Galaxy Banks Big Bucks On Beckham

David Beckham has already earned the Los Angeles Galaxy nearly £7 million - before he has even kicked a ball for the Major League Soccer (MLS) team. The Real Madrid midfielder will join the Galaxy in July after his contract with the Spanish club ends. Galaxy has sold an additional 7,000 season tickets on the back of Beckham's arrival, which translates into around £2.5 million. The franchise has also increased the price of premium seats by 48% and is expecting revenue to double this coming season to around £5 million.
To add to the coffers, Herbalife Ltd, which sells nutritional and weight-loss products, has signed a five-year £10 million agreement to have its name on club shirts. That equates to another £2 million a year. In all, Beckham's arrival should bring in an additional £7 million in his first season - around £4.5 million more than his annual playing contract with the club. Tim Leiweke, chief executive officer of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), the Los Angeles-based company that owns Galaxy, said: "We were never worried about our financial commitment. We've already made our money back." Beckham's contract with Madrid ends on June 30 and the former England captain is expected to join the club in July after a break with his family.