Manchester United Soccer Team

England's Manchester United soccer team is worth about $1.4 billion. Here's how that stacks up against some other professional teams: NFL Worth about as much as the Washington Redskins * MLB Worth about $500 million more than the New York Yankees * NBA Worth about three times as much as the Lakers * NHL Worth about five times as much as the Detroit Red Wings Source: World Features Syndicate

David Beckham had warned his AC Milan teammates that if they allowed Wayne Rooney the freedom to operate, the Manchester United striker would punish them. Rooney did just that on Tuesday night in Italy. Playing in his 50th European Champions League game, Rooney headed in two goals to propel Manchester United to a 3-2 victory that leaves the English champions with a distinct upper hand in the two-game, round-of-16 series. A tie when the teams meet again in the return leg in Manchester on March 10 will be enough to put three-time champion United into the quarterfinals and seven-time champion Milan out of the competition.

Manchester United returns to North America this summer, bringing with it such equally illustrious teams as AC Milan, AS Roma, Bayern Munich, Celtic, Chelsea, FC Porto and Liverpool. It's exactly what Major League Soccer does not need -- star-studded European teams swaggering across the continent in the middle of the MLS season. Forgive MLS, therefore, for casting a somewhat jaundiced eye on all the hoopla.

Who says religion is dead in Britain? This industrial city is full of true believers who pack their chosen temples, sing their anthems and stone the occasional heretic. What does it matter that the houses of worship are sports stadiums, the saints (and sinners) are strapping lads in jerseys and shorts, and followers live and die by goals and penalty kicks? But there's trouble in paradise, at least for fans of Manchester United, the world-famous team that's been home to stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo.

Manchester United, the world's wealthiest and arguably most famous soccer club, became American property in all but name Thursday. Malcolm Glazer, the billionaire owner of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, achieved effective control of the English team by buying a 28.7% stake in the club from Irish racehorse owners J.P. McManus and John Magnier. That raised Glazer's share in the 127-year-old team to 56.9% and paved the way for a complete takeover.

Don't expect to see David Beckham playing center field for the New York Yankees any time soon. Conversely, there is little chance that Derek Jeter will be playing midfield for Manchester United. All the same, America's most celebrated baseball team and England's most famous soccer club formed what was termed "a strategic alliance" Wednesday that will allow each to take advantage of the other's vast marketing reach.

There is one reason media mogul Rupert Murdoch would spend $1 billion and change to buy Britain's most revered soccer team--more than three times what he paid for the Los Angeles Dodgers--and it is not just to tweak the noses of Manchester United fans. Even more than potential profits, owning one of the leading teams in the world's most popular sport gives Murdoch's News Corp.

The world's most famous sports team put on a delightful exhibition to open a four-game U.S. tour. In its first game without star David Beckham, Manchester United beat Glasgow Celtic, 4-0, on Tuesday night behind goals by Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and David Bellion. A near-capacity crowd of 66,722 was on hand. The attendance was a record for 1-year-old Seahawks Stadium, with only a few end zone sections noticeably sparse.

In a blow to Rupert Murdoch's sports expansion, the British government on Friday blocked a $1-billion bid by the media magnate's British Sky Broadcasting to take over this nation's most famous soccer team, Manchester United. Industry and Trade Secretary Stephen Byers said his decision was based on the recommendations of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, which conducted a six-month investigation of the proposed deal.

Malcolm Glazer gained full control of Manchester United on Monday, a controversial $1.47-billion acquisition that brought some supporters of the world's most famous soccer club to the boiling point. The 76-year-old billionaire is best known as the owner of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he has limited known soccer knowledge or background. But the concerns of United's fans go deeper than the fact he is an American outsider.

England's Manchester United soccer team is worth about $1.4 billion. Here's how that stacks up against some other professional teams: NFL Worth about as much as the Washington Redskins * MLB Worth about $500 million more than the New York Yankees * NBA Worth about three times as much as the Lakers * NHL Worth about five times as much as the Detroit Red Wings Source: World Features Syndicate

Not to suggest that some Manchester United fans are unhappy, but the message on a placard here would be difficult to misconstrue. It read, "Glazer, watch your back!" Ever since American sports baron Malcolm Glazer announced Monday that he had secured enough shares to take control of the most fabled name in British football, known as soccer in the U.S., supporters have been in an uproar. And supporters is probably too mild a word for the devotion some feel for the Red Devils.

Malcolm Glazer gained full control of Manchester United on Monday, a controversial $1.47-billion acquisition that brought some supporters of the world's most famous soccer club to the boiling point. The 76-year-old billionaire is best known as the owner of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he has limited known soccer knowledge or background. But the concerns of United's fans go deeper than the fact he is an American outsider.

Manchester United, the world's wealthiest and arguably most famous soccer club, became American property in all but name Thursday. Malcolm Glazer, the billionaire owner of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, achieved effective control of the English team by buying a 28.7% stake in the club from Irish racehorse owners J.P. McManus and John Magnier. That raised Glazer's share in the 127-year-old team to 56.9% and paved the way for a complete takeover.

Manchester United returns to North America this summer, bringing with it such equally illustrious teams as AC Milan, AS Roma, Bayern Munich, Celtic, Chelsea, FC Porto and Liverpool. It's exactly what Major League Soccer does not need -- star-studded European teams swaggering across the continent in the middle of the MLS season. Forgive MLS, therefore, for casting a somewhat jaundiced eye on all the hoopla.

Charles Parker is a bus driver. It's an honest and honorable way to make a living, but it's a job not everyone would want. Except, perhaps, on Saturday. Half the population of Manchester, England, gladly would have taken Parker's place behind the wheel of his Golden West Tours bus Saturday afternoon, and might even have paid for the privilege. That's because Parker's assignment was to drive Manchester United from its hotel in Century City to the Coliseum and back.

Charles Parker is a bus driver. It's an honest and honorable way to make a living, but it's a job not everyone would want. Except, perhaps, on Saturday. Half the population of Manchester, England, gladly would have taken Parker's place behind the wheel of his Golden West Tours bus Saturday afternoon, and might even have paid for the privilege. That's because Parker's assignment was to drive Manchester United from its hotel in Century City to the Coliseum and back.

David Beckham had warned his AC Milan teammates that if they allowed Wayne Rooney the freedom to operate, the Manchester United striker would punish them. Rooney did just that on Tuesday night in Italy. Playing in his 50th European Champions League game, Rooney headed in two goals to propel Manchester United to a 3-2 victory that leaves the English champions with a distinct upper hand in the two-game, round-of-16 series. A tie when the teams meet again in the return leg in Manchester on March 10 will be enough to put three-time champion United into the quarterfinals and seven-time champion Milan out of the competition.

The circus that is Manchester United rolls into town today, replete with ringmaster Sir Alex Ferguson and clowns Juan Sebastian Veron and Roy Keane. Ferguson, the benighted Scots knight, will be expected to impart some words of coaching wisdom to the Los Angeles masses. The performance of Argentina's Juan Sebastian Veron will be scrutinized as he fights, possibly in vain, not to be traded to Chelsea or anywhere else.