Inter Miami missing the playoffs is good for the long-term in MLS

The lack of Lionel Messi, coupled with a dismal first half of the campaign, is forcing Inter Miami out of the MLS Cup Playoffs. Therefore, fans will not be able to see the Argentine lift a second trophy with Miami in his first months with the club. Contrary to the fanfare he brought early on in the Leagues Cup, this is a fizzle out to Messi’s 2023.

However, this will prove to be beneficial for Major League Soccer, Inter Miami and Messi himself. The MLS Cup Playoffs are a brutal stretch of games even for someone as experienced in major tournaments as Messi. Avoiding the competition allows Messi to return to full fitness for his first MLS campaign. Additionally, Inter Miami will be playing in other competitions. Affording Messi his proper rest can help him and the club prepare for that. It will be Miami’s first bid into continental competition as its Leagues Cup success puts it into the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Inter Miami can grow without the MLS Playoffs

The CONCACAF Champions Cup takes a backseat to Major League Soccer in the eyes of many MLS clubs. However, Inter Miami, with a fully fit Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, can challenge any team in Major League Soccer. Wins over Cincinnati, Philadelphia and LAFC with Messi and company demonstrate what this team can do.

Rather than playing the guessing game like they are now, Apple can regularly promote Messi. The provider can make games available for Apple TV+ subscribers to grow its audience further. Granted, Apple may not be able to maintain the rate that it exhibited when Messi arrived. However, there is still ample potential to grow the subscriber base. The service is already beyond 1 million subscribers.

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If Inter Miami is successful, there is added drama to what Messi can do with the club. After all, he came to arguably the worst club in Major League Soccer. One full season of Messi with Inter Miami can be a major move for the league in terms of its popularity domestically and, crucially, internationally.

Losses in the short-term

The major drawback of Messi and Miami missing out on the playoffs is that MLS loses its energy. When he arrived, MLS was breaking viewership records. Aggregate Apple TV+ viewership was up 75% when Messi arrived. The first batch of MLS Cup Playoff games including the Argentine could have seen a similar profit for the league. Much like the Leagues Cup, Messi could have put Inter Miami on a storybook run to success. Also, it would align well with the upcoming Messi documentary on Apple TV+ about his arrival in Major League Soccer.

Still, Apple needs Messi to be in for the long run. Messi has not been fully fit for a month, and there was no guarantee that he would even be healthy for the start of the playoffs in late October. Even with Messi in the fold, Miami was far from perfect. Some of those victories needed penalties or dramatic goals late in the game. Practically shutting him down for the rest of the season ensures that he can be healthy for a full season in Major League Soccer.

Even if he does go play for Argentina in the October and November international friendlies, that quantity of games will not rival what he could do in the MLS Playoffs. If Inter Miami qualified as a wild card team, the maximum number of games it could play is seven. He will play four if he plays each game with Argentina for the rest of the season.

PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire