MLS continues growth in 2023 as Messi and Apple TV add fuel to the fire

Lionel Messi
Major League Soccer (MLS) is on fire. Apple TV and Lionel Messi’s arrival set it ablaze, shattering the league’s single-season attendance record.
Michael LoRé for Forbes:
‎

For the eighth consecutive year excluding Covid-impacted years in 2020 and ’21, MLS has rewritten the league’s single-season attendance record. Currently at 10.4 million and on pace to finish at 10.9 million, attendance is up from 10 million in 2022 and 8.6 million in 2019.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled where we are,” said Camilo Durana, executive vice president of Apple partnership, properties and events at MLS and SUM. “As you know, the soccer world often operates in four-year cycles and this cycle is arguably the biggest opportunity in our league’s history as we march toward hosting the FIFA World Cup in North America in 2026.”
While the arrival of the reported soon-to-be eight-time Ballon d’Or winner sent shockwaves throughout sports and pop culture in early June, MLS was steadily growing pre-Messi. Season tickets were up a league-record 9% for 2023, while average attendance per match increased 5% compared to the same period in 2022.
While Messi’s magic has helped Inter Miami FC and MLS on and off the field, the 36-year-old who won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina isn’t the sole driver toward the league’s growth and appeal, though he plays a major part.
This season marked the first of a 10-year, $2.5 billion global media rights deal with Apple… [Durana added], “Obviously from a business standpoint we’ve done a lot of work to better meet the needs of fans with consumer products, be thoughtful about the stadium experience and even from a schedule standpoint which was really enabled by the Apple partnership and not being bound by broadcast windows.”

‎
MacDailyNews Take: Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that MLS Season Pass saw more than 110,000 new U.S. sign-ups on July 21, when Messi donned a pink jersey for his first match with Inter Miami, up from a mere 6,143 the prior day, subscription analytics company Antenna found. That was a bigger jump than both the day MLS Season Pass became available and opening day of the season.
‎
Clearly, Messi’s decision to come to the MLS has benefitted not only himself, but also Inter Miami, the MLS, and Apple! – MacDailyNews, September 5, 2023
‎
Please help support MacDailyNews. Click or tap here to support our independent tech blog. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.

The post MLS continues growth in 2023 as Messi and Apple TV add fuel to the fire appeared first on MacDailyNews.