David Beckham sues former friend Mark Wahlberg for $14 million over fitness brand deal mishap

Former friends Mark Wahlberg and David Beckham clash over soured fitness brand deal.

Former football superstar David Beckham has filed a lawsuit against F45 Training, the fitness franchise co-owned by Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg.

According to The New York Times, in court filings, Beckham’s management business alleged that Wahlberg’s F45 Training failed to honour its contractual obligations to Beckham, who served as the brand’s global ambassador.

The partnership between Beckham and F45 Training began in 2020, with Beckham signing on to promote the brand globally.

The agreement included an annual payment of $1.5 million to Beckham, along with shares in the company, contingent upon its public offering.

However, Beckham’s legal team claims that F45 Training did not transfer the shares on time and that the delay resulted in a significant loss in their value due to a drop in the company’s stock price.

According to the lawsuit, the shares were eventually transferred to Beckham eight months later than agreed, during which time their value had plummeted by approximately $9.3 million.

Beckham’s claim includes this amount, plus an additional $5 million for breach of contract.

F45’s legal representatives challenged Beckham’s claims in court documents, asserting that Beckham did not meet his responsibilities and is attempting to benefit from his wrongdoing, according to media reports.

Wahlberg, who acquired a 36% stake in F45 in 2019 and has served on the board since then, is also referenced in the situation.

The company describes its services as providing “transformative gym and functional team training.”

With more than 2,000 studios globally, it boasts a significant presence, with 1,000 studios in the US and 500 in Australia, where it was established in 2011 by Gilchrist and Deutsche.