Beckham increases MLS club Inter Miami ownership stake
Former England captain and soccer superstar David Beckham has increased his ownership stake in the Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami.
Inter Miami CF, who debuted at the MLS last year, announced that co-owners David Beckham and brothers. Jorge and Jose Was have completed their buyout of former co-owners Marcelo Claure and Masayoshi Son.
Beckham said, “We are immensely proud of the progress we've made over the past year and a half in Major League Soccer, and we are grateful to have had Marcelo and Masayoshi with us for the first part of our journey.”
"I am more committed than ever to working with my partners and friends Jorge and Jose to build a lasting legacy, developing youth players from our Academy, competing for championships regularly, and most importantly, rooting ourselves into the DNA of our community and South Florida,” added the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder.
Beckham's discount rights part of 2007 deal
The 46-year-old soccer star said he acquired the right to a discounted MLS franchise as part of the contract which brought him to play for the league in 2007 when he joined the Los Angeles Galaxy.
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His addition to the team pushed the MLS onto the global soccer scene, and gave rise to a level of legitimacy and visibility that might have otherwise taken the North American club many years to achieve.
Inter Miami reached the MLS Cup Playoffs last year and, after a sluggish start to the current season, have hit their stride and are one point outside an Eastern Conference post-season spot with a game in hand.