Behind the MLS Ambition Rankings: New York City FC
How much money has your team spent in the past five years on youth development? How much in the past year?
We do not share financial information.
New York City FC is deeply invested in developing local youth talent. In our inaugural season, we developed the New York City FC Academy. With close ties to the City Football Academy in Manchester, home to sister Club, Manchester City FC, the New York City FC Academy further benefits from the technology and resources across the City Football network.
In February 2017, New York City FC announced that it will be expanding its Academy for the 2017-18 season.
In addition to NYCFC current U-14 and U-16 academy teams, the Academy will be expanded into the U-12, U-13, U-15 and U-19 levels of competition.
On February 27, 2017, NYCFC announced its new Girls Soccer Academy.
How many homegrown players have you signed? How many have played in MLS league games for your first team?
We are yet to sign a player directly from our Academy. 16-year-old James Sands trained with the team during preseason and played in a number of preseason matches.
How many season-ticket holders do you have? How many did you have in 2016?
At the end of our inaugural season, we had more than 20,000 season ticket holders (Founding Members) and averaged over 29,000 fans at our home games at Yankee Stadium. The attendance of our home opener was 43,507 and our highest attendance of the season was 48,047 versus the New York Red Bulls.
We finished the 2016 season with over 18,000 season ticket holders.
Where does your first team train? Did you build the training facility yourself? If so, how much did it cost?
Our First Team currently trains on the campus of SUNY Purchase in Purchase, New York.
In October 2016, NYCFC announced plans to move into its new, permanent training facility, the City Football Academy.
Located on a 17-acre site in Orangeburg, New York, our home will be the center of NYCFC’s footballing operations.
The plans consist of one and a half regulation-sized grass fields, as well as a 25,000 square foot building, housing the team offices, space for player rehabilitation and welfare, amongst other amenities.
Designed by Rafael Viñoly, the architect responsible for Manchester City FC and Melbourne City FC’s City Football Academy facilities, our new training facility in Rockland County is due to be completed in early 2018.
In line with NYCFC’s community approach, the Club will make a donation for program and facility improvements to youth affiliate World Class FC (OMM Soccer), based in Orangeburg.
Approval for building on this former STEJ site on Old Orangeburg Road, which has been vacant and unused for more than a decade, was given in July 2016 by the Orangeburg Planning Board.
Did your team build its own stadium? If yes, how much money did the team spend on the stadium?
N/A
Do you have a USL affiliate? How big is your budget this year for your USL team?
N/A
How much money have you spent in the three previous years on Designated Players (transfer fees and salary)? How much are you spending on Designated Players this year?
We do not disclose financial information above and beyond that which is available from public sources.
How much TAM have you spent since its inception in the middle of 2015 (including this year)?
We do not disclose financial information.
How would you describe your investment in and use of data analytics? How many full-time analytics employees do you have?
New York City FC believes that technology has a crucial role to play in training and preparation. The club captures a range of data to optimize player performance, increase player efficiency and analyze team performance.
Through a strategic global partnership with SAP, New York City FC and City Football Group are co-innovating on new technological enhancements in the areas of talent management, football performance and human performance.
Who is your jersey sponsor? What’s your total income on sponsorships this season?
Etihad Airways. We do not disclose partnership investment figures.
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? How big is your budget for presenting local TV broadcasts? Do your broadcasters travel on the road for local TV broadcasts?
YES is the exclusive regional TV home of NYCFC.
YES will televise 21 NYCFC matches (including two preseason games), all of which will also be streamed live via the FOX Sports GO app to authenticated YES viewers whose operators have streaming deals with YES. 18 of these 21 matches will air live; the remaining three on delay.
NYCFC will also have 15 of its regular season matches aired on national broadcast.
How many front-office employees does your team have? How many have you added or subtracted in the past year?
NYCFC has approximately 100 front office employees.
What other sorts of details should we know about your club that are a good barometer of the club’s ambition?
In the summer of 2016, NYCFC–and partners from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, US Soccer Foundation and adidas–launched the New York City Soccer Initiative. This is a first of its kind public-private partnership to build, maintain and program 50 community soccer fields in underserved neighborhoods across the five boroughs over the next five years. The announcement came with a pledge to invest $3 million to build and maintain the fields, and provide free programming for New York school children.
NYCFC is deeply committed to working with the community of New York and its surrounding areas. ‘City in the Community,’ the charity proudly supported by NYCFC, serves over 4,000 youth each week through the power of soccer. Programs address social issues affecting New York City including: health, education, and crime prevention.
