Executive Vice President of the Los Angeles Football Club at MCI.

“We had nothing but a dream,” recalls Benny Tran, Executive Vice President of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). In 2014, when the LAFC was founded, they had no coaches, no players, and no brand - let alone their own stadium. “We had to create something from nothing.” But the vision was clear: under the motto "Uniting the World's City Through the World's Game", the new club was to represent the diverse melting pot of Los Angeles, bring cultures together, build a community, and give back to the people.

“Everyone is welcome. It was important for us to get the people of Los Angeles on board and involve them in the development of our club right from the start”, which, according to Tran, required a lot of patience. However, through lively exchange and open communication, they built up a strong fan base, which has been the heart of the club since the very beginning, and which proved its loyalty even before LAFC's very first game: “We were already selling tickets before we even had a coach,” says Tran.

More than a game

Nevertheless, Tran is aware that for many fans it's not only about soccer. “It's about the whole experience, far beyond the sport.” In addition to black and gold merchandise and club anthems created by LA-based music legends, Tran emphasizes the importance of the BMO Stadium – the LAFC's regularly sold-out home stadium in the heart of Los Angeles. “Ticketing, food, parking, advertising - our stadium is like a small city that we are constantly developing to provide the best possible experience for our fans. Behavioral economics plays a major role in this,” explains Tran. Applications such as NFC tickets, contactless payment, or Amazon's "Just Walk Out Technology" - the automated shopping experience without checkout systems - ensure smooth payment processes, higher sales, and happy fans.

A peek across the pond

Speaking of fans: the traditional fan culture that has existed in Europe for decades was anything but common in the USA. “We've learned a lot from European clubs,” says Tran, “we didn't have that kind of fan culture here.” That is one of the reasons why the LAFC network consists of several European partners such as FC Bayern Munich, Grasshopper Club Zurich, and FC Wacker Innsbruck.

“Teams like FC Wacker have a rich tradition and a strong community - values that are in line with our brand,” he continues. The club's name was also inspired by European examples, choosing "football", a less common term in the U.S., over "soccer" to reflect the global football culture right from the start.

Today, the Los Angeles Football Club is the most valuable soccer club in the MLS (Major League Soccer). However, regardless of the brand, the stadium, and the success, Benny Tran considers one thing to be particularly important: “At the end of the day, true success lies in celebrating with the community and creating something that people believe in.”