Golden shovels for a golden occasion for LAFC.
By Ivan Yeo
Everything was in place for LAFC on Tuesday.
The ownership group was present as was the supporters group, the District 9 Ultras, joined by MLS commissioner Don Garber, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti, members of the LA City Council and the area was packed with a huge number of enthusiastic fans and on-lookers.
Even several bulldozers were positioned alongside the LA Sports Arena site, and while their jobs won’t begin until later in the year, Tuesday marked yet another important date in countdown to LAFC’s inaugural season in 2018, as the team owners came together with the city council members and the ultras to officially break ground ground on its new soccer-specific stadium.
The morning started off with the usual set of speeches from the owners, local politicians and commissioner Garber. All the speakers touted the potential economic impact the stadium on the city, particularly the surrounding areas where the stadium would stand. The Stadium is expected to cost $250 million to build, though Peter Guber wasn’t stressing the price tag one bit.
“We’re going to pay a lot, but we’re going to play a lot,” Guber said.
One of the owners, comedian/and actor Will Ferrell, who joined the ownership group earlier in the year, added his usual light-hearted touch to the event, pleading with the District 9 Ultras not to abduct him while they were chanting “we got Will Ferrell,” stating how relieved he was to have his scarf with him in the clear, sunny, 86 degree LA weather and quickly reminded everyone in attendance that while the Sports Arena once hosted the Lakers, Clippers, USC men’s/women’s basketball, UCLA men’s basketball, the 1960 Democratic National Convention, and numerous notable events, the 56-year old arena was also the place where Ferrell’s 2007 comedy “Blades of Glory” was filmed, a move that parodied the world of figure skating, something that stood near and dear to Ferrell’s heart.
“I was in that beautiful husk of a building for a month, but I’m willing to sacrifice that for the growth of Los Angeles and the sport of soccer in LA,” Ferrell said.
Ferrell did proclaim his role on the team will be more than just an owner, as he declared himself the team’s official “eye candy” and also added the title of head groundskeeper to that list.
“I don’t know anything about horticulture or plants, but I got two years to learn, and it’s going to be the best turf in MLS,” Ferrell said.
While Ferrell added his touch to the ceremony, things quickly turned back to the serious side, particularly the soccer side of things. Despite not starting play until 2018, one name has already been branded about in LAFC’s coaching vacancy. Sigi Schimd, who was dismissed from the Seattle Sounders back in July is seen as the ideal candidate for the upstart franchise. Schmid’s ties to Los Angeles are well-known, as he was raised in nearby Torrance, coached the UCLA men’s soccer team from 1980 until 1999, then coached the Galaxy from 1999 until 2004. John Thorrington, the team’s head of soccer operations quickly stressed however that a timeline for the hiring of a new coach is still very early in the process.
“We are not setting a timeline and saying we’re going to get the best person that available at such a date, but we are in the process of making sure that we go after the right guy,” Thorrington said. “I think that we will have the resources and the narrative to tell someone and the project that we will have the right guy.”
Also early for LAFC is the process of finding players, a fact that could be further complicated by LAFC’s start-up year, which happens to coincide with the 2018 World Cup in Russia. That means LAFC might have to wait until that year’s July transfer window to bring in certain players’ particularly those that might command Designated Player type salaries.
“That might alter some conversations, but our focus is controlling what we can control in getting the right guys in, whether that’s in January of 18 or following the World Cup, so we can’t really worry about that,” Thorrington said.
One avenue to getting players has already started, and that is the founding of its academy squad. LAFC’s first academy team will be a U-12 squad with 26 players and will be coached by Joey Cascio. The U-12 squad is expected to start play this August. Also, the naming rights to the stadium has already been secured. Banc of California acquired the naming rights to the stadium.
