LAFC

Entertainment city: football in Hollywood

Los Angeles is world renowned for glitz, glamour and entertainment. Traditionally the home of Hollywood and the playground of movie stars and musicians, the city also offers a wealth of sporting spectacles.

LA boasts some of the most successful teams and franchises in the US and indeed the world, such as the Dodgers in baseball (MLB), the Lakers in basketball (NBA), the Rams and Chargers in American football (NFL) and the LA Galaxy in soccer (MLS). It would take a unique approach for a new football club to break into this crowded entertainment landscape and make an impact.

By striking a healthy balance between community and commercial interests, and with a fan-first approach and a vision to bring people together, new kids on the block LAFC are doing just that.

Celebrity ownership with a unifying mission

When the club was founded in 2014, headlines were dominated by the high-profile ownership. In keeping with the city’s DNA, a combination of business leaders, Hollywood actors and former sports stars make up the board of directors. Headed up by world-renowned comedy actor Will Ferrell, it also boasts former US women’s soccer player Mia Hamm, NBA legend Magic Johnson, former MLB players and owners, as well as a whole host of successful entrepreneurs and executives. Chad Hurley, former CEO of YouTube, is also a co-founder.

Despite this big name roster in the boardroom, the club was very keen to promote a vision focused very much on community. With this in mind, the ownership group established four foundational pillars that would form the backbone of the growth of the club and community.

1.         Creative (LA is a hub of creativity)

2.         Loyal (Loyalty to the game of soccer and its expression in the city)

3.         Unifying (Bringing the diverse community of the city together)

4.         Beyond (Be innovative to push the envelope towards what would be new and next)

Despite the assumption that a Hollywood - and Silicon Valley - backed football club would prioritise success on the field and commercial gain off it, these four pillars instead focus on harnessing positive aspects of LA life and bringing people together. This mirrors the overarching mission of the club, “to unite the world’s city through the world’s game”, suggesting the club aims to use the universal power of football for more than just match wins and higher profits.

Fan-formed identity

Sporting organisations worldwide are challenged by the preservation of heritage and social impact, versus the growing need to commercialise. With a blank canvas to start from, LAFC has effectively balanced these seemingly conflicting interests since its launch. With a purpose-driven brand, the club has created a holistic environment for its fans and commercial partners, linked to the identity of the city and its culture.

From the outset, the ownership team engaged the fans and local community in many elements of the club’s identity. LAFC jointly developed its brand elements (team name, colours, crest and more) and stadium plans (location, structure and design), which resulted in a cohesive vision for the club’s public-facing identity. The crest features multiple elements and provides a strong connection to the city, with the art deco letters “LA” playing a central role. The wing represents power, strength, and speed and is universally recognised across cultures, symbolising the club’s home in the City of Angels. The shield is derived from the seal of Los Angeles. Black and gold were selected as club colours to represent the success, glamour and urban texture of Los Angeles, and to evoke feelings of strength, power, achievement and triumph.

This consultative, community-driven approach effectively engaged what the club calls its “original fans”, those who have been there from the start. Very quickly, the Independent Supporters Union for LAFC ‘the 3252’ was formed (named after the capacity of the north end of their stadium) to bring together the fast-emerging collection of supporters clubs. Their vision is to “create a dynamic and diverse in-stadium active support environment”, closely aligned with the club’s higher level aims of loyalty and unity across the community.

Unity: bringing fans and partners together

Since the club launched, continued fan engagement efforts have seen consistent sellout crowds and rising season ticket purchases, with a record streak of 44 sold out home matches. This fan-focused engagement and club identity building has brought its own rewards commercially, making LAFC a hugely attractive proposition for partners. This is all part of the holistic, inclusive approach adopted by the club, bringing the partners and fans together into the matchday and supporter experience.

The club has built long-term relationships with many partners and, in 2019 alone, LAFC was able to secure a total of 44 commercial partnerships. They work with big name “Golden Boot Club Partners” as well as a series of smaller domestic and local partners. All partners are given extensive chances to connect with the growing community of fans, and have their own place within the stadium and digital club experiences. Furthermore, they are integrated into the club’s social outreach and community programmes, creating unity between all stakeholders in tune with the club’s values.

Beyond the pitch: LAFC Community

The club has a commitment to bringing people together through football as a core part of its DNA, and this is visible through a network of off-field activities that take place across Los Angeles.

“Street by Street, Block by Block, One by One, LAFC is committed to being a force for good in Los Angeles. LAFC is dedicated to using the beautiful game of soccer as a vehicle for change”, reads the club’s ‘Community’ website, setting out an evocative manifesto for the impact the club can have in its city. LAFC focuses on education, health, wellbeing, sports and events, all contributing towards them being “a force in the community, and core part of LA life”.

Educationally, the club has a series of projects, from “Dreams of Gold” to “Science of Soccer”, focused on using football-themed activities to teach core skills to young people. All of the programmes are supported in various ways by the club’s partners, creating more connections between the commercial and community goals of the club. Book clubs and COVID-friendly “at home” activities have also been popular among young fans, with the club going above and beyond to keep engaging with its community despite restrictions.

All off-field activities link back to this ethos of community and inclusivity, while also embracing the creative values that the city is so famous for. Their new esports and gaming programme, for example, aims to “continue the connection of global football in the world’s city through a digital competition community”. With a dedicated, homegrown player representing LAFC FIFA 21 in the eMLS, as well as a series of fundraising tournaments for fans around the globe to compete while raising money, it is another way in which the club innovatively engages fans and creates social impact.

This concept of the “world’s city” is also a constant point of reference, acknowledging the diversity and global footprint of the residents of Los Angeles. Many initiatives are created with particular educational and social outcomes around Hispanic and Latino culture, with dedicated social channels and translations available for every element of their club communication. Recent initiatives have also focused on encouraging people to sign up for the 2020 US elections, and continuing to provide support and guidance in light of the ongoing pandemic.

Both on and off the field, the club have achieved huge success in their first few seasons in Los Angeles. They have stayed true to their promise of “uniting the world’s city through the world’s game”, creating a fan-focused and socially conscious organisation that is complemented by huge commercial know-how. To have created such passion and impact in just 5 years ago provides plenty of optimism that LAFC can continue successfully, developing its unique brand of community football in one of the best entertainment cities in the world.