'What is this going to lead to after he goes?' - MLS execs reportedly express concerns on life after Lionel Messi, Apple TV deal, Club World Cup in survey

MLS's future remains bright, but with the 2026 World Cup just more than a year away, there remain questions about the league's future direction.

With the 2025 season underway, MLS executives weighed in on some of the biggest topics in the league. In an anonymous survey with The Athletic, the execs addressed Lionel Messi's influence on American soccer, the potential switch to a fall-spring calendar, and the potential threat posed by a rival Division 1 setup from USL.

READ MORE: GOAL's MLS Player Survey: Weighing on best player to best run club

Responding to the survey, some executives argued that MLS has taken full advantage of Messi:

"I think going after the world’s best player and bringing them here shows that it’s pretty damn important and a pretty big statement.”

Others, though, said that the league hasn't done enough to prepare for his inevitable retirement.

"I think that clearly Messi’s been a monster. And the real question now is what is this going to lead to after he goes?"

The consensus was pretty much unanimous, though, that a switch to a fall-spring calendar is necessary.

"We can’t keep playing where our season ends in October and then all of a sudden you play a round of playoff games and then you have an international break, then you play another couple rounds of playoff games, and you’re in a thick of it, and then you have another international break," one exec said. “I mean, you lose all momentum as a team. It’s terrible for our game, fans, everybody. I just don’t see how it works. And then the other thing is we’re not aligned with the rest of the world on the acquisition and transferring of players. And I think all those things are incredibly important in order to take the MLS to another level."

There was a general sentiment that it would help the transfer market.

“If we go to secondary markets, we’re basically asking for the team’s best players, and they’re like, ‘You kidding me? We’re qualifying for Europe. No chance.’ So either you grossly overpay or you don’t get your guy. Competing in the summer is going to be a little easier."

There is concern over the league's current streaming pact with Apple, according to some execs.

“Change the format, change the salary cap, allow us to bring more attractive players. But also they have to end the deal with Apple. It’s bad for the fans.”

Another added, "I think we have to be on more linear outlets."

Some executives didn't view the soon-to-be established USL division one league as a threat:

"I don’t think we should see a new league as a threat. If you are the big player in a market, you better react in such moments with confidence. I always say that more competition is welcome."

Others disregarded it altogether:

"It’s stupid. Just f—ing stop. You have an established league (in MLS) that’s beginning to thrive, and like, who are you?”

The Club World Cup - and MLS's involvement, with both Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders participating - brought mixed opinions.

"Tough groups, but I think Miami will be second in the group and they’ll be in the knockout stage. I don’t think Seattle will."

Seattle wasn't so highly rated by some.

"Seattle in that group - it’s going to be a bloodbath."

Leagues Cup made waves due to its controversial format last season - something that has since changed. Executives agreed that a new setup might help, but admitted that only time will tell how significant the impact will be:

"It keeps it around longer. I was a fan in the beginning, but we have too many interruptions during our season and our playoffs. We have to fix that. Our season has to be continuous."