There has, no doubt, been an uptick in Major League Soccer popularization in the last couple of years compared to other years, which is expected to even out this year. Precisely, where does such a sudden or quick climb in interest from the MLS come from?
Indeed, the League has grown from all corners: international superstars, major broadcast contracts-just about everything leaves soccer fans worldwide, or at least in the US, with their mouths hanging in awe.
In this article, sports journalist Kate Richardson gives a closer look at what the main reasons are that make MLS so skyrocketing in popularity and what it means for the future of soccer in North America.
The Impact of Lionel Messi to the League
Everything changed about the MLS league when the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi finally emerged. The whole world of soccer went into awe when he decided to sign with Inter Miami CF back in 2023.
According to Forbes, it brought a record number of viewers to Major League Soccer games involving Inter Miami more than ever. MLS attendance figures are now through the roof on full stadium standards as fans across the US and the world streamed to watch Messi play North American soccer.
The Executive Vice President of Media Rights in the MLS organization said:
“With the arrival of Messi, MLS is being taken to a completely new level. We can observe the explosive increase of interest among fans both at the stadium and online“.
This indicates that, aside from the profile of the MLS that got an upward lift last season with Messi on board, the fanbase became more engaged, boosting audiences at games in a regular season. That surge to popularity translated into attendance in the 2024 season as fans trooped in their numbers to watch the legend in action. Undoubtedly, MLS also continues to project growth in coming years, going over and above the history of the league.
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MLS Attendance Record
One of the more visible barometers of growth within Major League Soccer is its average attendance record. While records have been set for the League in terms of attendance over the 2024 season, 2025 will likely continue this trend of breaking those records.
This growth is a result of a number of marketing strategies that have brought huge crowds for an MLS matchup, with stadiums around the league filled to the gills from coast to coast, as teams such as LAFC, New York Red Bulls, and Nashville SC bring in big crowds. This improved the attendance of almost 11.5 million fans so far in the league.
From this period forward, the league expanded and became one of the most-watched soccer leagues in North America, doing quite well alongside the NFL and NBA. At the very least, this assertion is true regarding the number of fans who attended MLS matches and assisted the league in achieving a better positioning among fans.
Role of International Stars and Sponsorship Revenue
The rising popularity of MLS owes something to the arrival of globe-trotting stars. Stars such as Luis Suárez, Gareth Bale, and Wayne Rooney have considerably hit the League in recent years, but with the Messi effect, that is another dimension.
The big-name players attract the sponsorships, thus translating to an increase in revenue. Most significant brands worldwide increasingly appreciate the potential of the League as a platform for advertising, majorly influenced by the increased fanbase of the MLS.
There is an accumulation of millions of fans, the highest ever in the League’s history. This increase in sponsorship is important for further growth of the League. Normally, the dollars from these sponsorships would be applied to growth: league and infrastructure and/or adding better players. And also, with more partners, the better it places MLS within the North American sports universe for several years to come.
Strategic Media Rights Deals
Besides all these, another major reason is considered a ground-change media right with Apple TV. The $billion global media right-to-bid deal it brought closer has made MLS more available, meaning clearer, broader-released streams. A deal means it is continuous coverage streamed toward new audiences continuously: deals with Apple create opportunities continuously.
This involves rights to exclusive content, and further extends reach for both fan engagement with and of the League itself. To that end, an increased investment by MLS into media rights or a digital strategy only serves to expose the League-and teams-far heavier.
For example, research carried out on the 2022 FIFA World Cup showed that MLS is considered amongst the best domestic soccer leagues. In the US, it has often come off well against major European Leagues like the Premier League.
Other recent investment areas include popular social networks – TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. These investments fall partly within the billion global media rights deal set up to provide publicity for the teams engaged in MLS and the Leagues.
The 2025 Season: A Look Ahead
With the full 2025 season in view, everyone is catching up with the MLS. With ever-growing membership and new in-coming teams with even more international stars, this will bring the 2025 Season of MLS football into view and break past viewership and attendance records for the league. Indeed, Major League Soccer is growing by leaps and bounds.
Later on, MLS will be right at the epicenter of the next 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2025 Copa América. This will place the League among the best in the world. And with the continued growth of MLS, fans will keep getting even more thrilling matches, superstar-studded rosters, and record attendance.
Conclusion: MLS and the Future of Soccer in the US
Improvement in MLS is testament to increased love for the sport in the US; with stars like Messi and increased sponsorship revenue, not to mention the Apple deal, the future looks brighter for the League.
As the MLS and the game of soccer itself keeps on an evolving basis in constant change, the appeal of the league will continue to spur its further, wider expansion across North America and into many other territories. Over the next several years, history will no doubt present an extremely bright chapter of this League-MLS, standing ready for its further development made by the fans.