Major League Soccer has shattered attendance records and digital engagement metrics in its 2024 season, attracting nearly 11.5 million fans to stadiums across the nation. From Lionel Messi at Inter Miami to new corporate strategies, find out how America’s top soccer league is growing across the board.
The rise of Major League Soccer in American sports culture is a remarkable transformation story. A league that had trouble finding its footing in a crowded sports landscape has grown into an entertainment powerhouse that has fans across generations. MLS has changed the way American fans experience the beautiful game through strategic planning, star acquisitions, and new engagement strategies. You’re seeing the league raise the bar for how fans get involved and really make its mark in global soccer.
Revenue and Sponsorship Growth
The spike in fan engagement has been a site for fans to see. This also shows that things are looking good financially. This season, Major League Soccer (MLS) has landed 18 new sponsorship deals with Soccer United Marketing (SUM), which has boosted sponsorship revenue by 13%. The same growth is happening at the club level, where sponsorship earnings have also gone up by 13%.
The goals and assists aren’t enough anymore. The beautiful game actually is boosting online casino play among Canadian MLS fans. Platforms like bonusfinder.com report increased traffic on match days with fans searching for everything from slots to live dealer games. The increase in engagement means the league is becoming more popular outside of that 90-minute match you watch.
Following MLS Fan Engagement
Major League Soccer (MLS) has switched up the game in 2024, seeing a huge boost in fan involvement. The regular season came to a close with a massive 11.5 million fans tuning in nationwide, a new record for the league. That’s a 5% increase from last year and a nice 14% jump from 2022.
Major League Soccer’s new way forward began with modest ambitions in the mid-1990s. The league initially had trouble attracting steady attendance and keeping franchises stable. Typical match attendance today is 23,234. That’s a new record for the sport in the United States.
Attendance record: broken.
You love to see it. pic.twitter.com/onBEV1KGgT
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 5, 2023
This entire transformation wasn’t accidental by any means. The MLS started a new club performance unit under Chris McGowan in 2023. They’ve focused on improving business strategies and fan experience. That corporate effort has driven growth, with McGowan’s team consulting for clubs like the New York Red Bulls on premium seating arrangements.
Digital Platform Success
Social media engagement is now considered a key indicator of MLS’s growing influence. What kind of digital strategy has the league used to engage fans? The numbers tell quite the interesting story. Follower growth on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube has outpaced all other major North American sports leagues.
With Messi on board, Inter Miami has racked up a social media following of 10.2 million TikTok followers. Its Instagram following has surpassed 17.2 million, making the club third among North American sports franchises. Platform-specific growth shows TikTok followers increasing by 26%, YouTube by 21%, and Instagram by 10% since the beginning of the year.
Lionel Messis’ impact on the MLS goes beyond Inter Miami’s record-setting 74 points in the season. It has become the league’s most-popular jersey, and Adidas’s best-selling individual player jersey worldwide. Every metric shows his impact – from stadium attendance to social media engagement. Injuries aside, Messi has given the league lasting benefits. That hat-trick, his first in MLS history, is proof that individual star power can raise the league profile and draw new audiences.
Media Distribution Innovation
This approach to media distribution by the league differs from traditional sports broadcasting models. Through its exclusive deal with Apple TV, MLS is introducing new ways for fans to get the MLS Season Pass subscription service. Specific viewership information remains private but this digital-first strategy puts the league at the forefront of sports media innovation.
The streaming approach gives fans unprecedented access to matches and content across borders that previously limited viewing. Such a strategy appeals to younger audiences who prefer digital television over broadcast television. What does that distribution model have to offer other sports leagues looking to update their media plans?
Structural Foundation for Success
A single-entity league kept fan engagement up. Like traditional sports leagues, MLS has central ownership of all clubs, player contracts and major commercial rights allowing a balanced distribution of resources keeping competition even and fans engaged in all markets.
Its unique ownership model also means the league can implement fan-focused initiatives at all clubs. Although individual clubs control local revenue streams, stadium operations and merchandising, the Board of Governors’ collaborative approach means winning fan engagement strategies can be replicated quickly and implemented league-wide. The structural edge is really useful as MLS bumps up its online presence and attracts more international fans.
Strategic Growth Initiatives
Besides bringing in big-name players, MLS is working hard to grow in the long run. Their partnership with OneFootball, a German digital media platform, shows they want to share content with fans all over the world.
The club performance unit of McGowan continues to innovate to improve fan experience and business operations. They share best practices and make sound decisions – this has created a foundation for sustainable growth in all clubs.
Record attendance figures and digital growth point to a shift in American soccer culture. The league is evolving and keeping this momentum will take a delicate balance between star power, strategic planning and fan-focused initiatives.