Perspective: No one of his generation — or perhaps ever — plays the game like Messi, a mesmerizing dribbler who scores and facilitates goals with artistry and panache.
Messi is the best hope yet to grow MLS’s audience. Since the Beckham bump, the league has done just fine at the box office. Messi would boost Miami’s subpar figures and, on the road, help top-off ticket sales. The secondary ticket market is licking its chops.
What MLS needs from Messi is to convert soccer fans into MLS fans. There is a difference: Not everyone who follows soccer follows MLS. If you like basketball, you’re going to watch the NBA, colleges or both. It’s the same with football. In soccer, MLS is competing with higher-quality circuits, such as the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Champions League, and ones with a strong tradition, such as Mexico’s Liga MX. There are also national team matches and international tournaments. All of it is accessible for viewing.MLS is counting on Messi reaching both the general soccer fan and the casual sports fan. Watching MLS, though, is not a simple matter of turning on the TV.
It’s unclear how many people have been watching this season — MLS and Apple won’t share the numbers — but based on decades of TV ratings, the league has never had a large national following. MLS teams don’t have broad appeal outside their local market; players with extraordinary star power just might.When the adventure begins remains unclear. Though the MLS transfer window opens July 5, he doesn’t seem likely to debut three days later in Washington, people around the league seem to agree.
“It’s not going to be easy for him,” said Rooney, who, as a Manchester United player, faced Messi in the 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals, both won by Barcelona. “It’s a difficult league. I don’t think he’s going to come over here and just absolutely tear it up immediately. He’s going to have to adapt to it because this league is a little bit different and it won’t be an easy ride for him.”
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