Behind the MLS Ambition Rankings: LA Galaxy

• How much money has your team spent in the past five years on youth development? How much in the past year?

Past five years: Over $12 million. Past year: $4 million.

The LA Galaxy invested heavily into youth development through the LA Galaxy Academy Blended Learning Program, which provides a full high-school education at StubHub Center for student-athletes immersed in the same professional environment as LA Galaxy and LA Galaxy II. It is the only program in the United States that allows Academy players to train and develop using the same facilities, schedule, and resources as LA Galaxy II and LA Galaxy

LA Galaxy was the only MLS club to earn a full 4.0 rating by U.S. Soccer in 2014 for youth development

Three players from LA Galaxy II signed LA Galaxy first team contracts this year: Clement Diop, Daniel Steres and David Romney. LA Galaxy II signed 15-year-old Eric Lopez in 2014, the youngest-ever player to sign a contract in USL

• How many homegrown players have you signed? How many have played in MLS league games for your first team?

15 Homegrown Players signed across first team and LA Galaxy II. Six Homegrown Players have earned first-team minutes: Gyasi Zardes, Jose Villarreal, Jack McBean, Raul Mendiola, Oscar Sorto, Bradford Jamieson IV. Zardes set the MLS Homegrown Player record for goals in a single season with 16. McBean is the LA Galaxy's youngest player to ever start, score a goal and play a full 90 minutes in an MLS match.

• Who pays to play on your youth teams? And how much do they pay?

No fees to play for youth teams.

• How many season-ticket holders do you have? How many did you have in 2015?

Our season tickets are up 33% year-over-year.

• Where does your first team train? Did you build the training facility yourself? If so, how much did it cost?

At StubHub Center in adjacent fields, using stadium facilities for workout room, weight room, spa room, equipment room, and player lounge area.

LA Galaxy invested over $15 million into dedicated facility upgrades to improve team training areas in the past two seasons.

• Do you have a model for integrating your academy with the first team? How closely do your academy teams resemble the way the first team trains and plays?

The Galaxy are the only team in Major League Soccer to have all teams–LA Galaxy Academy, LA Galaxy II, LA Galaxy–train using the same facilities and schedule. The LA Galaxy have closely mirrored operations from the first team through the Academy to operate with the same philosophy, style of play, facilities and resources.

• What’s your philosophy on the use of technology in your training and preparation for matches?

The LA Galaxy heavily use technology to monitor player fitness each week and determine specific routines to increase fitness for match-specific situations. Additionally, the LA Galaxy utilize technology to monitor player movement and involvement during matches to best form strategy for team personal and tactical decisions each game

• Who is your jersey sponsor? What’s your total income on sponsorships this season?

Herbalife Nutrition. 2016: $22 million sponsorship, an LA Galaxy club record (includes stadium revenue). The LA Galaxy lead the league in club and stadium sponsorship revenue.

• Local TV deal: How many of your games this season are shown on local television? How much is your local TV deal worth per season?

17 games are on local TV netting $5.5 million total revenue, the highest in MLS.

• Local radio deal: How many of your games this season are broadcast on local radio? In English? In other languages?

All games are streamed in English on LAGalaxy.com, and ESPN Deportes Spanish-language broadcast is available for each match

• How many front-office employees does your team have? How many have you added or subtracted in the past year?

Approximately 75 business operations employees, with five new positions added since 2015.

Front office tied MLS-high for front-office awards, winning: Marisa Colaiano Community Relations Department of the Year presented by MLS WORKS; LA Galaxy Foundation raised 650k last year, a third of the total revenue from all MLS clubs; Club Retailer of the Year; Marketing Team of the Year; Lead MLS in all digital and social metrics.

• Have you hired any additional technical staff over the past year to reduce doubling-up roles? Are you planning on expanding your technical staff in the near future?

Former Galaxy captain Peter Vagenas was named LA Galaxy Vice President of Soccer Operations, promoted from Director of the LA Galaxy Academy, to work in an expanded role to oversee soccer operations of the LA Galaxy Academy, LA Galaxy II and LA Galaxy first team in conjunction with Head Coach and General Manager Bruce Arena

The Galaxy always look to expand and increase roles in technical staff to better equip team functions on and off the field.