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.
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
BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 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
