Whilst the Major League Soccer (MLS) season heads for its mid-year break for its All-Star Game, the league has been experiencing new growth in several areas.
It may come as no surprise that the league has grown over the past year following the arrival of Lionel Messi to Inter Miami last summer.
The Argentinian legend’s presence on US soil has seen subscriptions for Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass increase tenfold and after hosting the recent 2024 Copa Ámerica and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, US soccer is potentially in its biggest growth phase yet.
MLS’ growth is further exemplified by record attendance and sponsorship revenue numbers at this stage of the season.
Attendance
Teams in the league have begun to incorporate new price friendly ticket packages for games to enhance the fan experience, helped by consistent kick-off times on Saturday and Wednesdays.
The total attendance across all games so far during the 2024 season is 8.3 million, the most in league history by this date in any season. The average MLS attendance of 23,194 is also the highest it has ever been during All-Star break.
The capacity average for all stadiums across the MLS also stands at an impressive 94%. Six matches had an attendance of 60,000+, seven matches with 50,000+, and 21 matches exceeding 40,000 so far this season.
Furthermore, 153 MLS matches have been sell outs, another new record for the midpoint of a season. Season ticket sales have also increased by 12% from the previous year.
Sponsorship
Whilst gaining exposure during the second year of its 10-year exclusive Apple TV broadcast deal, MLS clubs are beginning to find new opportunities to enhance revenue via sponsorships.
The league’s commercial body – Soccer United Marketing – has recorded a 10% increase in sponsorship revenue from the same period the year before. Individual MLS teams have also increased sponsorship revenue by 10%.
Among the 17 new partners the league acquired over the past year, the most significant sponsorship deals came from Beats by Dre and Michelob Ultra.
The US sports market is one of the most lucrative in the world and attendance is on the rise. Subsequently, more fans are subscribing to the MLS Season Pass, creating an opportunity for companies to become involved with the league.
Social & Digital
In an ever-increasing digital world, social media and digital platform metrics are becoming essential for sports organisations and teams to gauge how they are growing with the times.
The MLS is no different, with its social and digital platforms posting all-time high interactions, 400 million, a 230% increase from last year, as well as accruing one billion views on its platforms so far.
The league is also the fastest growing social media following amongst all North American sports leagues. It has acquired 566,000 new followers on TikTok, 180,000 on YouTube, and 328,000 on Instagram.
Unsurprisingly, Inter Miami lead the way as the most followed MLS team but more notably, they have become the most followed North American sports team on TikTok – 8.9 million followers – and the third most on Instagram – 17.1 million followers. It appears the Messi effect is proving dividends.
As previously mentioned, the MLS and the US itself will now prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, along with Mexico and Canada.
It will be the second time the country has hosted a World Cup, the latter being in 1994, which resulted in the MLS being formed not long after. If the USA national team can go further than it ever has before in the competition, the MLS may be looking to finally bring forth a new generation of talent never seen before.
