It’s safe to say that the MLS hasn’t been the same after the entry of Lionel Messi. The presence of the Argentine maestro has helped the league both on and off the pitch. Attendance rates have spiraled with nearly 11 million fans attending matches. The league has certainly benefited from the increased revenue and exposure brought in by the 8-time Ballon d’Or winner. It seems even fellow players recognize the benefit of having such a legendary figure in the league as per US International Jordan Morris’ words.

Having led Inter Miami to their first-ever title in 2023 much is expected of Messi & Co in this season. They begin their campaign on February 22nd against Real Salt Lake and fans are already quite excited to watch the great man’s artistry on the pitch.

Jordan Morris praises Lionel Messi for raising the stature of the MLS

It seems UNMNT winger Jordan Morris is quite thankful for Messi’s arrival in the MLS as per his recent interview. He said, “The quality of the league is growing so much with Messi coming obviously that makes a huge huge difference in terms of visibility and Apple’s done a great job with that.” The fact that Morris recognizes Apple’s role with regard to enhanced visibility is quite interesting.

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Apple left the soccer world shocked in 2022 after announcing a $2.5 Billion deal with the MLS. This would secure the broadcasting rights for the next decade. It turns out that they hit the jackpot as the soccer icon arrived in 2023. In fact, Leo joining Inter Miami doubled MLS season pass subscriptions on Apple TV while skyrocketing the viewership figures. It seems Morrison is spot-on with his comments on the Argentine legend.

Official: Lionel Messi to Miss 7 MLS Games for Inter Miami Next Season

Furthermore, Messi also paved the way for other elite players like Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets & Luis Suarez to enter the MLS. Also, soccer enthusiasts all over the world are traveling to Miami to watch the former Barcelona legend. Additionally, the ‘Messi effect’ was recognized by the Florida Senate by giving Inter Miami an award for bringing Laurels to the state.

However, the presence of Messi is not without its problems. A pundit compared what happened to La Liga with his prediction on MLS.

Pundit makes a damning MLS prediction after Messi’s exit

Although Messi has boosted the MLS and rightly so, the presence of the Argentine also has its downsides as pointed out by Sebastian Salazar of ESPN. He said, “So I don’t think it’s going to be a bad thing that fewer people will be paying attention when Lionel Messi leaves. By the way, it happened to La Liga as well, it’s not unique to Major League Soccer.”

The popularity of La Liga has taken a huge hit following the exit of Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo. This results in reduced revenues which impacts the club’s finances. MLS would want to avoid such a situation. But with an athlete as popular as Messi around, can you blame them for building their brand around the soccer icon? Tell us in the comments below.

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