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Mar 9, 2007

THE DAVID BECKHAM ACADEMY KICKS OFF 2007 PROGRAMMING THIS MONTH

CARSON, CA (Tuesday, March 6, 2007) - The David Beckham Academy will officially kick off its 2007 season on March 30 with three-day academy programs for youth ages eight to 13. The exclusive academy offers a once-in-a-lifetime professional soccer learning experience for kids at the home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, The Home Depot Center.

Beckham, the world's most recognizable soccer icon who recently signed a five-year contract with Major League Soccer's (MLS) Los Angeles Galaxy, worked with organizers to develop the academy in both London and Los Angeles, which debuted last year. The academy is modeled after his experiences growing up, attending professional soccer schools in London.

Beginning this month, kids ages eight to 13 will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best youth coaches in the world, teaching soccer curriculum that was developed by Beckham's famed Manchester United FC Youth Coach Eric Harrison. The curriculum includes both individual and team training, speed and agility assessments and healthy living education.

The spring academies run from March 30 - April 15, with Summer academies beginning on June 18, continuing throughout the summer into late August. The official 2007 academy schedule and online registration is available now at www.thedavidbeckhamacademy.com.

The academy is based at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the official training headquarters for the United States Soccer Federation's (USSF) Men's and Women's U.S. National Teams. Academy participants have access to the same facilities as do the Los Angeles Galaxy and national team players, including professional locker rooms, uniforms and equipment, media room and training fields. In addition, the participants are trained and evaluated in fitness and strength levels by Athletes' Performance, an internationally-recognized fitness specialist group who also work on-site at The Home Depot Center with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

In addition to the three-and five-day camps, the Beckham Academy offers a two-hour Specialized Performance Program designed to challenge individuals technically and improve speed, agility and strength. The newest program in the academy is the 7-23 Club, designed specifically for youth ages four to six. The Club helps young children take their first steps in soccer, in carefully balanced sessions that include both basic technique and small-sided games.

The academy is based at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills. To register or for more information on the David Beckham Academy, including Academy schedules, coaches bios and facility information, please visit www.thedavidbeckhamacademy.com.

About The Home Depot Center

The Home Depot Center is southern California's home of world-class competition and training facilities for amateur, Olympic, collegiate and professional athletes. The $150 million, privately financed facility was developed and is operated by AEG on a 125-acre site on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) in Carson, California. The Home Depot Center features an 8,000-seat tennis stadium, a 27,000-seat stadium for soccer, rugby and other athletic competitions and outdoor concerts, a 10,000-seat facility for track & field and lacrosse, the ADT Event Center (a 2,450-seat indoor velodrome for cycling) and other facilities for softball, baseball, beach volleyball, basketball and other sports. The Home Depot Center is home to three professional sports teams - Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA, and Major League Lacrosse's (MLL) Los Angeles Riptide. Named an Official U.S. Olympic Training Site, The Home Depot Center is also home of the United States Tennis Association's (USTA) High Performance Training Center and is the national team training headquarters for the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). The David Beckham Academy for youth soccer, Andre Agassi's Safe Passage All-Stars at-risk youth tennis program and Athletes' Performance's training center for elite and professional athletes are all based at The Home Depot Center. The Home Depot Center has additionally been designated official training sites for USA Cycling and USA Track & Field. For more information, please visit www.homedepotcenter.com.