US Major League Soccer side Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) has appointed major sports and entertainment agency CAA as its official exclusive global commercial agency.
CAA will handle brand and commercial partnerships for the one-time MLS Cup-winning franchise, already one of the most commercially viable teams in the competition, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific (APAC) market.
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The move comes close after LAFC acquired South Korea star Son Heung-min, himself a long-time CAA client and a major commercial draw when it comes to the Korean market, best illustrated by the myriad of South Korean partners his former club Tottenham Hotspur were able to attract during his stint in London.
This partnership will initially be focused on securing a front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2027 campaign and beyond in collaboration with LAFC’s in-house sales team, with the team’s current deal with BMO, one of the league’s most lucrative, set to expire.
CAA Sports boasts partners such as motor racing’s Formula 1, the Red Bull Racing F1 team, esports organization Riot Games, and T1 Entertainment, and has aided in securing front-of-shirt sponsorship deals for major English soccer sides such as Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Nottingham Forest.
Los Angeles is home to the largest Korean population in the US, and Son’s presence, combined with CAA’s long-standing relationship with the star and his marketing, means the club could be set to leverage more sponsorship opportunities both in Korea and among the Korean diaspora.
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By GlobalDataKorean brands already view sports teams, and particularly LA franchises, as a strong vehicle for sponsorship value.
Back in 2021, Korean food company Bibigo became the jersey patch partner and the first global marketing partner of the iconic Los Angeles Lakers basketball team in a lucrative five-year partnership.
With Los Angeles a major target for brands to invest in sports sponsorship, the partnership with CAA could yield dividends for LAFC.
Indeed the GlobalData Sport Business of Major League Soccer 2025 report found that LAFC already ranks in the top two for front-of-shirt and sleeve sponsorship value metrics, total annual deal volume, and total annual deal value, the only franchise to rank so highly for all four.
This is illustrative of the commercial attraction the side boasts, with Los Angeles an attractive market for fans and sponsors.
Going forward, this pair will with Son’s high international profile.
In a testament to his popularity, national team captain Son is sponsored by the likes of luxury brands Calvin Klein, Burberry, and soft drink giant Pepsi.
Recently, CAA expanded its profile in the APAC region with the appointment of Seijan Gahng to the newly created role of vice president of partnerships for the region.
Gahng leads CAA Sports APAC on securing regional partnerships for its clients and activating those in the region.
Based in Seoul, South Korea, he reports directly to Staiti and the global co-heads of the agency’s sports property sales business, Alexa Cook and Rob Slocum.
The agency launched its APAC division in 2021, when Staiti was appointed as the unit’s president operating out of its Singapore office.
