Can David Beckham Get Soccer Fans to Miami?

David Beckham believes South Florida fans will flock to soccer games in droves, just as they have for exhibition games involving South American countries. But as Beckham works toward securing a stadium deal that would guarantee a franchise is awarded to Miami, analysts say success at the gate for an MLS team is no sure thing, considering the region has struggled to support some of its existing teams, and that Miami-Fort Lauderdale would become one of the least-populated markets with five major professional sports franchises, ahead of only Denver.

Based on South Florida's modest fan support for the Dolphins, Marlins and Panthers in recent seasons, one thing is clear:

“Beckham’s team has to win,” said ESPN Radio host Jorge Sedano, who grew up in South Florida and previously worked as a local talk show host. “Any team in South Florida has to win to be a draw.

“In drawing fans to games in South Florida, star power is a factor, too. And it has to feel like an event, that it’s a place people want to be seen at, like Heat games. If Beckham is using that as a model, he can have some success.”

Two factors raise at least some concerns about whether an MLS team would draw substantially more fans than the Miami Fusion, which averaged 11,177 spectators in its final MLS season at Lockhart Stadium before folding in 2001.