and Beckham out the HDC they don’t even know the first thing about the game anyway. (Riot Squad that is)

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  11. I’m a Galaxy fan & LARSer. The fine means little to me. I want an apology for trying to ditch the team in february, and allowing his entourage to ruin the team. I want him to stop claiming he’s committed to LA and MLS, when he plays only 40% of the team’s matches.

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  12. I’m glad MLS fined him. He deserved that at least. The amount? Yeah, it’s too small, but that’s how it is in every pro league. I’m worried that he will screw up the Galaxy just when they are making a good run. We shall see.

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  13. I didn’t see the incident but if mls can fine ching for his anti-ref comment on twitter, then surely can fine beckham for his altercation with a fan….not a ching fan, btw, just talking facts…and yes i do believe mls caved to pressure cuz ching was fined practically before he could issue his retraction the next day…

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  14. Caption:
    “Please, sir,” replied Beckham, “I want some more.”

    Serioux aimed a blow at Beckham’s head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arm; and shrieked aloud for the beadle.

    The MLS board were sitting in solemn conclave, when Mr. Leiweke rushed into the room in great excitement, and addressing the gentleman in the high chair, said,

    “Mr. Garber, I beg your pardon, sir! David Beckham has asked for more!”

    There was a general start. Horror was depicted on every countenance.

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  15. GREAT, I’m really happy about this. Once again if our players can get fined for any little thing then Beckham should be fined for this incident as well. Provoking fans a NO, NO!

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  16. Dustin, the fan wouldn’t have come on to the field if Beckham didn’t violently ask him to. So yeah, that sort of puts the blame on him if you use non-retarded logic. (So it makes sense that Beckham doesn’t get it.)

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  17. They ought to give the $1000 to the guy who now has a lifetime ban from the HDC thanks to Beckham’s antics. Not that he had the brightest idea to try and go down to the field, but still.

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  18. They should have fined him $50K and said, “the MLS will not tolerate players taunting fans.” Non-Mickey Mouse leagues (such as the NFL, NBA, etc.) operate in this way. In an indirect way, it shows the league that it values its fans.

    Anyone here want to see day when we have fifteen foot chain-link fences around the fields a la Italy?

    Caption: At the behest of his friend Tom Cruise, David Beckham releases a dove for world peace. Moments later, he called the referee a ****ing ***ker.

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  19. So Beckham blamed because of the actions of a fan. Makes perfect sense, the other day I was shot by a gangbanger and I was charge with impeding the bullet.

    Beckham should leave the MLS, not because of anything he did but because why waste your time with these idiots?

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  20. Why can’t MLS set fines based on percentage of pay? That way the fines would be fair no matter who committed them.

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  21. @Posted by: beef0 | July 24, 2009 at 06:19 PM

    Friendlies are sanctioned by MLS. They have to sign off on them to make it happen so it’s a lot different from the Ballack incident since the FA has nothing to do directly with the adjudication of UEFA matches. That is why MLS fined him.

    Also, you forget that MLS is a joint ownership entity so MLS fining him is actually the Galaxy fining him and vice versa.

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  22. I’m shocked as hell that Garber had the balls to do anything. Good for him for at least trying to look like he has a set. Though there should still be a suspension, but I never thought that would happen.

    I have no problem with the size of the fine. I’m sure there are union restrictions to the size of the fines and $1000 is a big fine by MLS standards. (isn’t that about what Rico got for stomping Ruiz in the stones?)

    Good for them for at least looking like Beckham and his shadow handlers aren’t the one running the show in MLS.

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  23. Great reporting on the recent Beckham debacles, Ives. You’re spot on to his character.
    What a smug douche spice boy.

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  24. one thing. why would mls fine him for something that happened in a non-mls match? It was a friendly. If someone gets a red-card in a friendly they don’t miss a league game. Ballack didn’t get punished by the FA for chasing after a ref in a champions league game. If anything was to be done here it should have been the galaxy.

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  25. It’s not the money, it’s the fact they scolded him that counts. The league and fans are all acting like the real world more…a clear step towards legitimacy.

    Beckham will never admit error either way.

    I think the Don reads sites like these, because the talk about this incident was pretty one sided.

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  26. I’m very pleased that some acknowledgment was given that Beckham was an ass. I am also quite pleased and impressed with the Galaxy fans for giving him the business in the first place.

    I used to be a fan of Beckham’s, but I’ve come to the conclusion that being a Beckham fan is incompatible with being an MLS fan.

    I think Beckham has about as much integrity as Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod), and we don’t say such things lightly in Seattle.

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