Garber: Lionel Messi's Move to Inter Miami Part of 'Transformational Year' for MLS

MLS commissioner Don Garber said that the 2023 season was a "transformational year," and he believes that Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami was a key factor in that.

During the annual State of the League address on Friday, Garber noted the MLS' media partnership with Apple and record attendance as a few of the feats that the league achieved in 2023.

Per ESPN's Jeff Carlisle, Garber didn't sugarcoat the impact that Messi's arrival had on the league.

"The magnitude of his decision to join MLS cannot be overstated." Garber said. "He's playing in our league. We're now just not part of the global conversation of sports, but one of the biggest stories in the world and certainly one of the biggest stories this summer.

"The eyes of the world are now on Major League Soccer because the best player to ever play the game is here and he's succeeding."

Messi joined Inter Miami in July and brought a new wave of excitement to the MLS. The league saw a record for total attendance at almost 11 million and record highs for digital and social media engagement and merchandise sales. There were also multiple games over the course of the season that drew over 1 million viewers.

Inter Miami announced last week that the club had already sold out its season tickets for the 2024 campaign. Messi will be with the squad through the 2025 season at least, with his contract worth just over $20.4 million in total compensation.

Messi and Inter Miami are gearing up for their first full season together, and the Messi effect is sure to continue making Garber and the rest of the league very happy.