The MLS play-offs starting on Wednesday will take place without Inter Miami and Lionel Messi. But up to this point, the Argentine has been setting spectator records for both home and away games
Lionel Messi has also become an instant crowd puller in the USA. According to U.S. magazine Soccer America, Messi’s club Inter Miami became the first club in league history to draw an average of more than 30,000 fans (30,834) to away games in the current MLS season.
The record average is solely due to the signing of the Argentine striker. Since his signing, Miami’s six away games have seen an average of 45,764 fans. Messi has only played in three of them, missing time due to injury. One of the matches affected was the away game at Chicago Fire: the club had already made financial provision for this disappointment and compensated the fans.
Audience average increased by 40 percent
In terms of attendance trends, Miami posted the largest increase league-wide, with 21 of the 28 clubs posting increases of more than ten percent, and Messi’s team peaking at an even 40 percent. In addition, 14 MLS teams had an attendance average of at least 20,000.
A season highlight in U.S. soccer was the record derby in Los Angeles: On National Day, July 4, 82,110 fans watched the match between Los Angeles Galaxy and Los Angeles FC (2-1) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California – more than ever before at an MLS match.
