The trajectory of Major League Soccer has been seeing incredible growth this year and a crucial part of that growth can be attributed to the sensational persona Lionel Messi has brought along with him.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup champion and Argentina’s superlative star has pushed Inter Miami to new heights; however, the team could not secure their position in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Big names like Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, along with several other prominent players, have greatly contributed and have made the MLS 2023 year the most packed and prominent.
In total, 10,900,804 fans attended @MLS matches in 2023, marking a new single-season record. pic.twitter.com/gBgiNeDPPc
— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) October 22, 2023
History made!
Our players delivered on the field, and fans turned out in record numbers. A massive THANK YOU to everyone who attended MLS matches this season. Your amazing support has elevated @MLS to new heights! Here’s to even more unforgettable moments in the years to come. pic.twitter.com/XBdv9fKmvN— Don Garber (@thesoccerdon) October 22, 2023
The Commissioner of Major League Soccer, Don Garber also shared a post on Platform X, formerly Twitter, which stated, “History made! Our players delivered on the field, and fans turned out in record numbers. A massive THANK YOU to everyone who attended MLS matches this season. Your amazing support has elevated @MLS to new heights! Here’s to even more unforgettable moments in the years to come.”
The Major Soccer League was on a gradual uprise and the news of Messi entering this prominent scene only added fanatic fuel to the fire. His presence was very much anticipated in terms of his positive presence and the value he would and did bring to the MLS this season.
According to Forbes, the average attendance rate for each game rose by 5% this year as compared to last year. There was a 9% increase in the league ticket sales rate as well.
The demand to watch Messi prominently grew across all social media platforms, hailing his new records with Inter Miami as his next great step in the game. The merchandise and ticket prices were soaring very high because of him. Inter Miami also noted the upsurge in their ticket prices.
The 2023 regular season was a historic one for @MLS as the league set the single-season average attendance record at 22,111 fans per match. pic.twitter.com/4rz8OoLNFn
— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) October 22, 2023
The match between the LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC, taking place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, recorded a massive number of 82,100 attendees.
Lionel Messi stole the show — but MLS had an excellent year overall.
• 22,111 average attendance
• 10.9 million total fan attendance
• 7 games with 60,000+ fansSay what you want about the quality of play, but all those are attendance records & MLS is clearly on its way up. pic.twitter.com/hKphdOs2Sn
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) October 23, 2023
According to Joe Pompliano, “Lionel Messi stole the show — but MLS had an excellent year overall. • 22,111 average attendance • 10.9 million total fan attendance • 7 games with 60,000+ fans Say what you want about the quality of play, but all those are attendance records & MLS is clearly on its way up.”
