# Million(s) spent on academy programs for MLS clubs



## younothat (Mar 23, 2017)

I knew academy was expensive but had no idea MLS clubs have been spending these amounts. between 1 and 4 Million per: 
http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/the91stminute/2017/03/nine-mls-clubs-told-grant-wahl-how-much-they-spend-on-their-academies/

Pulled from each individual questionnaire, here’s the ranked list of the nine who submitted figures on how much they spent in 2016 on their respective academy setups.

*9. New England Revolution:* $1 million
*t8. D.C. United:* $1.5 million
*t8. Montreal Impact:* $1.5 million
*6. Chicago Fire:* $1.75 million
*5. Columbus Crew:* $2.5 million
*t4. FC Dallas:* $3 million
*t4. Portland Timbers:* $3 million
*t1. LA Galaxy:* $4 million
*t1. Philadelphia Union:* $4 million


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## Wez (Mar 24, 2017)

Galaxy $4M, wow, wonder what the plan is to get a return on that investment?


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## ray8 (Mar 25, 2017)

Wez said:


> Galaxy $4M, wow, wonder what the plan is to get a return on that investment?


Write-off. 
At this point in time the Galaxy academy is a lipstick on a pig endeavor. If they wanted a return on investment they would put maybe $4,000 into forming a feeder club in Ghana.


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## mahrez (Mar 25, 2017)

ROI is to buy foreign players like Giovani dos Santos to sell tickets, jesery's, boardcasting rights, brand name, etc those summer friendlies with the international clubs & tours can/do make them enough to cover the academy costs.

Keep in mind only a few of the MLS teams actually don't lose much $ each season.  Lost leaders for deep pockets.


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## Wez (Mar 25, 2017)

mahrez said:


> ROI is to buy foreign players like Giovani dos Santos to sell tickets, jesery's, boardcasting rights, brand name, etc those summer friendlies with the international clubs & tours can/do make them enough to cover the academy costs.
> 
> Keep in mind only a few of the MLS teams actually don't lose much $ each season.  Lost leaders for deep pockets.


How does that tie into the Academy expense?


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## mahrez (Mar 27, 2017)

Wez said:


> How does that tie into the Academy expense?


Doesn't there is no solidary payments or transfer fees in the usa for youth players so there is no ROI.  Academies are expenses.

That expense is paid for by other investments or means such as what was mentioned: buying foreign players for the first team to generate income from tickets, merchandise, broadcasting, tours, etc.


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## tommyboy (Mar 27, 2017)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/generation-adidas-cup/2017/u12/schedule-standings

Investment in youngers?


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## Colombichi (Mar 27, 2017)

tommyboy said:


> https://www.mlssoccer.com/generation-adidas-cup/2017/u12/schedule-standings
> 
> Investment in youngers?


Looks like there are many MLS Academies willing to invest in the U-12 age group. Very impressed with the MLS teams taking their U-12 to a tournament like the GA Cup.


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## tommyboy (Mar 27, 2017)

Colombichi said:


> Looks like there are many MLS Academies willing to invest in the U-12 age group. Very impressed with the MLS teams taking their U-12 to a tournament like the GA Cup.


Looks like Galaxy aren't taking their U12s. Looks like every other MLS team is going. What's up with that?


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## mahrez (Mar 28, 2017)

tommyboy said:


> Looks like Galaxy aren't taking their U12s. Looks like every other MLS team is going. What's up with that?


Spending $ on the olders or something?  Sent u16 to Qatar to play the mighty Aspire Academy & Olympiacos FC.

GA seems to only want to play in niche tournments most of the time and avoid the bigger comps like Dallas cup, Surf, etc.  Adidas is one of there sponser's so why not enter some youngers teams?  The u17/18 are into the championship rounds.

LAFC and supporters will be out to support our local team in Dallas,  3x year for the U12's in the adidas cup(been skipping years) so should be some great games.


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## Eusebio (Apr 1, 2017)

mahrez said:


> Doesn't there is no solidary payments or transfer fees in the usa for youth players so there is no ROI.  Academies are expenses.
> 
> That expense is paid for by other investments or means such as what was mentioned: buying foreign players for the first team to generate income from tickets, merchandise, broadcasting, tours, etc.


Actually the theory is MLS clubs develop players through their academies in order to sign them to Homegrown contracts. Homegrown contracts don't count toward the club's salary cap. There's also the potential to make money off a transfer fee to foreign clubs.

The problem is with the exception of Dallas FC most MLS clubs have failed to develop players that attract foreign interest or even become MLS first-team caliber. In Europe, a graduating academy class will usually output 3-4 professionals every year. Usually at least two of those will be a starter somewhere within a couple of years. Whereas the MLS has a dreadful track record of Academy players becoming first team players. Right now Academies are basically a feeder system for College soccer. Then after a year or two, you might have some players come out of it and end up even further behind when they get signed to an MLS team.

Dallas FC is the only academy that actually uses it as its intended purpose. The rest just use it as a marketing tool or treat it as a mandatory operating cost. LA Galaxy is an odd one. In some ways, they've made some real investments into their academy and USL team. But there seems to be a disconnect between how their academy/USL players fit into their actual strategy with the LA Galaxy first team. It's partly due to LA Galaxy being capable and almost expected to attract a big name aging Euro-star. LA is about star power and hollywood, so developing players slowly from the groundup may not necessarily fit with the marketing objectives for a big market team. Big clubs in England like Chelsea and Manchester City run into similar problems. The difference is their academy players can still get professional contracts elsewhere. The Galaxy academy players end up in obscurity.

That said, the new Galaxy coach who took over from Bruce Arena has definitely taken steps to integrate more of the LAGII players into the first team. McBean has been getting a lot of field time lately, and even Virirael and Ari Lassiter have gotten some first team minutes already this season. The new Galaxy coach was the former LAGII, so it's not surprise he's brought along some of his favorites, but it's still a step in the right direction.

Whether by proper organization or just dumb luck, one of these MLS academies will eventually develop a player of near Pulisic's ability and market value, and then we'll start seeing other MLS academies seeing the value of developing and grooming homegrown players. Pulisic's estimated market value will be around $25 million fairly soon.  A single transfer fee of that amount would pay for the Galaxy academy for the next 6 years...


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## mahrez (Apr 1, 2017)

Eusebio said:


> Actually the theory is MLS clubs develop players through their academies in order to sign them to Homegrown contracts. Homegrown contracts don't count toward the club's salary cap. There's also the potential to make money off a transfer fee to foreign clubs.
> 
> The problem is with the exception of Dallas FC most MLS clubs have failed to develop players that attract foreign interest or even become MLS first-team caliber. In Europe, a graduating academy class will usually output 3-4 professionals every year. Usually at least two of those will be a starter somewhere within a couple of years. Whereas the MLS has a dreadful track record of Academy players becoming first team players. Right now Academies are basically a feeder system for College soccer. Then after a year or two, you might have some players come out of it and end up even further behind when they get signed to an MLS team.
> 
> ...


Get your points but MLS transfer fees don't work like that.  The league splits out the allocation and clubs only get 75% at most & $ allocation can be used for player signings, cap relief, or trades. The league takes a cut and restrics how that $ can be used.

All the other non MLS academies (majority of ussda members) get nothing for transfers like the case of yedlin his home club crossfire I recall filed for a share but didn't get anything, went to MLS and Seattle.

MX league says thank you very much and takes academy players for free and the Mexico NT as well has academy trained players.

Great academy players normally won't stick around like Pulisic because the know the $ is in foreign leagues.


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## EvilGoalie 21 (Apr 12, 2017)

Wasn't part of the purpose of the Double Pass evaluations/reports from maybe a year ago or so to make recommendations on how to turn US youth academies into more effective developmental and income generating pipelines?  Anybody know how those reports turned out?  Anything being put in place or just another nice sounding set of plans sitting on a shelf somewhere?


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## MostlyDisappointed (Apr 13, 2017)

EvilGoalie 21 said:


> Wasn't part of the purpose of the Double Pass evaluations/reports from maybe a year ago or so to make recommendations on how to turn US youth academies into more effective developmental and income generating pipelines?  Anybody know how those reports turned out?  Anything being put in place or just another nice sounding set of plans sitting on a shelf somewhere?


The full report will likely never see the light of day. It would be great if someone could share it.


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## mahrez (Apr 13, 2017)

EvilGoalie 21 said:


> Wasn't part of the purpose of the Double Pass evaluations/reports from maybe a year ago or so to make recommendations on how to turn US youth academies into more effective developmental and income generating pipelines?  Anybody know how those reports turned out?  Anything being put in place or just another nice sounding set of plans sitting on a shelf somewhere?


The clubs that followed through the DP process have the reports, some share the positives others haven't. Mixed bag for the most part.  There was no part dealing with US youth academies income generating that I recall.


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