Three years on and David Beckham's Miami MLS dream still looks light years away

When David Beckham joined MLS in 2007 one of the clauses in his contract allowed him to purchase a team at anytime for a set fee (believed to be $25million).

A subtle hint at where Beckham saw his future, the former LA Galaxy man finally confirmed his intentions in February 2014 at a glitzy press conference. “This is an exciting time for myself, for my family and friends,” Beckham said, confirming his intention to bring an MLS team to Miami, Florida.

Three years on and that dream progressed little past Beckham’s initial pitch to a captivated audience. The 41 year old outlined his plans with a welcoming smile, but the warmth generated that day has since been replaced by disappointment and frustration. The group’s inability to secure a stadium in downtown Miami has proven the greatest stumbling block, with the issue something skeptics highlighted after his announcement.

Furthermore, the general viability of an MLS team in Miami remains questionable. The city was home to the Miami Fusion from 1997 until 2001, when amid chronic financial difficulty the team was forced to fold. Granted, Beckham’s venture has his name attached and MLS is a much more attractive brand than it was some 15 years ago, but the belief it would be a roaring success was not shared by all.

Those same skeptics have been validated with each fresh delay. For context, in the time since Beckham’s announcement a rival team — Miami FC — has not only formed, but also completed their debut season in the rival North American Soccer League. Fronted by former Milan and Italy defender Alessandro Nesta, they will likely provide strong competition to any Beckham led franchise that materialises.

Any thought that it is MLS making things difficult is also shattered when you consider Atlanta United. The team based in the neighbouring state of Georgia was granted a spot in MLS two months after Beckham’s announcement, and will commence play in March.

For Atlanta, things have progressed at a fairly smooth pace. The team partnered up with a prominent youth soccer team (Georgia United) in order to acquire young talent, and their signings — including former Barcelona coach Tata Martino — suggest a diligent and well considered thought process. The same cannot realistically be said for the group referred to as, ‘Miami Beckham United’.

Certainly, Miami is not devoid of professional sports teams. The Heat, the Marlins and the Dolphins make for great brothers in arms in what is one of America’s glitziest cities. Boasting a large Hispanic population, it would also suggest that a supporter base could be cultivated for Beckham’s team, with reports last year claiming he had earmarked Roberto Carlos as a potential head coach for that very reason.

Yet long before they can entertain hiring a coach the team needs a home. In December 2015 it seemed like Beckham had finally received a slice of good fortune when his ownership group secured a location in Overtown for $19million. A less than desirable part of Miami, it represented the group’s fourth attempt to secure land and suggested progress had been made. “I believe this is a much better deal for the taxpayer,” Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez stated during a news conference.

However, the group still requires an additional three acres of land — owned by Miami-Dade County – and although they are ready to sell, Beckham’s representatives have delayed negotiations claiming they require more investment.

Perhaps understandably, the league’s commissioner Don Garber is becoming impatient. MLS will also welcome Minnesota United to competitive action next month, with LAFC — a project backed by a number of well-known California-based celebrities — slated to compete in 2018.

Miami were supposed to enter alongside LAFC, but delays have pushed that back to at least 2019 and forced Garber into urgency with Beckham’s project. “We have a lot invested in it because of the amount of time we’ve spent on it,” Garber said in December. “Everybody needs to understand, including David and his partners, that we’ve worked hard, and it’s time for us to reach a conclusion.”

Yet for those speculating that Miami Beckham United could be close to extinction there was a vital dose of hope from Mark Abbott, the MLS president and deputy commissioner. “That is not something we’re thinking about,” he said when asked if the league had considered skipping Miami entirely. “We’re focused on finalising a stadium deal in Miami.”

That remark came after Garber himself said he was now, ‘more confident’ of a deal being concluded than a year ago. Of course, good feelings will do little to actually get the deal done. Beckham has maintained a positive public rhetoric, with sources close to his group indicating they too are optimistic about securing the required land and investment needed.

However, the fact over 1000 days have passed since the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder announced the team is disappointing. So desperate to bring a club of his own to MLS, there was even talk in December that Beckham is entertaining moving the team to Las Vegas.

Regardless, MLS has waited a long time for Beckham’s ambitious plan in Miami to come to fruition, but it won’t wait forever, even for someone like him.