• Loading stock data...
Thursday, March 28, 2024
2024 Best Venues nominations are open now through April 8! Submit Now

‘We Are LAFC’ Shows Off Exclusive Content Opportunity for MLS, ESPN

We Are LAFC
we-are-lafc

Photo Credit MLS

Launching a Major League Soccer franchise is now portrayed in a docuseries on ESPN+, “We Are LAFC.”

The series following the inaugural season of the Los Angeles FC is available on ESPN+ this week, as the team gears up to start its second season on March 3. “We Are LAFC” is the first all-access series documenting a full season of a new sports organization, a content opportunity grabbed by ESPN, MLS and LAFC. The team set an expansion record for points in its first season, making the playoffs before being bounced in the first round.

“We knew that we had a unique challenge to create a club from scratch,” LAFC President and Co-Owner Tom Penn said. “It was important for us to tell that story properly from the beginning and to really bring to life how we engaged with our most passionate fans and supporters and involved them in the journey.”

The show features LAFC head coach Bob Bradley mic’d up in practices and games, as well as staff meetings and locker room chats. Also featured are the team’s players, general manager John Thorrington, and members of the 31-person ownership team, including actor Will Ferrell.

READ MORE: Univision Deportes Plans to Dominate US Soccer Viewership

The 10-episode series details the launch of the team, its game against crosstown rival LA Galaxy, the home opener, the introduction of new players, a playoff clincher and the end of the season. The series was co-produced by Mandalay Sports Media, with Jon Weinbach and Mike Tollin as executive producers. The series is also available in Spanish, “Somos LAFC.”

ESPN leadership felt it was a natural project to pursue, said Craig Lazarus, vice president of original content and features. Lazarus said teams make ideal content for season-long initiatives because of the number of storylines that spin-off from owners, front office employees, head coaches, players, and fans.

A new team only expands on all the potential, he said, including building a roster from scratch, a new fan base, and new stadium and practice facility.

[mc4wp_form id=”8260″]

“An expansion franchise is ideal for this project because there is so much more to the journey than a team that already exists,” Lazarus said. 

“We Are LAFC” is an extension of MLS’ partnership with ESPN and its commitment to telling stories of the league to its fans when and where they want, said Seth Bacon, MLS senior vice president of media.

“ESPN+ is the perfect platform to achieve that goal,” Bacon said. “We are all proud of the series and we know it will resonate with a wide audience.”

READ MORE: How Uninterrupted Brand Partnerships Help Showcase Athlete Stories

ESPN+ has a wide array of similar content, such the LeBron James docuseries “More Than An Athlete” and “Earn Everything,” an all-access series following the Duke University men’s basketball team.

“Original content on ESPN+ aims to bring fans distinctive insights and get them closer to teams and athletes, including through exclusive behind-the-scenes access,” said Russell Wolff, ESPN+ executive vice president and general manager. “’We Are LAFC’ is the latest example of the kind of all-access, authentic storytelling ESPN+ delivers, and LAFC and MLS have been great collaborators on the project.”

Soccer and MLS continue their rise in popularity, and using off-the-field and original content like “We Are LAFC” will help build the fan base further and attract sports fans in general.

“Major League Soccer is on fire,” Penn said. “The soccer culture in America is exploding. We are thrilled to share the start of our football culture and movement in Los Angeles.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NFL Executive Questions Logic Behind Streaming Giants’ Joint Venture

The ESPN, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox alliance is expected to launch this fall.
March 22, 2024, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) and Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie (0) react in overtime against the Florida Atlantic Owls in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the Barclays Center.

‘An Expensive Game’: March Madness and NIL Collectives Are Intertwined

At schools nationwide, collectives are fueling NCAA tournament runs and vice versa.

No Vote, for Now: Why Private Equity’s NFL Wait Continues

Rising franchise values and tight debt rules have created a limited pool of buyers.

Midweek Special: NFL Planning Two Games on Christmas Wednesday

The NFL will play a doubleheader Wednesday, Dec. 25.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

MLB Opens Season With MLBPA, Ohtani, and Ownership Dramas

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (22) waits to be announced in the starting lineup against West Virginia in a NCAA Tournament round of 32 game Monday, March 25, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

The Women’s Trading Card Market Is Overlooked. Can Caitlin Clark Change That?

Traditionally, women’s sports cards have been a marginal part of collectibles.
The Sports Illustrated cover signed by Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, February 27, 2019, at Don & Charlie's, 7501 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. Don Charlie S
March 24, 2024

Everything You Need to Know About the Ongoing ‘Sports Illustrated’ Saga

Understanding the strange state of affairs for the nearly 70-year-old publication.
March 23, 2024

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Inside the Big East’s Bizarre Online Subculture

Peeling back the curtain on the ‘phenomenally weird’ Big East online ecosystem.
Mar 21, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Stetson Hatters guard Stephan Swenson (30) reacts during team practice at Barclays Center.
March 22, 2024

First-Time NCAA Men’s Tourney Bids Could Be on the Verge of Extinction

Power and success are consolidating around the richest teams in college sports.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Live Nation
Multiple - USA Careers
Adidas
Multiple - USA Careers
Spotify
Multiple - USA Careers
exclusive

Threats, Demands, a Lawsuit, and a Website in Limbo: Inside the Chaos at ‘SI’

‘Sports Illustrated’ has new publishers, but the transition has been messy at best.
March 25, 2024

The Brian Kelly ‘Hit Job’ Kim Mulkey Ripped Is Barely About Brian Kelly at All

The article was hardly about Kelly at all.
March 25, 2024

Inside the Proxy Fight for the Future of Disney (and ESPN)

Dissident investor Nelson Peltz is seeking two board seats in an upcoming election.
Sponsored

How Daily Fantasy Sports Solved NBA Fantasy

The remarkable growth of the #1 Discord sports server in the world.
March 23, 2024

At ESPN, She’s the Storyteller of the Women’s Tourney—and What a Year It Is for That

Sara Gaiero sees Caitlin Clark hype as an opportunity to hook people on two ESPN products: March Madness and, eventually, the WNBA.
March 21, 2024

Ian Eagle Is Ready to Get March Madness Started

He succeeds Jim Nantz as the lead play-by-play announcer for CBS and TBS.
March 19, 2024

ESPN Locks Up a $7.8B College Football Playoff Extension

Network chairman Jimmy Pitaro announced the six-year deal at a conference Tuesday
March 19, 2024

WNBA Could Seek Its Own Media Deal

The league is open to splitting its negotiations from the NBA’s, sources say.