The LA Galaxy logo features a vibrant, rich color palette, and the shield serves as a symbol of protection for the club’s and the city’s sporting interests. Gold and quasar are part of the city’s symbolism, referencing the state and club’s history.
LA Galaxy is a soccer club based in Los Angeles, California. It’s one of the ten charter members of Major League Soccer, competing in the Western Conference. The team debuted in the league in 1996, although it was established two years earlier, in 1994. Philip Anschutz purchased the franchise, which was subsequently relocated to Los Angeles. Currently, Anschutz Entertainment Group owns the controlling share.
Nike designed the club’s name and its first brand identity. According to designers, the word “galaxy” referred to a “galaxy of movie stars” since many Hollywood celebrities reside in Los Angeles. It was also a hint at the group of stars the team would become. Since then, the concept has not undergone significant changes. Indeed, “Los Angeles Galaxy” is the only MLS club to retain its original Nike name.
Until 2007, the franchise’s color palette included white, gold-orange, turquoise, red, and black. The current official palette consists of navy blue, gold, and white. Its change was part of the rebranding when “Los Angeles Galaxy” signed a contract with the famous player David Beckham, who had played for Real Madrid.
Meaning and History
Since joining MLS in 1996, “Los Angeles Galaxy” has had three emblems. The logos from 1996 and 2003 differed only slightly. A radically different “Los Angeles Galaxy” logo appeared in 2007, initiated by General Manager Alexi Lalas.
What is LA Galaxy?
The Los Angeles Galaxy is a professional soccer club based in Los Angeles, California, in the United States. It’s a member of the Western Conference and participates in MLS. The team was organized in 1994 and began competing in 1996 as one of the league’s 10 representatives. Its principal shareholder is Anschutz Entertainment Group.
1996 – 2002
On the debut logo of “Los Angeles Galaxy,” a spiral galaxy was depicted. The “whirl,” with a stylized black frame, was meant to symbolize the metropolis’s noise and the sport’s intensity. The orange color symbolized sunny California. The team’s name was placed inside the whirl. The font reflected the Art Deco style, closely associated with the charming Golden Age of Hollywood. The light blue letters with serifs were outlined in white and black. The letters “L” and “A” merged at the very lowest point, denoting the city of Los Angeles.
2003 – 2006
In 2003, designers slightly modified the “Los Angeles Galaxy” logo. The blue circle around the twisted spirals disappeared, and the word “Galaxy” became bright green. Additionally, the shades of orange were altered: the galactic background behind the inscription became more vibrant. The black abstract shield remained the same.
2007 – today
The new “Los Angeles Galaxy” logo was introduced in 2007 when David Beckham signed a contract with the club. It was adopted to match the new player’s high status. General Manager Alexi Lalas decided to pursue a partial rebranding, and he turned to SME Branding to develop a brand identity using the franchise’s official colors.
The central element of the LA Galaxy emblem is an English heraldic triangular shield. Its top part is cut at the corners by two inverted arches. At the top, a stylized four-pointed star is depicted on a dark blue background. It’s a quasar, an extremely luminous active galactic nucleus. It can be found on the Lo1957 s Angeles County seal and on the city’s flag.
Below the star, the capitalized abbreviation “LA” is placed. Light gray contours frame white letters. The lower part of the shield is adorned with a wide horizontal gold ribbon containing the black inscription “Galaxy.” The ribbon is as gold as the contour around the logo. This color is a nod to the stars, the soccer club’s history, and “The Golden State,” a popular designation for California. The team’s name is executed in a chopped font. Despite the absence of gradients, the logo has a 3D effect due to the alternation of shades.
Font and Colors
All three logos of the “Los Angeles Galaxy” club are dedicated to a cosmic theme. The first two versions, used from 1996 to 2007, depicted a galaxy as an orange spiral. After the redesign, the main hint of space became a large multicolored star with four rays. And not just any star, but a super-bright quasar located in the center of each active galaxy. So, while the shape and style were modernized, the meaning remained the same.
Apparently, the font used for the inscription “LA GALAXY” was developed by the designers at the SME Branding studio, which also created the soccer club’s logo. They made it simple yet very stylish. It’s a minimalist grotesque with clearly defined lines and pronounced geometry. Interestingly, the letter “A” is written differently in the words “LA” and “GALAXY.” The abbreviation “A” has a rounded top and a shortened horizontal stroke.
The drawing’s color palette matches the club’s palette, which includes white, gold, and dark blue. However, the creators of the emblem supplemented this combination with two new shades of yellow and blue and added a small silver contour around the abbreviated city name.






