When it’s strong enough, Braudy says, people who don’t care about what you do still will care about you.

But that’s difficult to maintain, particularly for athletes.

Hollywood actors have publicity machines behind them and their careers can be carefully managed to ensure the persona that brought them fame never fades.

Athletes also get help but, ultimately, they have to perform and all the managing in the world won’t return the luster after a series of strikeouts in the World Series, dropped catches in the Super Bowl or missed shots at the buzzer.

Think about it: How many people would like to be like Mike if Jordan never made a game-winning shot?

Sports marketing expert David Carter says Beckham and the Galaxy, who are paying him a Major League Soccer-record $5.5 million this season, are taking a risk.

“What if he gets hurt? What if he does not help impact the Galaxy’s winning percentage?” he says.

Still, Carter believes Beckham likely will deliver enough of a boost that his team will fill stadiums around the country and its star player’s image will sell plenty of T-shirts, shorts and shoes.

UCLA sociologist David Halle, a native of England who has followed Beckham’s career, believes Americans will be attracted by the dignity and humility with which he says Beckham carries himself. Even when much of England angrily blamed Beckham for losing a shot at a World Cup title in 1998 by drawing a penalty, he says, the athlete didn’t appear to let it bother him.

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Pain on the skating rink, flying high on the hardwood, upsets on the football field, and more. more photos

“He’s not a whiner,” Halle says.

But it’s more than that, says Laura Bahr, a Los Angeles actress and screenwriter.

“It’s this star quality. Some people have it and some don’t,” she says. “It’s about this ability to connect with people on various levels.”

Like so many other Gen Xers, Bahr grew up playing soccer but abandoned it in adulthood. Beckham has her interested again. He seems kind, unselfish and, at least as far as she can tell from TV interviews, not as ego-driven as most star athletes. Add his looks and it’s a given she’ll be cheering for the Galaxy this year.

“With a face like his, how couldn’t I,” Bahr giggles.

MORE FROM SOCCER

Soccer Section Front

Beckham just wants to talk sex Real pulls off MLS Cup upset against Galaxy Beckham promises to return to MLS, buy club Major League Soccer Cup Winners MLS would like Montreal to become 19th team Wigan players offer ticket refund after 9-1 loss FIFA calls for emergency meeting in Cape Town NYT: ‘I have so much regret,’ N.M. soccer player says 2010 World Cup qualifiers Slideshow: The life of Beckham on and off the field Soccer Section Front   Add Soccer headlines to your news reader: