It is worthwhile to have a look at Lionel Messi’s Instagram account when thinking about the potential impact he could have on the Major League Soccer season. Before it was widely reported that the Argentine football legend would be joining Inter Miami CF, the club’s official Instagram account had approximately one million followers. The club now has 9.4 million followers, and the transition to the new location has been made official.

The account gained 1.3 million followers in the first four hours after the announcement was made, indicating that a significant portion of that increase occurred very quickly. However, the count keeps climbing, and it is impossible to predict when it will reach a plateau.

At this point in time, Inter Miami has a greater number of followers on Instagram than any team from the NFL, MLB, NHL, or any other MLS league. Both the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers have approximately three million people following them on the platform.

At first blush, it would appear that the New England Patriots are the most followed National Football League club on Instagram, with 4.9 million of their fans following them there. With 4.5 million, the Dallas Cowboys are a very close second place finisher.

The Messi Effect may be seen in action by the fact that “America’s team” has gained almost one million additional admirers in recent years.

Although gridiron football is often considered to be the most popular sport in the United States, the social followings of NBA teams are absolutely massive in comparison. On Instagram, the Los Angeles Lakers have amassed a following of 22.8 million people. There are 7.5 million fans of the Boston Celtics. The National Basketball Association also has a considerable fanbase in countries like China and Africa, but soccer has an entirely different grasp on the world.

The Premier League is the highest level of competition that can be reached in the English football system. One of the most well-known clubs, Manchester United, has a staggering 61.9 million supporters worldwide. That level of social media following is unmatched by any team in any of the American leagues.

Having said that, the tale of a sport’s popularity is frequently communicated more effectively through attendance numbers. During the 2021-22 season, there were 380 matches played in the Premier League, and the average attendance for those matches was 41,430. Over the course of 489 games, the MLS had an average of 20,526 spectators.

Multiple internationally renowned football talents have recently joined the Major League Soccer (MLS), and there is always the possibility that they will be able to help close the gap between the MLS and the Premier League. The transfer of David Beckham to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 was a game changer, and the transfer of Lionel Messi has the potential to have the same effect. Both the price of tickets and the number of people wanting to see the star in Miami have recently increased.