After four years of pushing for Miami's very own Major League Soccer team and stadium, David Beckham announced more progress Thursday. He now has the backing of two wealthy Cuban-Americans and a multi-billionaire from Japan.
The MLS board of governors approved a new ownership group that aims to celebrate the team's first game in a new Overtown stadium in 2020. Todd Boehly, the co-owner of Los Angeles Dodgers, stepped out.
Recommended Videos
Jorge and Jose Mas, the sons of Jorge Mas Canosa, the founder of the Cuban-American National Foundation and MasTec, join Masayoshi Son, the founder of Soft Bank and chairman of Sprint Corporation.
Marcelo Claure, CEO of Sprint and Soft Bank member, and Simon Fuller, an entertainment executive, are still in. Claure brings his experience as owner of Club Bolivar, the most popular team in Bolivia and the ninth most successful team in Latin America.
The new team "brings local expertise, global perspective, an unquestionable track record of business success and one of the foremost icons in global soccer," the Miami Beckham United Group said in a statement.
MLS expects the Miami Beckham United Group to make a major announcement before the start of the 2018 MLS regular season. They are still facing opposition in court from Bruce Matheson, who owns land near the nine-acre site of the stadium, and City of Miami approval on zoning changes is still pending.