As Major League Soccer prepares for its second season with global superstar Lionel Messi, the league’s commissioner is weighing in on the future of MLS and how it will continue to leverage the World Cup champion’s star power. are faced with the question of
Interest in Inter Miami and MLS increased after the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner announced he would be moving to the United States last June. Sports Business Journal reported Earlier this month, the league’s streaming service, MLS Season Pass, surpassed 2 million subscribers.
“I remind myself and everyone else that the presence of the greatest player in league history arguably says a lot about the current state of MLS and how far it has come in recent years,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement. It is important to do so.” ESPN interview. “And I think Miami is unstoppable, right? I think it’s going to be fun to sign Luis Suarez and put together the players that Leo has played with for so many years. It’s very exciting. And the second year. I think there’s going to be a lot more energy and a lot more attention.”
American soccer has long been seen as lagging behind other domestic leagues around the world, especially in parts of Europe and Latin America.
But Messi’s arrival has helped boost MLS’ profile three years ahead of the World Cup, which is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada and the final is scheduled to be played at MetLife Stadium.
Garber told ESPN that MLS’s growth is not predicated on continuing to sign big-name players, but rather on developing a competitive team to continue the league’s rivalry with Mexico. .
“This is rather a long-term plan to increase the competitiveness of our league and the popularity of our teams and each club, and this is a key part of that. “You have to decide how to do it,” he said.
Teams, especially some that were lucky enough to host Inter Miami after the Argentine arrived stateside last season, are looking to leverage Messi’s presence in MLS for their own development. Trying to.
Red Bulls general manager Marc de Grandpre said last year that one of the club’s biggest priorities was to bring back people to the Red Bull Arena who made the pilgrimage to see Messi play against the Red Bulls last August. He said it was true.
Garber told ESPN that he’s not worried about Messi overshadowing the rest of the league, comparing Messi’s great brand to that of the Yankees and Cowboys.
“We always try to keep our team and league open to people who are fans of the sport who may not have fully committed to a club yet, and we encourage people at home and abroad to follow MLS and see if MLS We want people to experience something that’s great and positive.” Gerber said.
“Our job is to turn those fans into passionate supporters of our league and our club. And when you have a globally recognized brand like Inter Miami, it’s That’s a plus. You can see that when you look at clubs that are making waves in every league around the world.
He added: “It’s up to all of us to draw on that experience and take the time to convince all the new fans that MLS is really important to their connection to football, so I’m not worried about that at all.” I haven’t,” he added.
