Bidding begins for first Asian city to host David Beckham Academy

Mumbai, July 11 (UNI) David Beckham, AEG and 19 Entertainment announced today that the process has begun to select the first Asian city to host the latest David Beckham Academy.

Over the next few months, the David Beckham Academy selection and evaluation experts will be visiting Asian cities and potential partners to determine which city is best positioned to develop Asia's premier centre for youth football and leadership development, a release here today stated.

David Beckham, AEG and 19 Entertainment have united their resources to create the David Beckham academies. Leading academies and facilities are already in place in the United States and Europe and the David Beckham Academies in London and Los Angeles have reached record levels of participation and attracted unprecedented levels of sponsorship from top Fortune 500 companies.

With the success of the United States and Europe facilities, the David Beckham Academy is focusing its efforts on Asia as the best location to build the next premier football and leadership development academy, the release added.

''I am excited that we are bringing the next Academy to Asia. I was given a chance to go to soccer schools when I was young and it taught me so many important skills. I also want to pass on all the great things I have learnt from football to kids today. I have always had fantastic support from people in Asia and it is an honour to have an Academy there,'' David Beckham was qouted as saying in the release.

According to AEG's lead executive in Asia, Ed Cunningham, ''With the creation of two very successful academies in London and Los Angeles, it seems only natural to now focus on developing the next location of The David Beckham Academy in Asia. We are confident that working in partnership with Asia's leading experts, the newest David Beckham Academy will set a new standard for football academies worldwide.'' The David Beckham Academy expansion plan is set to be one of the largest of its kind in the world. The flagship David Beckham Academy in London is the biggest children's sports teaching facility in Europe. The site in Greenwich alongside the O2 (formerly known as the Millennium Dome) is one of the first parts of a development project managed by AEG that is set to transform the area into a complete entertainment and sporting destination, the release added.

UNI GS SSS DH BD2113