Gabriel Gabor, an MLS consultant who focuses on the Hispanic market, believes Beckham will help close that gap.

There is “a group of hardcore soccer fans who say, ’I’m not coming out until they get a big name,”’ said Gabor. “Now they’ll have it.”

Galaxy and league officials also believe Beckham’s good looks will draw more women, Hispanic and otherwise.

“I want to see Beckham because he’s hot,” said Liz Galan, a 21-year-old community college student born in Los Angeles to Mexican parents. She never has attended an MLS game.

“Yeah, women are going to go and take along their husbands,” giggled her friend, Monica Jimenez, 24, also a community college student born here to Mexican parents.

So far, Beckham promises to increase attendance at Galaxy games — whether the fans are Hispanic or otherwise. The Galaxy have sold several thousand season tickets since Beckham’s Jan. 11 signing.

Back at Niky’s soccer store, owner Niky Orellana said the buzz has been “incredible.”

The store gets dozens of calls each day inquiring about Galaxy tickets, while $80 Beckham Galaxy jerseys have been selling fast.

Orellana has devised another way of capitalizing on Beckham’s image.

A large mural outside his store features retired soccer legends such as Pele, Diego Maradona and Zinedine Zidane — but not the midfielder who still boasts one of the game’s most feared free kicks.

“Beckham’s going up next week,” said Orellana. “We are going to paint him right in the middle of the others.”

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