The MLS All-Star Game might feel like an anachronism or a superfluous midseason distraction, but people watch. And as long as people watch, a league starved for TV viewers will keep staging it.
Last year’s matchup between all-star teams from MLS and Liga MX drew around 1.6 million U.S. viewers on FS1 and TUDN, a total that was a bit higher than that for the MLS Cup final played three months later and broadcast on ABC. It’s also a figure that leaves the league’s regular season ratings in the dust. And since an audience means a sequel, MLS and Liga MX are planning a rematch.