Election Day May Shape The Future Of Major League Soccer

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https://www.sportstalkflorida.com/soccer/mls/election-day-may-shape-the-future-of-major-league-soccer/

Election Day May Shape The Future Of Major League Soccer

The MLS nd Commissioner Don Garber are watching closely.

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber and his bosses, the MLS owners, are particularly interested in Election Day. San Diego and Miami have stadium referendums on the ballot that will impact David Beckham’s proposed team in Miami and in San Diego voters will decide on stadium issues that could bring an MLS team to the city. In Miami, David Beckham wants a piece of public land for his proposed stadium-village concept.  There are two questions facing San Diego voters. San Diego State University has a different vision for redeveloping the present stadium area than Soccer City backers.  There are a few possible outcomes. One plan wins, the other loses. Both plans win but the proposal that gets the most votes wins. Both lose and the future of the stadium area is unknown with city elected officials having to come up with a new plan.

The San Diego State University and Soccer City proposals have the same goal. Build a stadium that could be used for a Major League Soccer franchise. Soccer City wants a 23,500 seat building that could be expanded to accommodate San Diego State football. The university would build a 35,000 seat stadium that could be used for soccer or expand the building by 20,000 seats in an attempt to lure the NFL back to town. Soccer City’s plan includes setting aside 16 acres in the event the NFL is interested in returning to San Diego to build an NFL style stadium.  There would be a stadium-village offering, a hotel, housing, a commercial district and a park.  Beckham’s plan is far more straight forward. Miami voters are not actually voting on whether they should give Beckham land for his team. Instead the voters will decide if Beckham and his partners should skip the competitive bidding process for public land and waive city law. The voters will speak.

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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6350003/TALK-TOWN-REAL-Beckham-split-David-business-partner-23-years.html

TALK OF THE TOWN: The REAL Beckham split is between David and his business partner of 23 years

Their partnership has been one of the longest and most lucrative in the world of celebrity.

But after 23 years together, David Beckham and his long-term business partner Simon Fuller – who created the Pop Idol brand – are about to go their separate ways after the former footballer decided that he wants to manage and run his own company.

While all the talk has been about the state of the Beckham marriage, I understand that the real fall-out is between David, 43, and Fuller 58, and that there’s a major wrangle over money.

David is currently negotiating a buy-out of shares that Fuller holds in DB Ventures, the most financially successful company within the Beckham brand. One sticking point is thought to be over how much the shares are worth.

Fuller relinquished his role as David’s manager earlier this year and is thought to be keen to hold out for as much money as he can get from the split.

He then plans to move on to work on other commitments, which include a new BBC wildlife show and managing his ‘global pop band’, Now United.

Last year, Beckham’s business recorded a staggering £24.9 million profit after tax, thanks to the success of enterprises such as his men’s fashion range Kent & Curwen and his role as global ambassador for pan-Asian life insurance group, AIA in Hong Kong – alone thought to be worth more than £5 million per year.

Fuller, 58, is a part-owner of Beckham’s US soccer team, Inter Miami, but could lose his interest. He will remain a shareholder in David’s wife Victoria’s fashion business, as well as managing her.

A source close to Fuller said: ‘David wants to go forward without Simon. Now he’s no longer playing football he sees himself as a businessman and wants to free himself from all of this.

‘There is a lot of wrangling over money. Brand Beckham has been going for 23 years and it isn’t an easy one to untangle.’

Fuller’s pals say he no longer needs David in his stable.

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https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article221098270.html

Miami Chamber: It’s time for professional soccer in Miami

Sports is good business.

The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce has supported the establishment of major league sports teams in Miami since the Miami Dolphins.

The Chamber worked to bring the first Super Bowl to Miami (Super Bowl V). We supported the Miami Heat and the Miami (then the Florida) Marlins franchises because professional sports are good for business and they are good for projecting an image of our community as a world class.

The only major league sports we do not have is soccer. This is a bit ironic given that soccer is the most popular sport internationally, and Miami is one of the most international cities.

Having an MLS team would put Miami among the very few metropolitan areas that have all professional sports represented.

David Beckham has tried for years to bring his franchise to Miami because he knows it will be financially successful and that it “fits” here.

Now, with the backing of the Mas family and other private investors, there is a real possibility to finally establish the team by allowing the City of Miami to negotiate with International Miami CF in a no-bid process to bring MLS soccer and develop Miami Freedom Park.

The Miami Freedom Park project will create 15,000 new jobs and contribute over $40 million in annual tax revenues to be divided by the city, the county, the state and the school board, as well as an annual lease payment to the city of over $3.5 million dollars. And most importantly, it will be paid for by the owners, not the taxpayers, a rarity in sports franchise negotiations.

Once completed, the park will include a state-of-the-art soccer stadium, a 58-acre public park and public soccer fields open to all players and fans. It will be accessible to fans on Tri-rail and Metrorail - and someday on Brightline.

The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Board voted overwhelmingly to endorse this initiative and urges voters to vote YES on Miami Referendum 1 — #378.

Alfred Sanchez is the President and chief executive officer of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2018/11/02/hartman-says-austins-mls-aggressor-is-paying-off.html

Hartman says Austin has become the MLS aggressor

The man behind Morgan's Wonderland and Toyota Field offers some insight on MLS as league has become more interested in Austin than San Antonio in recent years.

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https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2018/11/02/david-beckham-faces-ethics-complaint-claiming-improper-soccer-stadium-lobbying/?slreturn=20181004233911

David Beckham Faces Ethics Complaint Claiming Improper Soccer Stadium Lobbying

Miami attorney David Winker claims Beckham and others served as unregistered lobbyists for a Major League Soccer stadium planned near Miami International Airport.