MLS All-Star Game: A Commercial Triumph

Once upon a time, the MLS All-Star Game was just East versus West for 90 minutes. Now, it’s become American soccer’s most sophisticated commercial machine.

The 2025 edition pitted MLS against Liga MX again, with the MLS triumphing 3-1 despite the absences of Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, both of whom now face one-match suspensions after failing to answer their call-ups.

But the match itself no longer takes centre stage, with the MLS All-Star Week having evolved into a masterclass in monetising soccer culture.

“All-Star Week is positioned as a football festival,” league officials said. Translation: we’re selling a week-long soccer experience, not just 90 minutes, featuring skills challenges, fan festival events, eSports tournaments, community service, limited merchandise, and celebrity appearances.

The commercial structure is a who’s who of big names. AT&T 5G sponsors shooting, Old Spice takes touch, Bounty handles passing, GilletteLabs gets crossbar challenges. These are custom-built brand moments designed for Gen Z consumers who expect entertainment with their sports.

Since 2018, MLS and Liga MX have built a North American soccer ecosystem preparing for the 2026 World Cup. The All-Star format taps Mexican-American fanbases, creates Spanish-language broadcast partnerships, and gives sponsors like Target and Coca-Cola cross-market access they couldn’t reach separately.

This is cross-league collaboration that European football talks about but never executes. MLS and Liga MX are actually doing it.

Only 23% of Gen Z identify as avid sports fans versus 42% of millennials. Meanwhile, Gerard Piqué’s Kings League pulls 85% under-35 viewers, with 40% being new to football.

Europe’s stuck in fixture congestion and tradition, but imagine a traveling All-Star festival rotating through major cities with Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga stars. The commercial potential would be enormous.

MLS figured this out years ago. When will everyone else catch up?

Insideworldfootball.com