Why Lionel Messi Will Fuel NBA-Style Growth For MLS

MLS Seattle Sounders President Hugh Weber discusses his plans to grow the team’s business; diversity in sports and explains why Lionel Messi will change soccer in the U.S.
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[@goon1350]

He's been here for about a month and already Messi has proven his extraordinary skills in lifting a team and the league.

[@TivoKenevil]

MLS talk starts 17:12

[@chrisolga3]

Look what Messi is doing for MLS since his arrival. Instagram went from one million to 15 million in one week. ISA soccer will be huge if the USA had full blooded American player like Messi or Ronaldo or Mbappe. Is a matter of time before we get our own world known súper star of world football/soccer.

[@nerychristian]

They don't need an American player like Messi. MLS just needs to attract better players. Imagine if we could attract players like. Neymar and Mbappe.

[@martinruiz4029]

You need relegation promotion. And get the youth coaches at uefa certified by uefa. Play small fields like in Spain to develop better technique

[@davgg9621]

​@@nerychristianthat won't work because these players will only consider it if it's the end of their career. Messi is the exception mind you. Instead of spending billions on world class players, you should spend billions into facilities that can cultivate young Amercican talent. Only by boosting the local youth talent you can have a healthy soccer envirnonmenr thats sustainable and will not collapse after some contracts with international Players run dry.

[@goon1350]

Its already better than any American sports league by far. Futbol has always been recognized by the global community. These guys don't take breaks. Messi is sensational in every level. Although the most popular athletes such as Jordan, Brady and the likes have achieved greatness in all respect. Nothing compares to Messi's excellence.

[@darkmatter6714]

It’s not fútbol is football…as in 🦶 ⚽️. And before you say that’s what they call it in Spanish, how would you feel if I called basketball “basquette”…because that’s what they call it in French.

[@goon1350]

They can call it what they like. But Futball is the universal name for the sport, not only in Spain but also the rest of the world. @@darkmatter6714

[@BigEdHB]

it's not football, it's Soccer, And before you say that’s what they call it in England how would you feel if I called basketball “basquette”…because that’s what they call it in French.@@darkmatter6714

[@Fromros]

Messi will make MLS as good as the MLB maybe NBA if marketing is done right

[@BigEdHB]

MLB is Dead.. the average age of a MLB Fan is 57. The average age of NBA is 30 and the average age of the MLS fan is 22. NFL for instance is 27. I believe the MLS can easily jump to the number 3 sport in the States with in 8 years and probably #2 within 20 years.

[@volgg]

my worry is that what will MLS do when messi retires. like will they try to lure more european leagues stars to MLS? we'll see

[@BigEdHB]

@@volgg Every time they have sign a high profile player the league has exposure and shows a significant growth in popularity, It's hard to imagine that Messi would not triple the amount of exposure David Beckham gave the MLS especially with todays technology. Beyond that They have a great initiative with u22 South Americans right now. If they can lure eyes and establish a track record of being a launching platform for players into Europe's big 5 leagues than the talent will remain to grow from the floor up. Attracting established players to play here might not be as frequent. Brazil and Argentina pump out talent to European teams and replenish the league consistently which has allowed them to have a certain quality of player at their floor on a national level. Allowing our home grown talent to compete with and aspire to be better than this talent will help the MLS and USMNT. It's a small part of a bigger picture.

[@benmjr-9536]

Messi 🐐

[@basedboys17]

Messi biggest and better athlete in America 🇺🇸 and the world

[@ayysweetstea9339]

Messi has helped open people's eyes!!! 🎉

[@brayhaliaga-ue3sx]

Con la Humildad y en la manera que juega a la pelota⚽️ MESSI llegará aun más lejos de lo que a logrado llegar GOAT🐐⚽️🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🎖🏆 #DIOSENGRANSEALHUMILDE🙏 🙏 🙏

[@fatimamachado5726]

Messi 👏

[@Cris-fo7zm]

Mls needs to change the rules for Messi’s impact to really be to its full potential

[@nuanceatnoon]

He hasn’t though I have loved his game at Inter Miami, but the viewership numbers Miami gets has not translated into the rest of the MLS. The MLS needs to seriously capitalize on the moment and get legit players and incentivize competitive defense for the game as a whole to entice more Americans. They cannot penny pinch any longer unless Mbappe suddenly feels the urge to join the MLS another moment like this will not come for a long while.

[@nerychristian]

Maybe in a couple years MLS can attract Neymar

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

It's going to be hard. I think though that MLS is NOT doing enough cross marketing. That is the key. In other words, they have to have these stars show up at other sporting leagues and venues and make sure fans know they're there. Also, lets feature these guys in commercials. It doesn't matter if folks know them or not. People will Google that player if you feature him in a car, or shampoo commercial. Also, maybe even cameo appearances in movies and television shows. Cross marketing is the key.

[@nuanceatnoon]

@@MichaelWalker-wu2pq agreed. They’re treating Messi like a Zoo Animal Spectacle. “Come see the most beautiful White Tiger in the entire US!” You may get people to come see that specific attraction, but are they going to see the Giraffes, how about the Penguins and Sharks?

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

@nuanceatnoon true. Still at least, unlike the old NASL, the league doesn't depend on Messi to survive in any way. That defunct league built itself off of Pele and Pele alone. Absolute terrible idea since he was close to retirement when he came here and then even worse featuring him in NFL stadiums. MLS is not going down that path.

[@nerychristian]

@@nuanceatnoon The MLS isn't the one treating Messi like a spectacle. It's the people buying tickets for those games. They are the ones who want to see Messi. I haven't really seen any promotions for Messi outside of Miami. The only reason people know Messi is playing in MLS is because they heard it on the news when he arrived. It'd be the same spectacle if he was playing in another other league

[@fulltiltgonzales]

Messi is barely even mentioned. The title is click-bait.

[@user-df1lb1sg7p]

Messi the greatest athlete of all time

[@LunHaolai]

Will MLS become bigger than NBA in 5-10 years? No. But it will, in 15-20 years

[@Bob-sd8ns]

❤❤❤

[@wizzykizzy2139]

27:20

[@chamberlainwonder369]

Messi is 10 times richer than all sports superstars put together in the United States. Messi worth billions of dollars and pounds sterling.

[@khusimangurung-zu8ul]

❤😊

[@xquantex]

This confluence for an aceleration of football (soccer evolution) wouldn't be happening if not for Messi's arrival.

[@florinalexa3644]

I think with the Cops America and the world cup happening in the states this is the time to make football great in merica but I don't think it's possible...

[@DJChirpzTV]

Messi is in the title but they didn’t start talking about him until towards the end. SMH. All these clickbait titles.

[@user-hm2im2lz7l]

2026 the usa will be a big suprise in the worldcup .

[@jojoe4394]

30:40

[@MrUnodeaca]

clickbait title

[@nick.111]

Stop making sports political

[@thomasrogers6778]

10 minutes of pointless diversity talk 🤔

[@victorslyvester8977]

Play football and leave politics 😊

[@ngajirejoaluminumchanel9304]

Wait, do you think cryptocurrency will crash? I dont think so. More and more companies are integrating cryptocurrency into their operations: Amazon, Cannafarm Ltd, Burger King, even Starbucks, dude!

[@msfklfl123]

and 99.99999999999% of cryptos will be trash

[@anthonyjames5966]

You are not house trained yet What part of africa are you from.

[@mheiseus]

Man, he’s just interviewing this man, what’s strong with you?

[@davidday2373]

Top U.S. Sports in 2023: 1) NFL 2) MLB 3) NBA 4) COLLEGE FB 🏈 5) NHL 6) COLLEGE BB 🏀 7) LIGA MX ⚽ 🇲🇽 8) EPL ⚽ 🇬🇧 9) MLS ⚽ 🇺🇸

[@nerychristian]

LIGA MX and EPL aren't U.S. sports leagues. MLS is definitely more popular than NHL.

[@davidday2373]

@@nerychristian NHL revenue is 3 or 4 times bigger than MLS. 2022 TV Ratings for Stanley Cup are 4.5 million per game, whereas MLS Cup Final was 2.5 million.

[@davidday2373]

@@nerychristian MLS is behind EPL in the U.S., and Liga MX is the top, the most watched/most popular soccer league in the U.S. Just Facts.

[@nerychristian]

@@davidday2373 I know they are popular. I just meant that those leagues are not domestic

[@nerychristian]

@@davidday2373 TV ratings aren't always accurate. For example, most modern restaurants or bars have several TV's playing sports in the background. Most of the time, no one is paying attention to them. But they still count that as views. Those leagues are usually included in cable sports packages. Like I said before, I live in Los Angeles. And I don't think I have met many people who mention that they watch hockey. But I always here people talking about the Dodgers, Lakers, or soccer.

[@christophermarriott1681]

😂 Nice joke. Soccer isn't even Top 4 sport in the US. It's Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Hockey. Soccer can battle it out with golf and any other sport that isn't that big. Soccer only matters in the US when the teams are making a run for the World Cup with everyone else in the world. Messi has his work cut out for him.

[@pejuangyutub6703]

soccer is bigger than hockey in usa

[@manikmd8406]

With all due respect Show me a hockey match where cheapest ticket is 500$

[@roychen5235]

In the US, Soccer viewership is already greater than Hockey. Just not MLS, the viewership is divided between MLS, EPL and Liga Mx. Among younger viewers it's already top 3, and that number is growing. Among sports played it's already top 3. The potential is there for anyone not blind to it. Convert young players to a career, or just lifelong fans. Convert other soccer league watchers into MLS watchers and it's easily Top 3 behind basketball in I'd say 20 years.

[@MRLONG758]

​@manikmd8406 those sort of ticket prices are only for Inter Miami games and it's only been that way since Messi joined. All other MLS games ticket prices are dirt cheap

[@manikmd8406]

@@MRLONG758 true But what I'm saying is Are thousands of people ready to pay 500$ tickets for big star in hockey .

[@ThembaniShoko]

Forbes had to intervene 🌎🫡👑