By Andrew Warshaw
October 30 – As widely anticipated having ended his illustrious playing career, David Beckham has decided his next move: starting a Major League Soccer team.
The former England captain and global superstar, who decided to hang up his boots at the end of last season after a glittering career spanning 20 years, has chosen Miami for the franchise, according to reports emanating from the United States where he played for LA Galaxy before a final stint back in Europe at Paris Saint-Germain.
The option of moving into ownership was included in the MLS contract Beckham signed when joining Galaxy in 2007. He reportedly has an option to buy a franchise for $25 million.
“We know that Miami is one of the most passionate soccer markets in North America,” MLS Executive Vice President Dan Courtemanche told The Associated Press. “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 that to 24 teams by the 2020 season. A 20th side is already in place to begin playing in 2015 after Manchester City and its partner, the New York Yankees, paid $100m to launch New York City FC.
The MLS still has to give Beckham the go-ahead to make Miami the location of his franchise but he is reportedly seeking several hundred million dollars to fund the project, including the playing squad and building a stadium. Beckham apparently wants the team to start in three years’ time though that would almost certainly mean having to play initially at an existing venue.
Officially Beckham’s management team said it is not ready yet to make any announcement but before deciding on Miami, he reportedly explored options in other cities, including Montreal, San Diego and Orlando.
If the project goes ahead, it would be the second time Miami has had an MSL team. The Miami Fusion held matches in Fort Lauderdale from 1998 to 2001, before folding because of poor attendances. But Florida is viewed as an untapped market and the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan star will hope his name alone can make Miami work second time round.
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