Messi to MLS is an Opportunity For the Revs, Other Clubs

The Revs and its fans need to take advantage of Messi, not praise him.

It’s very likely that Lionel Messi will join Inter Miami CF. It’s a monumental moment for Major League Soccer, and the New England Revolution need to make the most of it.

Long-time MLS fans saw something similar as David Beckham’s arrival in 2007 changed the trajectory of the league. The English National Team player brought many new eyes, including an increase in media attention.

Messi will do the same, and the Revs need to be prepared.

Let’s be honest, we don’t know if Messi will play on the turf of Gillette Stadium. Even if he doesn’t, the matches will certainly draw a big crowd. Let’s not forget that Beckham attracted 35,402 fans in 2007 for a game he didn’t play in.

Any game that could potentially involve Messi will draw an impressive crowd. This provides an opportunity for the Revs.

Miami will only play at Gillette once or twice a year, maybe more if they meet in the playoffs or some other tournament. These are moments for fans to fall in love with Revolution and its players.

Imagine a packed stadium where many attendees see Carles Gil for the first time. What if he puts on a similar performance to the one he offered on Saturday when he had one goal, two assists, and four chances created?

Imagine if Matt Polster, Latif Blessing, or Noel Buck(!!) offers a hard tackle that stops Messi in his tracks, not unlike the iconic moment where Jesse Marsch put Beckham on the ground.

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Imagine if the Revs beat Miami 3-1 like they did this weekend.

Any of these moments could create new Revs fans, which is the local value of Messi to MLS. The Argentine can only play for one team, so his league-wide appeal comes in the form of additional attention. It’s up to the individual clubs to make the most of it.

On the field, the Revs need to have the best possible roster, which means they have to get things right during the next couple of transfer windows.

Off the field, they need to create the perfect atmosphere. They must pack the stadium, which I’m confident they’ll do after building interest through ads. The club will almost certainly sell multi-game “Messi” packages, which will help the attendance numbers for other games.

On game day, fans need to be prepared to boo Messi, a player who deserves the utmost respect. This is another thing I believe will happen.

The critical detail to remember is that Messi’s Miami is an enemy to the Revs, even if the star player is good for the league. Messi, who is arguably the best player of all time, stands between the Revs and the elusive MLS Cup.

The Revs and its fans need to take advantage of Messi, not praise him.

If MLS/Apple continue to have simultaneous 7:30 kickoffs then Messi fans will watch Miami over the Revs. This makes the Revs’ home games against Miami that much more important. It’s an opportunity for the club to turn general soccer fans into Revs fans.

I say all of this while recognizing that Messi is good for MLS. In fact, I don’t care how he got here because I know he will help grow the league.

Revs head coach Bruce Arena expressed a similar sentiment on Saturday while answering a question from Tommy Quinlan. He said, “I think bringing Lionel Messi into our league is fabulous. [Even] if [Miami] had three DPs already, I can live with it. I mean really, it’s good for our league.”

Another thing to keep in mind is that while Messi will undoubtedly help Miami, his arrival doesn’t necessarily translate to instant success for the club. After all, the LA Galaxy went through some hard times when Beckham arrived before eventually turning it around.

On Saturday, Arena recalled, “These things aren't easy. Then I came in to LA I think in July or August of 2008, and we just hung in there for the remainder of the year, coaching probably seven to 10 games. We brought in 19 new players the following year and made it to the MLS Cup Final and then we got obviously a little bit better and all that, but it's challenging.

“It's not going to be easy for [Inter] Miami, but they have a better roster now than I had in LA [Galaxy] coming in in 2008. They're going to be fine. Messi is going to win games. If Messi was on the field tonight, it would have been a real challenge for us.”

In 2008, the Columbus Crew won MLS Cup after an incredible season from Guillermo Barros Schelotto, a DP with a smaller profile. Real Salt Lake won the Cup in 2009 using the mantra “The Team Is The Star.” In 2010, the Colorado Rapids beat FC Dallas in a very strange final.

MLS is different now, but Messi’s arrival doesn’t automatically mean that Miami will win. The Revs, and other clubs, can find their own success by identifying the right personnel and philosophy.

Messi is good for Miami and MLS. It can also be good for the Revs, but only if they’re prepared to make the most of their yearly matchups.