Sport Articles

2025 Aug 31

By Josh

The MLS has significant potential for the growth of the league, but has it already reached its maximum potential? The league was thought to have been experiencing significant growth, but the average attendance has remained stagnant. After the transfer of significant star players such as Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, etc, the overall attendance has not grown significantly. Can this indicate the league has reached its maximum potential?

The league has been showing stagnancy in its overall attendance. The growth has been similar since 2019, rather, declining during the Pandemic era. Compared to the EPL, where the growth has been rather more successful, it has not stopped increasing since 2016, even during the pandemic era.

Even with the introduction of significant star players during the mid-2010s, such as Didier Drogba, Andrea Pirlo, etc, there was no significant exponential growth but rather a constant linear growth. Even with the introduction of Lionel Messi in 2023, the league showed a slight increase in the number of attendees. While the EPL showed a greater increase in attendees, even though it was already the most popular league in the world. This may cause people to think, “Did the MLS already reach its full potential?” but the answer is no, and the MLS is continuing to grow exponentially. 

Although the offline attendees have remained stagnant through out few years, the online increase and marketing have been significant. The significant increase in Apple TV viewers watching MLS games has increased by 50% compared to the 2024 season. The amount of views and attention the MLS league and teams have been receiving has increased tremendously, with more than a 200-300% increase in contrast to last year. Inter Miami, for example, has completed the transfer of Lionel Messi and has gained more than 16 million followers, growing to 17 million from a single million followers. Similarly, the post of confirmation of Heung-min Son received more than 600k likes compared to other posts. Sponsorships have also grown, with the league making deals with other companies, increasing the number of sponsors of the league by double digits.

Also, not only has the interest it has received increased, but also the league’s value and its spending have increased immensely. Such as the sponsorships growing, with the league making deals with other companies, increasing the number of sponsors of the league by double digits. Additionally, the spending of each club for transfer markets has expanded too, where the league has shown more than 75% more expenditure on the transfer of players, allowing the league to become more successful. 

In conclusion, the league did not completely reach its full potential, and rather than going through linear stagnant growth, it is going through exponential growth in terms of overall league level. Although MLS attendance has stayed flat despite big-name signings, growth is strong in streaming, sponsorships, and digital reach. These trends show the league is still expanding its global influence beyond stadium numbers.