LOS ANGELES (January 11, 2007) - World-renowned soccer player David Beckham will become a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer (MLS) during the 2007 MLS season, it was announced by AEG. The 31-year-old midfielder will join the Galaxy after his contract with Real Madrid expires on June 30.

The most recognizable athlete in the world, Beckham has agreed to a five-year deal to play for the Galaxy, whose season opens April 8 in Houston. The deal to bring Beckham to America is thought to be the biggest in sporting history, with industry experts estimating the combined value of the player contract with commercial opportunities in the United States to be in excess of $250 million.

Beckham is celebrated around the world for his match winning skills as a player in addition to his overall contributions to clubs Real Madrid, Manchester United and England.

\"This week, Real Madrid asked me to make a decision regarding my future and the offer to extend my contract by a further two seasons,\" said David Beckham. After discussing several options with my family and advisers to either stay here at Madrid or join other major British and European clubs, I have decided to join the Los Angeles Galaxy and play in the MLS beginning this summer.

I am proud to have played for two of the biggest clubs in football and I look forward to the new challenge of growing the world's most popular game in a country that is as passionate about its sport as my own.

For the rest of this season I will continue to give 100% to my coach, team mates and fans as I believe Fabio Capello will bring this club and its supporters the success they truly deserve.\"

Having been Captain of the English soccer team and the driving force behind two of the world's best and most popular soccer clubs, Manchester United and Real Madrid, Beckham's latest chapter of his superstar career will see him joining one of MLS's most successful franchises.

\"David Beckham will have a greater impact on soccer in America than any athlete has ever had on a sport globally,\" said Timothy J. Leiweke, president & CEO, AEG. \"We are acquiring an individual that will not only be the best ambassador and the best role model for athletes and fans of soccer but the best example of what any athlete can and should be. David is truly the only individual that can build the 'bridge' between soccer in America and the rest of the world,\" added Leiweke.

\"In addition to David's tremendous desire to further elevate the sport of soccer in the United States and worldwide, we would also not be here today without the unbelievable cooperation of the members of his management team beginning with Simon Fuller,\" Leiweke continued. \"We owe you all a debt of gratitude and appreciation and give you our commitment that we will support you as you support us every step of the way.\"

\"This historic partnership with 19 Entertainment and CAA Sports will also create tremendous and exciting new opportunities for us to collectively develop additional worldwide initiatives,\" Leiweke continued. \"The synergies created with 19 Entertainment, the worldwide leaders in branding and imaging along with CAA Sports, the premier sports representation agency will result in numerous new and profitable ventures.\"

With this historic signing, Beckham becomes the first MLS player acquired via the League's new Designated Player Rule which allows the signing of players whose salary falls outside the team salary budget. Although financial details of Beckham's contract will not be revealed, his earnings are likely to run into hundreds of millions of dollars over the five year period when all incomes are collated.

\"David Beckham is a global sports icon who will transcend the sport of soccer in America,\" said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. \"His decision to continue his storied career in Major League Soccer is testament to the fact that America is rapidly becoming a true 'Soccer Nation' with Major League Soccer at the core. In the last few years, MLS has added three new teams, six new owners, four new soccer specific stadiums and signed four long term television agreements. The addition of David Beckham represents another significant step forward for the MLS and the sport.\"

\"As importantly, David's enormous success as a player and team leader will serve as an inspiration to millions of soccer players and fans in this country and his global popularity will help take MLS and the sport of soccer in this country to an unprecedented level of excitement and popularity here and abroad.\"

The unprecedented agreement was negotiated by representatives of Beckham's international personal management agency 19 Entertainment and CAA Sports. \"David Beckham is an extraordinary sporting icon,\" said 19 Entertainment's Simon Fuller. \"His achievements to date as a player would satisfy even the most ambitious athlete. However, David's decision to move to the Los Angeles Galaxy and play in the MLS is the beginning of probably his greatest and most important adventure of all.\"

Fuller continued, \"David's passion for soccer means that there could be no greater ambassador for the world's most popular sport and this will undoubtedly help its continued growth in the world's biggest sporting nation. I am proud to have played a part in this unprecedented and highly innovative deal which takes David to the United States. With our friends and partners at AEG, I look forward to an exciting and memorable five years ahead.\"

Beckham's move to play in North America is expected to introduce millions of new fans to the game. His appeal in Europe ranges from die-hard club fans who respect his work ethic and his ability to win a game single-handedly, to casual and new fans of the sport who are drawn to him by his refusal to conform to the stereotypical expectations of what a soccer player should be.

Respected UK sports magazine, Four Four Two (February 2007), describes Beckham as \"blessed with a special talent, a right foot that could open Fort Knox, and more importantly than anything else, a phenomenal work ethic…when he broke a bone in his foot prior to the World Cup, England ground to a halt. Tabloids beseeched their tens of millions of readers to kiss pictures of the troubled toe and pray for its swift healing.\"

Beckham has won six Premiership medals, two FA Cups, one Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup (now known as FIFA Club World Championship), the most important club prize in the world soccer calendar. Additionally, he has been made an Officer of the British Empire by the Queen, voted the BBC's \"Sports Personality of the Year,\" and has played for England more than 90 times.

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CONTACTS

AEG
Michael Roth
(213) 742-7155
mroth@staplescenter.com

David Beckham / 19 Entertainment
Simon Oliveira
(+44) 7775 740419
simon.oliveira@19.co.uk

MLS
Dan Courtemanche
(646) 831-8813
Dan.courtemanche@mlsnet.com

CAA Sports
Michael Mand
(310) 288-4545
mmand@caa.com

Los Angeles Galaxy
Patrick Donnelly
(310) 630-2214
pdonnelly@galaxy.com

DAVID BECKHAM CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Fifth most capped England player of all time
• Only Englishman to have scored in three successive World Cup Finals
• As of December 2005, one of only four players (and the only Englishman) to have appeared in over 100 Champions League matches
• Finished runner up European Footballer of the Year 1999 and FIFA World Player of The Year in 1999 and 2001
• Opened Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002
• Awarded OBE for services to football in 2003
• Appointed as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2005
• Played prominent role in London's successful bid for 2012 Olympics
• PFA Young Player of the year (97)
• UEFA Champions League Footballer of the Year (99)

 

ABOUT 19 ENTERTAINMENT and SIMON FULLER

• Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment has a range of interests that cover TV, Sport, Fashion, Music and other forms of branded entertainment. The company is a fully owned subsidiary of CKX Inc (NASDAQ: CKXE).
• Simon Fuller is the creator of Pop Idol and American Idol, the world's most valuable TV format. Following sales in 42 territories around the world, the TV show is now valued at over $2,500,000,000 (2.5 billion dollars) thanks to revenues from sponsors, merchandising, telephone, music sales and advertising sources. Fuller has since created a second global TV hit, So You Think You Can Dance, which has top rated for Fox TV in the States and other broadcasters around the world.
• In 2006 Fuller's company 19 Recordings (owned by CKX Inc) was confirmed as one of the biggest hit makers in the US music industry will sales of over 46 million units including CD and DVDs through artists including Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, and Fantasia.
• Simon Fuller is recognized as the world's most successful manager - breaking a record set by the Beatles Manager Brian Epstein in the 1960s - when three of his artists occupied the No.1, No.2 and No.3 positions on the US single chart as well as the No.1 position in the album chart

Simon Fuller's current roster of global talent includes David and Victoria Beckham, Claudia Schiffer, the England Football Team, fashion designer Roland Mouret, recording artists including Annie Lennox, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Will Young, Annie Lennox, Emma Bunton, as well as the Honda Racing Formula 1 team and star drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.

 

ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES GALAXY
One of Major League Soccer (MLS) original clubs, the Los Angeles Galaxy were founded on June 15, 1994 and play all of the club's home games at The Home Depot Center on the campus of California State University at Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA. The L.A. Galaxy are one of the premier teams in MLS featuring many top national and international stars and boasting five championships including the MLS Cup (2002, 2005), U.S. Open Cup (2001, 2005) and CONCACAF Champions' Cup (2000). The 13 teams that comprise MLS are: the Chicago Fire, Club Deportivo Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Galaxy, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC. For more information or to order tickets, please call the Galaxy ticket office toll-free at 1-877-3GALAXY or visit the official website at www.lagalaxy.com.

 

ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer is the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States and features many stars from the U.S. and around the world. The League's 12th season kicks off April 7, 2007. The 13 teams in MLS are: the Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Chivas USA, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy, Red Bull New York, New England Revolution, Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC. For more information about MLS, log on to the League's official web site at www.MLSnet.com.

 

ABOUT CAA SPORTS
CAA Sports represents more than 350 of the world's best athletes in team sports such as baseball, football, hockey, and soccer, in addition to icons in individual sports, on-air broadcasters, and other sports personalities. Beyond traditional athlete representation, CAA Sports provides unique opportunities for clients off the field, in areas including licensing, endorsements, speakers, philanthropy, and video games. CAA Sports also helps develop sports programming opportunities and sports marketing strategies for our clients. CAA Sports is a division of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), a talent and literary agency that represents the most creative and successful artists working in film, television, music, theatre, and video games, and provides a range of strategic marketing services to corporate clients.

 

ABOUT AEG
AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, Toyota Sports Center, Anaheim Arena (as preferred booking agent), NOKIA Theatre Times Square, NOKIA Theatre at Grand Prairie and Toyota Park. Additionally, AEG developed and operates The Home Depot Center, a $150 million national training center on the campus of California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, California designated as an \"Official U.S. Olympic Training Site\" by the United States Olympic Committee that includes major facilities for soccer, tennis, track & field, cycling, action sports, beach volleyball, basketball and other sports. AEG Sports oversees sports franchises throughout the world including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), Los Angeles Riptide (MLL) and three MLS franchises - The Los Angeles Galaxy, Chicago Fire and MLS Champion Houston Dynamo as well as events such as the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race and the ING Bay to Breakers foot race and an ongoing schedule of soccer exhibitions in the United States featuring the most popular international teams. The company's live entertainment division, AEG LIVE is one of the world's leading concert promotion and touring organizations.

AEG is currently overseeing the development of L.A. Live, a 4 million square foot / $2.5 billion downtown Los Angeles sports & entertainment district featuring NOKIA Theatre Los Angeles, a 7,100-seat live theatre, a 54-story, 1000-room convention \"headquarters\" hotel (combining JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton brands and 225 luxury condominiums - The Residences at The Ritz Carlton), Club NOKIA, a 2,200 capacity live music venue, a 15-screen Regal Cineplex, \"broadcast\" facilities for ESPN, along with entertainment, restaurant, residential and office space. The company has begun fully developing the 28-acre Millennium Dome and adjacent property located in the eastern part of London along the Thames River and will create The O2, which includes a 23,000-seat arena and over 650,000sf of leisure and entertainment use within the \"Dome', and additional arenas, O2 World, on 45-acres in central Berlin, Citizen's Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California and Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri as well as Red Bull Park, a soccer stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.