How brand ‘Goldenballs’ lost its stardust
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Beckham has tarnished his carefully managed image from 2018 World Cup bid by becoming face of Qatar 2022
What a difference a decade has made for Brand Beckham, now facing criticism for setting up shop in the Qatari desert. Some contrast with December 2010, when the great and good of British sport were hailing his free-of-charge campaign efforts spearheading England’s ill-fated World Cup 2018 bid.
“He has stardust,” enthused campaign chief Lord Coe as David Beckham was dispatched with the now Duke of Cambridge and David Cameron to a five-star Zurich hotel as part of a last-ditch lobbying mission. England, of course, were undone by a Fifa vote that still casts a cloud. Humiliation, as the tournament was handed to Russia in 2018 and Qatar next year. But for Beckham, in the twilight of his playing career, the trip cemented his status as a figure at the heart of the British establishment. Like his role for the London 2012 Olympics bid, he never received a penny. Instead, he and wife Victoria would be rewarded with closer-than-ever ties with the Prime Minister and even the Duke of Cambridge, who invited them to his wedding the following April.
He remains in credit among the powerbrokers. It was notable that nobody within government or football joined human rights campaigners in crying foul after details of his lucrative new partnership with Qatar became clear this week.
His official explanation for working with the 2022 tournament is that he wants to use football “as a force for good” in a country he has been visiting “for more than a decade”. Yet there is no denying the money will be welcome for a family now worth £380million, but with more business interests than ever before – and not all of them thriving.
Sources insist Victoria’s fashion business no longer needs financial support, despite pre-tax losses widening to £16.5million, from £12.4million, in the latest available accounts, covering 2019. Profits at David Beckham Ventures Ltd (DBVL), the global brand management
The money is welcome for a family with more interests than ever – and not all of them thriving
company wholly owned by the multimillionaire former footballer and his fashion designer wife, shrank to £11.3million in 2019, from £14.8million the year before.
This reflected increased costs to help expand the business and adverse currency effects, as well as charitable donations. However, over the past two years, sources close to Beckham insist it is his own business ventures that are now the only drain on his resources. “His biggest investments have been Inter Miami and also investing in new businesses like electric vehicles, esports,” one friend of the couple insisted. It is MLS “expansion club” Inter Miami who will most welcome the extra funds. Since Beckham and brothers Jorge and Jose Mas became sole owners, the team have struggled. The Phil Neville-managed side have just two wins in the last eight, and lie in 10th. The end game for Beckham, it appears, is a significant shift away from brand partnerships towards a predominantly investment-based business as he aims to emulate the likes of Michael Jordan, who is worth more than £1 billion.
With so much investment interest on the other side of the Atlantic, it goes some way to explaining the apparent shift in focus away from England for a man who once represented a new generation of patriotism. Beckham’s decision to stay quiet on the Qatar World Cup decision has proven particularly wise. In 2013, came a deal to join Middle East-owned Paris St-germain, where he first appears to have grown close to club chief Nasser Al-khelaifi, who was made minister without portfolio by the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim, around six months after Beckham retired.
Beckham has since been a regular visitor to Qatar. It was here that the groundwork was laid for Beckham to one day become the face of Qatar – unbeknownst to the Football Association, it was losing whatever grip it had on English football’s greatest asset to spread its own gospel.
Pictures of his work there have so far been published only on local newspapers rather than his social media accounts. Qatar’s Peninsula newspaper website shows him visiting the Souq Waqif Art Centre earlier this month. Homosexuality remains illegal in Qatar, but those close to Beckham say he has received assurances that fans will not be discriminated against.
However, as far as the marketing experts are concerned, the Qatar deal marks a significant shift. Tieups with Adidas, the watch brand Tudor, life insurer AIA and the drinks giant Diageo’s Haig Club whisky remain, but Beckham, who is also a co-owner at League Two Salford City, has moved beyond the days of shifting Calvin Klein briefs.
“If this was the beginning of the Beckham branding journey, I doubt whether he would have accepted ambassadorship,” Marcel Knobil, founder of Superbrands and the Brand Council consultancy, said.
This Qatar deal is a sign that the most carefully managed sporting persona may not be as paranoid as he once was about image.