Beckham’s salary: $5.5 million a year
At least a part of David Beckham’s contract with Major League Soccer became public knowledge Friday when the Associated Press, quoting an unnamed source, reported that the England star will earn $5.5 million a year in base salary while playing for the Galaxy.
Beckham, who will join the team sometime after his contract with Real Madrid expires June 30, will earn almost as much again from the Galaxy in a revenue-sharing agreement from such things as merchandise sales, jersey sponsorship and foreign tours.
In January, Beckham signed a five-year contract with MLS that Tim Leiweke, the chief executive of AEG, which owns the Galaxy and two other league teams, said was potentially worth “a quarter of a billion dollars” to Beckham in salary and endorsement income.
Leiweke later indicated that Beckham’s soccer-related income would be in the neighborhood of $50 million.
The league has consistently declined to reveal contract details, especially salaries, but the MLS Players Union has been more forthcoming in recent seasons.
Last year, Chivas USA’s Francisco “Paco” Palencia was the highest-paid player in MLS at $1.36 million, followed by the Galaxy’s Landon Donovan at $900,000.
Simon Oliveira, Beckham’s European-based spokesman, told AP that the $27.5 million over five years was “only one element” to Beckham’s salary, adding that it “had to be disclosed in accordance with MLS guidelines” -- in other words, union rules.
-- Grahame L. Jones
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Chivas USA midfielder Jonathan Bornstein, the MLS rookie of the year, suffered a partial ligament tear in his left knee Thursday at practice and will be sidelined about six weeks, according to the team.
Bornstein, 22, also has impressed with the U.S. national team this year, scoring a goal in his international debut against Denmark on Jan. 20 at the Home Depot Center.
He was the second U.S. player to suffer a knee injury this week. On Wednesday, Reading of the English Premier League announced that midfielder Bobby Convey, 23, would sit out the rest of the season to undergo surgery.
-- Jim Barrero
TENNIS
Henin, Mauresmo reach Dubai final
Top-seeded Justine Henin defeated third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, 1-6, 6-4, 6-0, setting up a Dubai Open final against second-seeded Amelie Mauresmo. Mauresmo won her semifinal when fifth-seeded Jelena Jankovic retired because of an ankle injury after losing the first set, 6-2.
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Fourth-seeded Mardy Fish advanced to the semifinals of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships at Memphis, Tenn., when Teimuraz Gabashvili retired because of a viral illness. Fish led, 6-2, 4-1.
Fish will next play second-seeded Tommy Haas, who advanced with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Sam Querrey. Third-seeded Andy Murray beat Stefan Koubek, 6-3, 6-2, and will play top-seeded Andy Roddick, who beat Yen-Hsun Lu, 6-4, 7-6 (7).
PRO FOOTBALL
Dillon wants to be released from Patriots
Corey Dillon, 14th on the NFL’s career rushing list, is likely to be playing for a team other than the New England Patriots. Dillon told the Boston Globe that he would probably retire, but his agent, while acknowledging that retirement is a possibility, said it was unlikely.
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Adam “Pacman” Jones, entangled in a triple shooting at a Las Vegas strip club early Monday, might not be on the Tennessee Titans’ roster next season. General Manager Mike Reinfeldt was asked about Jones’ status after reports of the cornerback’s involvement in the mayhem. He replied: “I would assume there is that potential.”
WINTER SPORTS
Kildow’s injury gives Goetschl super-G title
Renate Goetschl clinched the World Cup super-G title with two races left after Lindsey Kildow ended her season early because of a knee injury.
The Austrian star learned that she had won her third championship because of her insurmountable 213-point lead on teammate Nicole Hosp.
Kildow’s withdrawal from the rest of the season was announced by the U.S. team. Goetschl has 440 points. Kildow had 310 and Hosp followed with 227. Wins are worth 100 points.
JURISPRUDENCE
Trial date set for Rams’ Byrd
Backup tight end Dominique Byrd of the St. Louis Rams will stand trial July 9 after pleading not guilty to charges that he assaulted a man at a downtown St. Louis nightclub in December.
Byrd, 23, a rookie from USC, faces charges of assault and armed criminal action. He was accused of hitting a patron in the face with a drinking glass.
MISCELLANY
Sabres’ Drury out indefinitely
Buffalo Sabres co-captain Chris Drury is out indefinitely with a suspected concussion from a blindside hit that sparked a brawl during Thursday night’s game against Ottawa.
Drury required more than 20 stitches to close a forehead gash. He landed headfirst after being hit by Chris Neil in the second period of Buffalo’s 6-5 victory.
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Oliver Tomlinson, the father of NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson, was killed when the pickup truck in which he was riding blew a tire and flipped on a highway in Waco, Texas. He was 71. The driver, Ronald C. McClain, 48, was rushed by ambulance to a hospital, where he later died.
