End It Like Beckham

Beckham's millions not enough to keep his soccer academy open

By JOHN ADAMS

Updated 6:45 AM PDT, Mon, Feb 8, 2010

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The Carson-based David Beckham Academy for aspiring soccer players closed its doors shortly before Christmas without much fanfare, quietly laying off its handful of full-time employees, according to the Daily Breeze.

The announcement circulated to a handful employees of the Anschutz Entertainment Group -- owner of the Los Angeles Galaxy, the Major League Soccer club Beckham plays for -- was a terse, undated and unsigned memo from company spokesperson Michael Roth, the paper reported.

"The David Beckham Academy will no longer operate its Los Angeles location," the memo said. "Planning is currently underway with David and senior coaches to develop a program and coaching model that will move beyond the limits of one location and ultimately impact more children in more cities across the United States and worldwide."

The Daily Breeze reported that sources told them the academy was a victim of the worsening economy.

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"As a private company, we don't discuss finances in this way," Roth told the Daily Breeze. "However, it was not in the millions of dollars."

Prior to the closing of the Carson academy, AEG and 19 Entertainment, Beckham's London-based management company, closed their London academy attributing the closure to the loss of its lease. The Daily Breeze reported that Roth reiterated the same statement released to English media when the London academy closed.

The local academy at the Home Depot Center on the campus of Cal State Dominguez Hills had its own dressing rooms beneath the same stadium where the Galaxy played, and its own full-size soccer field with artificial turf.

A five-day camp cost more than $500, and academy participants received a complete soccer outfit that featured a curriculum designed by Beckham's former youth team coach at England's famed Manchester United team.