Apple's streaming deal with MLS is a “pretty transformative deal for MLS and in many ways, for Apple” as well, according to The Ringer's Matthew Belloni. Parrot Analytics Dir of Strategy Julia Alexander noted there is an “MLS without Messi and an MLS with Messi, and even with Messi there are two different MLS’s.” Alexander said of Messi, “Clearly, demand for one player is making people tune in to the games. But the issue is if you look at the number of games and the number of teams in any given league, including the MLS, you have a problem that is almost reminiscent of European soccer in a lot of ways where you have this one team with one star player, so people are interested in watching him but that doesn’t translate necessarily to the rest of the league.”
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