Beckham to America

LOS ANGELES — David Beckham gained international fame for his good looks, his Spice Girl wife Victoria, his sponsorships, the movie named after him — and as a soccer player.

Los Angeles Galaxy ownership hopes Beckham's pop-culture status is worth about $250 million over the next five years to bolster Major League Soccer.

Beckham, 31, plans to play out his contract with Spanish club Real Madrid before joining the Galaxy for the second half of the 2007 season. The earliest Beckham could join L.A. is July 15, when the MLS transfer window opens.

"David Beckham is a global sports icon who will transcend the sport of soccer in America," gushed MLS commissioner Don Garber.

Beckham, who first gained fame with Manchester United, turned down a two-year contract extension from Real Madrid, where his fading skills left him on the bench.

"There are so many great sports in America," the 31-year-old former England captain said. "There are so many kids that play baseball, American football, basketball. But soccer is huge all around the world apart from America, so that's where I want to make a difference with the kids."

The Galaxy didn't say exactly what they'll pay him, but floated a figure of $250 million in salary and commercial endorsements over the five years of his contract.

The deal is worth about $10 million annually, according to sports, advertising and entertainment industry executives. Beckham, who pitches products for Adidas, Gillette, Motorola and Pepsi-Cola, hopes to earn about $20 million annually from sponsorship deals. Sales of jerseys and other gear could contribute another $10 million, and Beckham reportedly negotiated a profit-sharing plan with the Galaxy that, depending on the club's finances, could deliver another $10 million annually.

Beckham's deal was negotiated over 10 days by major entertainment-industry players Simon Fuller, creator of "American Idol," and Creative Artists Agency, home to some of Hollywood's biggest actors.

Fuller manages both Beckham and his pop-star wife, who hasn't hidden her desire to launch a Hollywood career.

"It's not lost on them that it's the entertainment capital of the world and they know many people in the entertainment industry here," said Tim Leiweke, president and chief executive officer of Galaxy owner AEG and a personal friend of the couple.

The Beckhams should fit in just fine in L.A. He opened a soccer academy at the Galaxy's stadium complex last year, and she was photographed house-hunting in the area.

FC Dallas general manager Michael Hitchcock agreed that the deal would help MLS.

"It's a great thing any time you can add the world's most popular athlete to your league," Hitchcock said. "Every time he makes a stop, it will be like the Beatles coming to town."

MLS changed its rules on salary caps. The league pays the first $400,000 of player contracts. Individual teams pick up the rest of the tab.

The Beckham effect was felt immediately: The Galaxy sold 1,000 new season tickets Thursday morning.