The Major League Soccer (MLS) playoffs kicked off last night, but the league was already popping champagne after notching the best regular season in its 30-year history.
Driving the news: Almost 11.5 million people went to an MLS match this season, with an average attendance of 23,234 — both good for new records. League and club sponsorship revenues also hit their highest-ever levels, with each climbing 13% so far this year.
- Two of Canada’s clubs, the Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC, ranked in the top 10 for home game attendance out of the league’s 29 teams.
- MLS says its following on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube is growing at a higher rate than any other men’s sports league in North America.
Catch-up: Clubs are cashing in on the buzz. The average value of an MLS franchise hit US$579 million last year, up 85% since 2019. Forbes pegged the average team value at around $658 million earlier this year.
Why it matters: Soccer is one of the fastest-growing sports in a sports-obsessed North American market. With excitement around the game growing — especially with kids — MLS could start giving the other major sports leagues a run for their money (literally).—LA