Are MLS fans HOPING LIONEL MESSI scores AGAINST their team? | ESPN FC

On Futbol Americas this week, Sebastian Salazar and Herculez Gomez debate whether MLS teams should advertise Lionel Messi is coming to town to play for Inter Miami.
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[@johno9761]

It’s not Inter Miami’s job to satisfy away fans it’s their own teams fault for putting the prices up

[@iplaytowin234]

I blame this on the MLS. How can you schedule a team with so many aging players to play 3 games in a week??? They also have to travel to another country, the longest trip of the season, to play and play again on Wednesday and Saturday. Are you kidding me??? If Messi arrival was really to take advantage of him being here and help grow the game, then MLS has to do a much better job scheduling Inter Miami with enough time to rest. That way, Messi and co would be able to play in every city when healthy. The MLS is to blame.

[@Michael.Tyle.]

The MLS schedule should change to accommodate international football if they want their league to be better.

[@bradleylepper]

Bingo ❤

[@speechyisraelite4903]

Why Europeans fans want to fix concacaf ?

[@kirkwoodhawk2]

💯💯💯💯💯

[@rawdoggs]

There are 5 sports in the United States and soccer is not at the top. The NFL, NCAA football and NBA are juggernauts. The MLS product will never win against these 3. It is the off season in the NFL and NCAA football, basketball will end soon so this is way the MLS calendar is the way it is.

[@Dante-tb7gc]

@@rawdoggs Though I agree with you, but this statement might be underestimating Messi’s impact on the crowd pulling factor in MLS games. Sure other sports might be more prevalent in the States, but Messi’s stardom alone is strong enough to get a full house stadium and inflated ticket prices.

[@The1002738]

The whole point of signing Messi and co was for the whole league (every club) to benefit financially. Nothing more, nothing less

[@jasonarnold9864]

I mean Messi is such a big time player that nobody is even really talking about how many talented players are currently playing in MLS right now , we're even getting in Olivier Giroud this summer to LAFC world cup winner , who had a strong season with AC Milan this past season.

[@rafaeleisenkraft8741]

The Whitecaps gave us 50%off all food a Booze AND a free ticket for the season. It was an awesome night - we had 52000 fans there!

[@vortexathletic]

They want Messi to score, but they still want their club to win the match

[@Asf3478]

They want to see messi playing.if you hear messi is coming in your country you will want to buy ticket despite of high price.but after buying ticket if you hear messi won’t' come how u feel?

[@abumansaray7]

​@Asf3478 Nope! I couldn't care less. And I am a serious football fan. But I am also not stupid. If it was an El Classico game 8 years ago, definitely. But not for one semi-retired player.

[@jorgeluiscastillo9535]

Im tired of seeing other teams advertising Messi, he says. 🤦🏻‍♂️ It must cause a lot of frustration to a lot of Mexicans over there 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@chennforajido]

I think its a cool that they do that. MLS owners are united, thats why the league is growing. The league is a reflection of the national team, which is also growing

[@hungchoonghow5857]

All is strange in soccer land...

[@dannyhernandez8617]

Of course they want Messi to score. If you have the chance to see the greatest of all time score a goal, you’re gonna take it

[@AmbushRL.]

Of course I don't want Messi to score. I want my club to win, and not disappoint like they usually do.

[@aarlac5267]

The "fans" that get burned are no fans at all. Most of these people don't even go to regular games or support their team. I disagree with Herc the team has the right to increase tix prices depending on the importance of the match we see it during playoffs of other sports, MLB, NFL, NHL. You want to see Messi play? Then every game has to count, in a relegation/promotion structure every single game counts. But Miami is in first tying or even losing a game it won't make a dent in advancing to the playoffs. I'm a tfc fan and I know that Miami is scheduled to play in Toronto at the end of the season and I don't expect Messi to play if Miami is already in the playoffs at that point. I am also tired of seeing a sea of pink during home games around the MLS when Miami visits. This would never happen anywhere in the soccer world. These are no home fans. Before I get any hate on the record Messi is the goat and I still wake up and have to pinch myself that we are so lucky we have him playing in our humble league. Go TFC. Go Messi

[@aihamat]

MLS fans want people outside of US to take MLS seriously and then get mad when best player from other team gets rested. If Barcelona was playing anyone in Europe and they heard Messi was getting rested... they'd cry tears of joy that their club gets major chance at winning

[@Alan-yt8vq]

Teams in Europe don't raise their prices for one player by a couple of hundreds of Euros. They raise their prices by a few euros based on teams and type of competition.

[@aihamat]

@@Alan-yt8vqWell tell that to the VanCover club whos fans got overpriced tickets and are crying over it. It's their own club whos trying to make quick money over Messi's name

[@hao2000ki]

But tbf, Messi is this close to retiring and this is the first time a lot of these MLS clubs are facing Messi

[@abumansaray7]

Exactly. The league is becoming a joke. A league of retired players.

[@PaulC112]

Thanks for the CPL references

[@sakenu16]

Why don’t you talk about how MLS behind a pay wall such as Apple TV+ makes it less accessible for people to watch MLS and therefore growing the sport?

[@davidday2373]

Try using your brain. If the teams don't price these Messi tickets at a premium, then all of the 'extra" revenue will just go to the friggin' scalpers! So you have Messi, the big attraction, but you don't want your teams to benefit from it??? Squander revenue so you have less money to buy more player, invest in youth academies, etc. THINK!!!

[@blueoneversion6977]

well, if he come to my country and play against my local team, ofc i want to see him.

[@taalboss]

But the rest of the team has to go and play the game though, all of yall knew this was going to happen. That's why I stay home

[@randyliz3325]

Stupid fans I don't care who he is whatever he is I would never want in hundred years him to score against my team

[@GrandpaVince]

This was always the case when my beloved womens team the springfield sandras faced megan rappinghoes team i wooped for joy and cried when she scored against us

[@karolureta-worldfinancialg3155]

Hey, if the clubs have no obligations why did the MLS, Apple, Adidas helped bring Messi to the league? You guys talk like this is Premier League. No one wants to go see an MLS match, everyone pays to see Messi play.

[@MNCK11]

Not blaming Miami or Messi but isn’t what MLS and NA sports for the most part bank their business on? Advertising the stars and wanting casual fans to come in to see those stars on the road? The NBA have the same issue when star players rest in the regular season. MLS have to do a better job scheduling games and thé for the league and teams to advertise their local team over a player who might play against them

[@mikelfc12]

I'm not allowed to take a load day off!!

[@Science10176]

and yet, they blame Messi

[@kiroolioneaver8532]

It's like Caitlin Clark lol

[@user-bi4bb6cd9s]

Imagine KFC advertising a special knowing it's already sold-out but still keeping up the sign. It's a bit messed up on both parts with these "last-minute" announcements. But the Whitecaps are also culpable bcuz they're placing a Messi premium on ticket prices for the Miami game without knowing b4hand for certain if he'll play. So they can't blame Miami and not themselves also

[@Tadaia]

I'm honestly sick of Messi in MLS period. I appreciate the player as everyone, but MLS has gone from a fast-growing competitive league that's gaining a reputation for great young players to a joke of an exhibition league for Messi. Defenders play him soft like they're afraid to put in a tackle for fear on injuring him. When he's wearing that jersey he's just another player, but the league continuously puts him on a pedestal to the point of exhaustion.

[@jasonarnold9864]

Defenders don't go soft on Messi , you're mistaken or you just don't watch Miami games, the goat has been tackled very harshly and unnecessary tackles by MLS defenders on him , Messi is just that good, that he makes any oppenant look bad that's why he's the goat.

[@Tadaia]

@@jasonarnold9864 Even if that were so how is that helping the league? No one has claimed that MLS is one of top leagues in the world in terms of quality players... yet. Yeah we're getting more attention with him here, but the wrong kind. The league itself with all its good young talent and competition has taken a back seat to promotion of Messi-mania. As someone who loves the league IMO this isn't working at all.

[@jamesmichaels4979]

The MLS is everything wrong with football.

[@TheGalacticProphet-lf8bn]

Messi owes no one nothing.. these away fans are crybabies

[@ruppydonentertainment9763]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@kleung9717]

the point MLS is garbage league most people in north america dont care, except messi. i wouldnt go to any of the whitecap games even if it is free tickets waste my time

[@nadaduo1765]

vancouver are a joke, title is a joke as well, of course no one wants anyone to score against them don't be so silly

[@wemadeitpodcast]

MLS is not and has never been a serious league

[@jcmixedit3134]

As someone from Atlanta that supports Atl United, but who has supported Barcelona since the age of 8. I have so much more love for Messi than I do for Atlanta. I feel other people feel the same. He’s simply given us too much as Barcelona/football fans.

[@Tadaia]

Pls go support Miami. We dont need you.

[@jcmixedit3134]

@@Tadaia honestly I really could care less, as a Barcelona fan he has given us so much. My entire childhood really. From ages 8 to today. I don’t expect you to get it

[@sunilnarine6313]

@@Tadaia new edgy kid, time for bed. let old fans support messi.

[@jcmixedit3134]

@@sunilnarine6313 right, like anyone with any football knowledge would get it. Messi has been doing this longer than a lot of these clubs has even existed 😂😂 including Atl United who started in 2017

[@Tadaia]

@@sunilnarine6313 I was probably watching this game before you were even born. lol Go Atlanta United!

[@asumahyeboah5389]

Messi scams continues....and espn continues with the damage control

[@el_Contra]

what scam? he is doing well for Miami...

[@KuldeepSingh-gg1jm]

I don't think so messi has been awful in goalscoring since 2020.

[@BrotherBernard-yy4yd]

Lol😂😂 He literally is in the top scorer with barely any games played

[@THATDARKMEXICAN]

I know a good optometrist to help with your eye sight because you blind af if you’re saying this

[@KuldeepSingh-gg1jm]

Yeah so is benteke with no suarez busqueta nd alba to carry​@@BrotherBernard-yy4yd

[@simbaking6338]

How is he awful in scoring since 2020???...He was Best player in the World cup after winning the World Cup & hes the top scorer in this MLS league!!!!....What tv u been watching??

[@nakhanot7]

No brain No Pain