David Beckham's New US Soccer Franchise =$25Mill
 

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David Beckham will pay $25M to Launch new Major League Soccer Team in Miami

• David Beckham received option to buy a team franchise when he signed 2007 contract with LA Galaxy
• Decided on Miami as location for new team - described as 'most passionate soccer market in North America'
• Beckham's business partner is American Idol producer Simon Fuller

29 October 2013


With his playing career over, former England captain David Beckham has decided his next move: starting a Major League Soccer team in Miami.


Since leaving the Los Angeles Galaxy in December, and retiring from the game after a subsequent five-month stint at Paris Saint-Germain, Beckham has been mulling over the location for his MLS franchise.
Beckham has now made up his mind and he would pay a discounted rate of $25 million to start an MLS expansion team in Miami, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.



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He's baaaaack: David Beckham, who signed a monster contract with the LA Galaxy in 2007, is returning to the U.S. to found a new soccer franchise


The person spoke on condition of anonymity because plans for the team aren't being publicly discussed yet.
The option of becoming a team owner was included in the MLS contract Beckham signed when joining the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.
'We know that Miami is one of the most passionate soccer markets in North America,' MLS Executive Vice President Dan Courtemanche told the AP.


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Partner: 'American Idol' creator Simon Fuller is one of Beckham's key business partners in the $25million deal


'We have met with David Beckham regarding ownership of an expansion team, and we look forward to David one day owning an MLS club.
There are currently 19 MLS teams, and league commissioner Don Garber hopes to expand to 24 teams by the 2020 season.

A 20th team is already in place to begin playing in 2015 after Premier League club Manchester City and its partner, the New York Yankees, paid an expansion fee of $100 million to launch New York City FC.
The MLS still has to give Beckham the go-ahead to make Miami the location of the franchise.
Beckham is looking to raise several hundred million dollars of investment to fund the setup costs, including putting together the squad of players and building a stadium.
Beckham's business partner Simon Fuller, the 'American Idol' creator who is the driving force in franchise negotiations, will be a significant shareholder, the person familiar with the situation said.

Beckham is looking to sell stakes in the team to other investors, and has already had expressions of interest from businessmen globally.
Beckham hopes the team to debut in three years, which would likely require the franchise to initially play in an existing venue.
In June, Beckham toured the Sun Life and Florida International University stadiums and met with Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez.


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Expanding: The MLS already has 19 teams and has a 20th - New York FC - signed on



University officials delivered a presentation to Beckham and Marcelo Claure, president and CEO of Brightstar Corp. and a member of the FIU Board of Trustees, explaining the draw of a professional team in Miami.
Before deciding on Miami as the franchise location, Beckham explored options in other cities, including Montreal, San Diego and Orlando, the person said.
Miami has had a Major League Soccer team before. The Miami Fusion held matches in Fort Lauderdale from 1998 to 2001, before shutting down because of poor attendance.
As a former Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder, Beckham hopes his star power will make a team work there.
Beckham's management team said it is not ready yet to make an announcement about Beckham's franchise ownership option.

re: David Beckham's New US Soccer Franchise =$25Mill
 

David Beckham Announces Miami MLS Franchise

By Daily Mail UK, 6 February 2014


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Matt Dunham/Associated Press


World football legend David Beckham has announced the development of a new Major League Soccer franchise in Miami, per MailOnline Sport on Twitter:

Quote:

Beckham: 'I wanted to create a team we can start from scratch. One that was very personal to me.

Beckham, who exercised an option to purchase an expansion franchise, spoke about his latest venture and answered questions during an hour-long press conference held in Miami on Wednesday, Feb. 5. MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami Mayor Carlos Gimenez were also on hand for the event.
Both men spoke briefly but praised Beckham and his intentions, per CBS4 Miami on Twitter:

Quote:

"He will be a committed local partner and do things for this community,” -Don Garber on Beckham — CBS4 Miami (@CBSMiami)

There's currently no timetable on when the Miami-based franchise, which will become MLS's 20th club, will officially join the league, per football writer Dan Dickinson:

Quote:

There is no date from MLS for when Beckham's team will join the league. Just references the 2020 date for "three more expansion teams". — Dan Dickinson (@GothamistDan)

But as Sports Illustrated senior writer Grant Wahl points out, there are still some significant obstacles Beckham will have to overcome before the new club becomes a reality:

Quote:

Beckham wanting to own an MLS team in Miami is huge for the league. Hardly a guaranteed success, though. Stadium (and team) not a done deal. — Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl)

When asked about the plans for a new stadium, Beckham confirmed that the franchise would not request public assistance, per Philly.com's Jonathan Tannenwald:

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Beckham lays it out: "We don't want public funding, we will fund the stadium ourselves" — Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper)

Beckham also hinted at the possibility of constructing the new stadium downtown, per Fox Soccer's Inside MLS on Twitter:

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Beckham astutely heaping pressure on public officials to deliver downtown stadium site. — Inside MLS (@InsideMLS)

ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman addressed one of the major issues Beckham and his partners will have to overcome in regards to getting a new stadium built exactly where they want:

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Beckham doesn't need $$ for stadium but the public after Marlins fiasco will be skeptical and he needs them for the stadium site. — Taylor Twellman

Beckham also expressed his interest in bringing in marquee players to star for the franchise, making comparisons to the two-time defending NBA champion Miami Heat. At the same time, he hopes to develop local talent via a world-class academy, per beIN Sports on Twitter:

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"The one thing I want to achieve more than anything is... I want to set up a great academy" David Beckham

(@beINSPORTSUSA)

While it remains to be seen how long it will take to get a squad on the pitch, Beckham's star power and the allure of Miami have created lofty expectations. But according to Beckham via The FA on Twitter, South Beach is ready to take the next step:

Quote:

David Beckham on buying MLS franchise in Miami: "I know this city is ready for soccer, football, & this is going to be successful." — The FA (@FA)

A native of London, Beckham has starred for some of the globe's most recognizable clubs, including Manchester United, Real Madrid and MLS's Los Angeles Galaxy.
The 38-year-old won several titles over the course of his career and has an unparalleled global platform.

With one of the world's most recognizable faces and iconic footballers in Beckham headlining the project, the franchise will have a lot to live up to and continue to generate plenty of buzz.