American football, basketball, and baseball are the most popular sports in the United States. If an American is asked about football, they’ll assume you’re talking about football with the hands and not the feet. And when mentioning soccer, they’d scoff at you. That’s how sports culture in the US has been for decades; meanwhile, football remains the largest sport worldwide.
In recent years though, football has increased in popularity. It started with David Beckham signing and playing for LA Galaxy in 2007, a pivotal move that triggered the rise of the Major Soccer League and football in the United States. Since then, European stars have signed with MLS teams and increased viewership, attendance, and the number of youths interested in playing football. At the same time, the legalisation of US sportsbooks has made wagering available to millions of US punters in states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Sportsbooks from across the United States have reported increases in bets relating to Inter Miami and Messi being the most-bet football player in the league following his debut. This newfound interest in football betting has motivated fans to follow not just US sports but leagues like the MLS, EPL, La Liga, and Liga MX.
DJ Khaled all excited to meet Leo Messi and watch his son as a mascot
— Leo Messi 🔟 Fan Club (@WeAreMessi) July 26, 2023
Regarding viewership numbers, football is gaining ground on the holy trinity of US sports: the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Last year, the sport surpassed ice hockey and the National Hockey League regarding viewership and attendance. The recent addition of Lionel Messi to the MLS has boosted the sport further. Messi is arguably the best football player in history, and the media have extensively covered his transition from Ligue 1, with celebrities like DJ Khaled flocking to his side—increasing the exposure. This media drive has affected early viewership numbers this season, so much so that the MLS might outgrow the English Premier League in the United States. And that’s with the EPL coming off its second-best year in terms of viewers in the country, up 3% from the previous year to an average of 527,000 viewers per match. The most viewed game last season was the April 9 match between Arsenal and Liverpool, where over 833,000 people watched the game. The match ended 2-2 as Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale failed to save Roberto Firmino’s header in the 87th minute.
While MLS might surpass the EPL, the league still has a ways to go until it can compete internationally. Even with the addition of Messi, Inter Miami is only worth £0.5 billion, while Arsenal has a valuation of over £2.3 billion. Regarding viewers, it remains to be seen if Messi can close the gap between last year’s 343,000 and the 527,000 viewers of the EPL. To catch up and dethrone baseball domestically, they’ll need several Lionel Messi’s to reach the 1,517,000 viewers the MLB currently pulls as of the 2023/24 season.
