KEY POINTS:
By Nick Wilson
Wellington Phoenix Football Club today confirmed it had secured a $2 million deal to bring David Beckham's American club the LA Galaxy to play in Wellington.
The cost includes travel, accommodation, match fees and, most importantly, comes with a guarantee that Beckham will play for
at least 55 minutes.
"If for some unforeseen circumstance he gets injured prior to the game then the game will be rescheduled at a later date to be confirmed.
It really is crucial that David Beckham takes the field and plays.
He's currently injured but we are a couple of months out from the game so he'll be fit and raring to go after December 2," Phoenix owner and chairman Terry Serepisos said.
Mr Serepisos said Beckham's wife Victoria might be on a tour of her own during the Galaxy visit and could not confirm if the entire Beckham clan would make an appearance.
The Galaxy will likely be in town for about four days after playing Sydney FC and Phoenix bosses hoped to organise "some sort of public event where we can present the team, including David, to the fans."
Mr Serepisos said he hoped Beckhams' appearance would "reignite something in football that hasn't been here for a long time."
Ticket prices had not yet been set but when they go on sale season ticket holders will have first dibs.
Chief executive Tony Pignata said the club was considering incorporating the Phoenix vs Adelaide game on Friday November 30 in the ticket price and making it, "really a football bonanza weekend".
Phoenix said it would be taking on most of the cost, along with any profit or losses, with Wellington City Council pitching in to help with venue hire and event promotion.
The council remained coy about how much it was investing, citing commercial sensibility.
"David Beckham's status as an international celebrity will mean extensive media coverage from around the world. It is impossible to put a dollar value on the worth to Wellington of that kind of international exposure," mayor Kerry Prendergast said.
A council media release said it expected a $20 return on each dollar invested. It said a full Westpac Stadium usually meant $6 million in new spending for the city. The council would not confirm if those figures indicated it was investing $300,000.
Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert said the players had not discussed who would get Beckham's shirt after the match.
"I'm sure it will be pretty hotly contested," he said.
- NZPA
