Lionel Messi arrived in the Major League Soccer (MLS) with a World Cup. The signing of the Argentinian has also brought big sponsorships for the league. However, Inter Miami has failed to qualify for the playoffs and it has resulted in a reduction in the league’s viewership, as many are preferring foreign leagues. A Manchester City icon gave his take on the situation.

The main challenge now for the MLS is to keep soccer fans excited for the playoff race. They will also have to make sure that their ticket sales do not decrease in the playoffs. It’s no wonder that the Argentinian has helped the league and Inter Miami reach big heights in terms of viewerships. MLS has also progressed in terms of quality on the field. But now, things are not looking the same as before.

The elimination of Lionel Messi has reduced interest in the MLS playoffs

Lionel Messi arrived in the Major League Soccer (MLS) after rejecting big offers elsewhere. Therefore, the soccer fans started taking an interest in the league. The viewership of the league also increased. Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba also joined their former Barcelona teammate at Inter Miami. However, Messi’s team failed to qualify for the playoffs this season. The elimination of Inter Miami is also going to affect the viewership of the playoffs for the rest of the season.

Manchester City icon Nedum Onuoha in his interview with ESPN has explained the situation further. He said, “It is a big shame that the league has always focused on promoting one-star player against another”.

Nedum has also explained further that the league is trying to increase popularity with big names. He also made the point that Inter Miami is currently the most popular team in the MLS on the global level because of Messi. Nedum also made the statement that Busquets and Jordi Alba came to Miami because of Messi. However, he also made the point that soccer fans in America are back to watching the Premier League. It is also because of the elimination of Inter Miami and Lionel Messi from the playoffs race.

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Inter Miami will now have to find a way to keep Messi at the club in the off-season     

According to multiple reports, Saudi clubs are showing interest in signing Lionel Messi on loan. This is because the Argentinian has an off-season. It is because Inter Miami has failed to qualify for the playoffs. However, the MLS and Inter Miami cannot afford to lose Messi on loan to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi league is a league on the rise. They have signed the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and many stars. Therefore, they are competing with MLS for the viewership.

Inter Miami is planning to have friendlies in the off-season to keep the Argentine busy at the club. The family of Lionel Messi is also now comfortable staying in America. However, the rumors are that the 7-time Ballon d’Or winner will go to Saudi Arabia to promote tourism in the country. MLS also has the chance to bring top European clubs for a friendly against Inter Miami. The American soccer league needs to find a way for fans to see Messi playing soccer during the off-season.

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MLS has done well to increase the viewership of the league in recent seasons. They have also signed a long-term streaming deal with tech giant Apple for the next 10 years. The owners are also slowly making profits. Therefore, they need to make sure that they take full advantage of their stay of Messi in Major League Soccer (MLS).