TL;DR
The Messi era brought MLS unprecedented attention—but now the buzz is fading. Attendance is inflated, TV viewership has stalled, Apple’s deal is alienating casual fans, and the league’s rapid expansion is creating more confusion than excitement. MLS isn’t collapsing, but the momentum is slipping, and the clock is ticking before 2026. That’s when the world’s biggest sport becomes center stage in North America.
The MLS Messi Honeymoon Is Over
For a few months in 2023, MLS was everywhere. Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami, Apple TV’s subscriber numbers exploded, and the league looked ready to break into the American mainstream. It felt like a cultural turning point—the moment soccer finally stuck.
But now? The Messi afterglow is fading. Apple’s MLS Season Pass viewership has plateaued. Social media engagement is cooling. Attendance looks good on paper, but in-person turnout tells a different story. It’s not a collapse per se. It’s something more subtle: the buzz is gone.
The truth is, the Messi Effect was always going to flatten. Star-driven surges are great for headlines, but sustainable leagues rely on storylines, rivalries, and habits. And right now, MLS is struggling to turn last year’s hype into this year’s loyalty.
Global Stars, Local Momentum — and the TikTok Problem
After Messi, the next wave of international names arriving in MLS should’ve been proof of staying power, and in some ways, it is.
Son Heung-Min joining LAFC and Thomas Müller heading to Vancouver are huge signs. These aren’t aging stars cashing out; they’re still competitive, marketable, and choosing the U.S. on purpose. That means something.
But the danger is thinking each new signing alone will save the league. It’s like going viral on TikTok — thrilling when it happens, but unsustainable if that’s your whole growth plan. Star power works only when it compounds: one headline brings attention, the next wave keeps it, and the league infrastructure converts it into long-term fans.
The fact that players of Son’s and Müller’s caliber even want to be here shows real progress. They wouldn’t come if MLS offered nothing in return. Still, the league needs more than one-off surges. It needs rhythm — a reason for people to keep watching after the highlight fades.
Playoff Chaos and Empty Seats
Then there’s the scheduling — a problem MLS still hasn’t solved. Weekend playoff games go head-to-head with the NFL and college football, which is a losing battle for attention. Shift those matches to midweek, and you trade eyeballs for empty seats.
Charlotte FC’s first-round playoff game said it all: 34,000 tickets sold, but nowhere near that many people in the stands. A cold Tuesday night, lousy weather, and a sports calendar stacked with football, basketball, and even early hockey buzz — the timing worked against them from every angle.
It takes generations to build a loyal following. The NFL, NBA, even college sports—they’ve had decades of shared history, family rituals, and built-in storylines. MLS is still fighting to earn that kind of cultural real estate. Parity keeps the league unpredictable, but without enduring rivalries or long-running narratives, it struggles to cut through the noise.
Fans show up for their club, but they’re not following the playoffs as a national event.
MLS Playoffs Bring Fire — and Friction
Let’s give credit where it’s due — 2025 MLS playoffs have delivered some incredible moments. The Seattle–Minnesota PK shootout was pure chaos in the best way. Messi’s Miami run is pulling new fans into the mix again, proving that when the stars align, MLS can produce world-class drama. Stadiums have been loud, atmospheres intense, and the product on the field feels as sharp as ever.
But that energy also highlights what’s broken. The new best-of-three format is overkill — too many rematches in too short a span. What initially felt exciting is already wearing players down. Teams are showing signs of fatigue, and injuries are starting to creep in. Fans are calling it “playoff déjà vu.” It’s exciting, sure — but it’s not sustainable.
Add in the scheduling overlap with the NFL and college football, and even the best MLS games get buried. Or you can have a playoff thriller, but when it’s on a Tuesday night, only the diehards are watching live.
The irony is that MLS might be playing its best soccer at the exact moment it’s hardest for people to see it. That’s the problem. The league’s not short on talent or entertainment — it’s short on structure, visibility, and timing.
The Fan Economics Don’t Add Up
I’m a Charlotte FC season-ticket holder. My seats are front-row aisle—great view, great atmosphere. But here’s the thing: the math doesn’t make sense.
With the size of Bank of America Stadium, I can buy individual tickets for almost any game and come out ahead compared to the annual commitment. The resale market is soft. The excitement is there, but the financial value isn’t.
For families or casual fans, that’s the bigger story. MLS can’t afford to become an entertainment option that feels like a bad deal.
Apple TV’s Great Idea, Bad Execution
The Apple TV partnership was supposed to revolutionize soccer streaming. In many ways, it has: clean production, quality commentary, no blackouts. But there’s one big miss—the interface.
If you miss a live match and want to rewatch it, Apple shows you the final score before you hit play. Every other sports platform—Peacock (Premier League), Paramount Plus, YouTube TV—avoids this.
It’s a small detail, but a fatal one for engagement. Why watch a replay when you already know the result? Combine that with Apple’s paywall, and casual fans simply drift away.
MLS Expansion and Identity Confusion
MLS is nearly 30 years old, yet it still feels like it’s figuring itself out. The constant rule tweaks, the talk of changing season timing, the never-ending expansion—it all sends one message: the league still doesn’t know what it wants to be.
Expansion helps short-term revenue and city engagement, but it dilutes the product. More teams mean thinner talent, fragmented attention, and more scheduling headaches.
At some point, growth without stability stops being exciting. And starts looking desperate.
The USL Threat
The U.S. Soccer landscape is shifting. The USL, long considered a minor league, is quietly gaining ground. They recently hired the former CEO of the Premier League—a huge signal of intent.
They’re exploring promotion and relegation, leaning into local club identity, and positioning themselves as a fan-first alternative. If they can land even a modest TV deal or strategic investor, MLS could find itself facing competition it never expected—from inside its own country.
What MLS Still Has Going For It
Let’s be fair: the league is far stronger than it was a decade ago. Stadium experiences are better. Fan culture is real. Players are more skilled, academies more developed.
The 2026 World Cup will be massive, and MLS will be right in the middle of it. That’s the opportunity to reset, reconnect, and reimagine what the league can be.
But momentum doesn’t sustain itself. The league needs a clearer identity, better media access, and smarter scheduling if it wants to turn a generation of curiosity into a generation of fans.
The MLS Loss of Momentum Bottom Line
MLS isn’t bad—it’s just stuck.
The league’s biggest challenge isn’t talent or structure—it’s attention. In the U.S., attention is the real currency. And after the Messi wave, MLS is running a little short.
The next phase of growth won’t come from one superstar or one streaming deal. It’ll come from understanding what kind of league MLS wants to be—and why fans should care once the novelty wears off.
Key Takeaways
- Post-Messi plateau: The hype spike is gone, and sustainable engagement is missing.
- Scheduling chaos: Competing with the NFL and college football is a losing battle.
- Fan fatigue: Prices, parity, and payoff aren’t adding up.
- Apple’s paywall problem: A good product trapped behind bad UX and exclusivity.
- USL’s quiet rise: A long-term competitor that could reshape U.S. soccer.
- World Cup 2026 = opportunity: MLS has time to fix this—but not much.
In our earlier piece, The Success of Major League Soccer, we explored the optimism and growth behind the league’s rise. This article examines the flip side.
Related SportsEpreneur Content
What Are the Best Soccer Leagues in the World
When Real Madrid Came to the Carolinas
Southampton, Leicester, and Ipswich in the Championship
Paris FC vs PSG
Eric Kasimov is the founder of SportsEpreneur, part of the KazSource media network. Since launching the platform in 2015, he has hosted over 500 podcast episodes, written and published more than 1,500 articles, and advised business leaders, founders, and creators on building authority through media strategy.
Through his brands — KazSource, KazCM, SportsEpreneur, and QuietLoud Studios — Eric leads teams that produce podcasts, develop brand platforms, and help companies grow through modern content ecosystems. He also scaled KazSource Insurance into a seven-figure boutique agency, providing the foundation for the broader media network he operates today.
His work has been featured in Forbes, Axios, and Front Office Sports, and his podcasts have included conversations with top founders, investors, and athletes turned entrepreneurs.
Is MLS Falling Apart? Why the Worry Is Real
TL;DR
The Messi era brought MLS unprecedented attention—but now the buzz is fading. Attendance is inflated, TV viewership has stalled, Apple’s deal is alienating casual fans, and the league’s rapid expansion is creating more confusion than excitement. MLS isn’t collapsing, but the momentum is slipping, and the clock is ticking before 2026. That’s when the world’s biggest sport becomes center stage in North America.
The MLS Messi Honeymoon Is Over
For a few months in 2023, MLS was everywhere. Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami, Apple TV’s subscriber numbers exploded, and the league looked ready to break into the American mainstream. It felt like a cultural turning point—the moment soccer finally stuck.
But now? The Messi afterglow is fading. Apple’s MLS Season Pass viewership has plateaued. Social media engagement is cooling. Attendance looks good on paper, but in-person turnout tells a different story. It’s not a collapse per se. It’s something more subtle: the buzz is gone.
The truth is, the Messi Effect was always going to flatten. Star-driven surges are great for headlines, but sustainable leagues rely on storylines, rivalries, and habits. And right now, MLS is struggling to turn last year’s hype into this year’s loyalty.
Global Stars, Local Momentum — and the TikTok Problem
After Messi, the next wave of international names arriving in MLS should’ve been proof of staying power, and in some ways, it is.
Son Heung-Min joining LAFC and Thomas Müller heading to Vancouver are huge signs. These aren’t aging stars cashing out; they’re still competitive, marketable, and choosing the U.S. on purpose. That means something.
But the danger is thinking each new signing alone will save the league. It’s like going viral on TikTok — thrilling when it happens, but unsustainable if that’s your whole growth plan. Star power works only when it compounds: one headline brings attention, the next wave keeps it, and the league infrastructure converts it into long-term fans.
The fact that players of Son’s and Müller’s caliber even want to be here shows real progress. They wouldn’t come if MLS offered nothing in return. Still, the league needs more than one-off surges. It needs rhythm — a reason for people to keep watching after the highlight fades.
Playoff Chaos and Empty Seats
Then there’s the scheduling — a problem MLS still hasn’t solved. Weekend playoff games go head-to-head with the NFL and college football, which is a losing battle for attention. Shift those matches to midweek, and you trade eyeballs for empty seats.
Charlotte FC’s first-round playoff game said it all: 34,000 tickets sold, but nowhere near that many people in the stands. A cold Tuesday night, lousy weather, and a sports calendar stacked with football, basketball, and even early hockey buzz — the timing worked against them from every angle.
It takes generations to build a loyal following. The NFL, NBA, even college sports—they’ve had decades of shared history, family rituals, and built-in storylines. MLS is still fighting to earn that kind of cultural real estate. Parity keeps the league unpredictable, but without enduring rivalries or long-running narratives, it struggles to cut through the noise.
Fans show up for their club, but they’re not following the playoffs as a national event.
MLS Playoffs Bring Fire — and Friction
Let’s give credit where it’s due — 2025 MLS playoffs have delivered some incredible moments. The Seattle–Minnesota PK shootout was pure chaos in the best way. Messi’s Miami run is pulling new fans into the mix again, proving that when the stars align, MLS can produce world-class drama. Stadiums have been loud, atmospheres intense, and the product on the field feels as sharp as ever.
But that energy also highlights what’s broken. The new best-of-three format is overkill — too many rematches in too short a span. What initially felt exciting is already wearing players down. Teams are showing signs of fatigue, and injuries are starting to creep in. Fans are calling it “playoff déjà vu.” It’s exciting, sure — but it’s not sustainable.
Add in the scheduling overlap with the NFL and college football, and even the best MLS games get buried. Or you can have a playoff thriller, but when it’s on a Tuesday night, only the diehards are watching live.
The irony is that MLS might be playing its best soccer at the exact moment it’s hardest for people to see it. That’s the problem. The league’s not short on talent or entertainment — it’s short on structure, visibility, and timing.
The Fan Economics Don’t Add Up
I’m a Charlotte FC season-ticket holder. My seats are front-row aisle—great view, great atmosphere. But here’s the thing: the math doesn’t make sense.
With the size of Bank of America Stadium, I can buy individual tickets for almost any game and come out ahead compared to the annual commitment. The resale market is soft. The excitement is there, but the financial value isn’t.
For families or casual fans, that’s the bigger story. MLS can’t afford to become an entertainment option that feels like a bad deal.
Apple TV’s Great Idea, Bad Execution
The Apple TV partnership was supposed to revolutionize soccer streaming. In many ways, it has: clean production, quality commentary, no blackouts. But there’s one big miss—the interface.
If you miss a live match and want to rewatch it, Apple shows you the final score before you hit play. Every other sports platform—Peacock (Premier League), Paramount Plus, YouTube TV—avoids this.
It’s a small detail, but a fatal one for engagement. Why watch a replay when you already know the result? Combine that with Apple’s paywall, and casual fans simply drift away.
MLS Expansion and Identity Confusion
MLS is nearly 30 years old, yet it still feels like it’s figuring itself out. The constant rule tweaks, the talk of changing season timing, the never-ending expansion—it all sends one message: the league still doesn’t know what it wants to be.
Expansion helps short-term revenue and city engagement, but it dilutes the product. More teams mean thinner talent, fragmented attention, and more scheduling headaches.
At some point, growth without stability stops being exciting. And starts looking desperate.
The USL Threat
The U.S. Soccer landscape is shifting. The USL, long considered a minor league, is quietly gaining ground. They recently hired the former CEO of the Premier League—a huge signal of intent.
They’re exploring promotion and relegation, leaning into local club identity, and positioning themselves as a fan-first alternative. If they can land even a modest TV deal or strategic investor, MLS could find itself facing competition it never expected—from inside its own country.
What MLS Still Has Going For It
Let’s be fair: the league is far stronger than it was a decade ago. Stadium experiences are better. Fan culture is real. Players are more skilled, academies more developed.
The 2026 World Cup will be massive, and MLS will be right in the middle of it. That’s the opportunity to reset, reconnect, and reimagine what the league can be.
But momentum doesn’t sustain itself. The league needs a clearer identity, better media access, and smarter scheduling if it wants to turn a generation of curiosity into a generation of fans.
The MLS Loss of Momentum Bottom Line
MLS isn’t bad—it’s just stuck.
The league’s biggest challenge isn’t talent or structure—it’s attention. In the U.S., attention is the real currency. And after the Messi wave, MLS is running a little short.
The next phase of growth won’t come from one superstar or one streaming deal. It’ll come from understanding what kind of league MLS wants to be—and why fans should care once the novelty wears off.
Key Takeaways
In our earlier piece, The Success of Major League Soccer, we explored the optimism and growth behind the league’s rise. This article examines the flip side.
Related SportsEpreneur Content
What Are the Best Soccer Leagues in the World
When Real Madrid Came to the Carolinas
Southampton, Leicester, and Ipswich in the Championship
Paris FC vs PSG
Eric Kasimov is the founder of SportsEpreneur, part of the KazSource media network. Since launching the platform in 2015, he has hosted over 500 podcast episodes, written and published more than 1,500 articles, and advised business leaders, founders, and creators on building authority through media strategy.
Through his brands — KazSource, KazCM, SportsEpreneur, and QuietLoud Studios — Eric leads teams that produce podcasts, develop brand platforms, and help companies grow through modern content ecosystems. He also scaled KazSource Insurance into a seven-figure boutique agency, providing the foundation for the broader media network he operates today.
His work has been featured in Forbes, Axios, and Front Office Sports, and his podcasts have included conversations with top founders, investors, and athletes turned entrepreneurs.