Beckham Taps Celebrity Friends for Miami MLS Project

• Daily Star, Tuesday, December 31, 2013 2:28 PM

David Beckham's Miami franchise is drawing enormous interest from his celebrity friends. In fact, according to the Daily Star, the likes of Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Jack Nicholson, Jay-Z, Beyonce and Eva Longoria are interested in joining NBA stars Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and LeBron James in investing in Beckham's MLS team. The former LA Galaxy midfielder is planning to limit the number of "small investor" shares that will be made available to his friends now that the main financing for the team is in place.

While Beckham has an option from his 2007 contract to buy an MLS franchise for $25 million, the venture is expected to cost much, much more than that. According to the Star, Miami-based Bolivian-American billionaire Macelo Claure, one of the wealthiest businessmen in South American soccer, will be the main funding source for the project. Claure is the owner of the Bolivian club Bolivar and he also serves on FIFA’s Committee for Fair Play and Social Responsibility.

Read the whole story at Daily Star »