The commissioner Don Garber hailed 2023 as “the most successful season” in the history of Major League Soccer and said there are no plans to change the current salary cap restrictions. Garber spoke about the state of the league (much of which had to do with Lionel Messi) during a press conference on Friday before the final of MLS Cup between the Columbus Crew and Los Angeles FC on Saturday.
“The greatest player to ever play the game made MLS his league of choice,” Garber said. “Lionel Messi had many options for the next chapter of his iconic soccer career. The magnitude of his decision to join MLS cannot be understated.”
Messi signed with Inter Miami in July, sparking a surge of interest not only in MLS but also in the newly designed Leagues Cup which brings together all of Mexico’s MLS and Liga MX clubs in a mid-season tournament.
Messi made his Miami debut in the Leagues Cup and helped the Herons to the title, winning the first trophy in the team’s four-year history. “He’s playing in our league. Now we’re not just part of the global sports conversation, but one of the biggest stories in the world and certainly one of the biggest stories this summer,” Garber said. “The eyes of the world are now on Major League Soccer because the greatest player to ever play the game is here.”
That helped MLS set a record for total attendance in a season, with nearly 11 million fans. The league also experienced success with its new media partnership with Apple, a 10-year deal worth $2.5 billion. After years of inconsistent media rights deals, Apple TV airs every game of the MLS season.
There are no more ‘designated players’ or more teams in MLS
In Miami, Messi is about to pay $60 million a year, according to team owner Jorge Mas, a unique deal that includes Messi owning a stake in the club. Would MLS benefit even more if other teams had room to sign some of the biggest soccer stars in the world? That may be so, but Garber said the league has “no plans” to change any of the current roster rules.
Teams will still have three “designated player” spots, and Garber isn’t interested in increasing the limit to four. He also said there are currently no plans for MLS to expand beyond 30 clubs. San Diego’s expansion team will be the league’s 30th when it joins for the 2025 season.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
