The New York Times interviewed Don Garber, Commissioner of Major League Soccer. He took over in 1999 after the league lost a quarter of a billion in its first five seasons, but things may be on an upswing. Attendance is up considerably this season, buoyed by the interest that international tabloid star David Beckham has brought. The league has landed some big corporate sponsors, its first long-term TV deal, and is expanding in size.

According to Garber, Beckham has had a huge impact: "We have sold more than 300,000 Beckham Los Angeles Galaxy jerseys, which was 700 times the number of Galaxy jerseys sold in 2006. Merchandise sales over all have gone up two or three times. International TV sales have gone up from next to nothing to distribution in 100 countries, with live games in Asia and Mexico."

But he also points out that, because of injuries, Beckham hasn't yet contributed on the field, but there's always next year. You have to worry about the quality of MLS' growth given that -- a 700-fold increase in sales of Galaxy jerseys for a tabloid-star who hasn't played much so far.

But it sounds like MLS is doing things right on a lot of other fronts so maybe the league will find success -- it may not become the fifth major sport, but it is developing a nice niche following.

I guess it's kind of good news, bad news for Major League Soccer. The Brit who defines the word metrosexual made his stateside debut with the Los Angeles Galaxy but, because of an ankle injury, played for a total of just 16 minutes. But according to the Associated Press, the exhibition match was the highest-rated ESPN broadcast of the MLS in history, scoring a rating of 1, meaning that 1% of U.S. households with ESPN tuned in to watch Beckham. I mean soccer.

Bringing in David Beckham has the potential to be absolutely disastrous for the sport. While the MLS has failed to connect with a broad audience, it does have a fairly strong core following of die-hard soccer fans. I have several friends in that category, and they are none too pleased with the signing of Beckham. He's an old soccer player on the downside of his career, and everyone knows he was hired for his celebrity and face rather than his feet. The MLS is making a big bold move to try to appeal to a broader demographic, but it may well be alienating its fan base in the process.

If anything, this move is reminiscent of the publicity stunts Major League Baseball teams pulled in the first part of the 20th century -- bringing in a midget to bat when the team was out of contention and the like.

The MLS will probably continue to score higher ratings because of Beckham. But if their goal is to turn soccer into anything other than a fringe sport of paparazzi spectacle, they will need to think of something better. For now, the MLS has more in common with the WWE than with baseball or football.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Wall Street Journal reported that the expiration of Roche Holding's (OTC: RHHBY) Tamiflu stockpiles poses a dilemma for some poor Asian countries of whether to spend millions and restock with the drug.
• The Financial Times wrote that China has launched its first navigation satellite.

OTHER PAPERS:

• The Associated Press reported that Michael Dell outlined corporate changes in a company wide email, and said he will "quash" bonuses for 2006, reduce managers, would not hire a new COO, push for faster product development and expand into new businesses at Dell Inc (NASDAQ: DELL).
• The New York Times reported that Simon Property Group is expected to bid $1.56B for Mills Corp (NYSE: MLS).
• The Los Angeles Times reported that General Electric Company's (NYSE: GE) NBC Universal will name Jeff Zucker as its new CEO this week.
• According to the Detroit Free Press, DaimlerChrysler AG's (NYSE: DCX) Chrysler Group may cut up to 10,000 jobs next week.

For anyone that is actually watching the markets next week, here is just about everything happening in a very light four-day week sandwiched between two national holidays.

Monday December 25

• Markets are closed for the Christmas holiday

Tuesday December 26

• Healthcare conference calls: Merrill Lynch 10:00am, Bank of America 10:30am, Bear Stearns 11:00am

Wednesday December 27

• Delta and Pine Land Company (NYSE: DLP) will hold an earnings conference call at 10:00am
• Bear Stearns will hold a retailing-broadlines conference call at 10:00am

Thursday December 28

• Learning Tree International Inc (NASDAQ: LTRE) will hold its earnings conference call
• Newpark Resources, Inc (NYSE: NR) will hold its shareholder meeting at 11:00am
• Hurray! Holding Co., Ltd (NASDAQ: HRAY) to hold a firm-sponsored meeting with Think Equities

Friday December 29

• The Mills Corporation (NYSE: MLS) will hold its shareholder meeting at 10:00am