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Bigger star in South Florida: Toney or Messi?

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DMoney said:
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Toney and it’s not even close. Even though that moron Pete continue to go on and on in the podcast about how global messi is. Yes, Messi is the bigger global star, but no one gives a **** about MLS in America. It is the seventh biggest sport in this country and that’s being kind. It’s behind NFL, college football, MLB, NBA, NHL and college basketball. Now there’s certain streets if Messi is walking around in South Florida he’ll get recognized more but it’s just certain streets. South Miami, Homestead, Carroll city, little Haiti, overtown, no one gives a **** about messi in those neighborhoods. But if Toney is walking around, he’s gonna have a crowd around him that’s huge! Of course, even though you point out all these facts to @Peter Ariz he’ll still dig his heels in the sand just like he did last summer when he said our defensive line wasn’t good enough to lead us anywhere because they were too small based on nfl “measurables.” Lol the point is, South Florida is a football town, not a soccer town and those are just the facts.
 
Cribby said:
Yes he’s a worldwide star but alot of Americans would walk right by him without having a clue who he is, Including myself. People here are accustomed to the athletes being bigger than life, not a tiny little guy walking around looking like a child. Just like cricket is huge in other parts of the world but to an American it’s an aggravating insect
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pacusmc said:
Dmoney gotta stay away from those cans that he’s promoting.
We have Jamaicans, Haitians, and people from all over the carribean.
South Americans, Europeans, Central Americans,
And even if your not from one of the countries where soccer is king, Messi has done commercials for Michelob, Apple, Lays, Gatorade, Adidas, Lowes,
And how many times has he been on espn sports center.
How may highlights.

DMoney needs detox and a 32oz porter house.

Edit: add to that the number of youth soccer players and clubs down here from ages 5-18 and your start to see the impact.
Weston FC alone has 1,100 registered players. And that’s just one club.
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I remember back in 2007 when USA had a match vs Colombia in the Copa America tournament. I was in soFla for vacation and I decided to watch it at a bar in Hollywood. The area was packed with folks. I returned to the Miami Lakes area and there were even more folks, especially Colombians.
 
NicKane said:
Yes, Messi is the bigger global star, but no one gives a **** about MLS in America. It is the seventh biggest sport in this country and that’s being kind. It’s behind NFL, college football, MLB, NBA, NHL and college basketball
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Extremely kind.

MLS followers are the direct equivalent of baseball fans who don't reside near MLB markets and so they're regulars at their local minor league park just because they enjoy the sport. It's a safe bet the majority of attendees at MLS matches have some team in Europe or South America that gets more of their interest than the local MLS franchise.

There are probably close to as many people (if not more) who follow the WNBA, NCAA Women's Basketball and even to some extent College Baseball/Softball than a soccer association in America that's a borderline Top 10 league on the planet.

Messi playing for Inter Miami is about as relevant as Jordan playing for the Birmingham Barons

Barnum And Bailey Circus GIF
 
MedleyCane said:
I remember back in 2007 when USA had a match vs Colombia in the Copa America tournament. I was in soFla for vacation and I decided to watch it at a bar in Hollywood. The area was packed with folks. I returned to the Miami Lakes area and there were even more folks, especially Colombians.
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I think we are focusing too much on the sport without actually focusing on the actual person.
Just because we are talking about a soccer player it doesn’t mean he’s only gonna be known to soccer fans.
There have been several super stars that have outshined their respective sport.
Ana Kornikova
Lewis Hamilton
Pele
Muhammad Ali

Messi has been part of sports highlights and commercials for almost 2 decades.
And he’s regarded by many as the best to ever play his sport.
You can’t go anywhere in Sofla without seeing his name on a shirt or a picture of him on an add.

He’s the soccer version of Michael Jordan.
If Malachi and Messi show up in Bunche Park together, the kids and the local football fans watching will freak out that Toni is there.
But a lot of futsal and soccer is also played there. And I guarantee you that just as many people will be asking for autographs and pics with Messi as they do with Toni.
 
JD08 said:
Messi is 5'7". That height is more likely to blend in a crowd than Toney at 5'11". People expect athletes to be tall.
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Yes and no, but I do hear you. There tall soccer players, but none are as recognizable as Messi. He was known as the flea forever, due to his size. It would be like people not knowing who many of our past great WR's, backs, corners, etc as they aren't all physically big. Using tall or not tall as a metric is misleading and it's like people are trying to knock him in this thread for his height. Meanwhile, there isn't a big or small guy on the entire team he couldn't embarrass with a ball at his feet.
 
There might not be a square foot of Buenos Aries that is not under a picture of Messi. There may be more Argentinian soccer fans in S Florida then Miami College football fans..
 
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No one cares about a game where everyone does cardio for 90 mins and ends 0-0
 
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