May 27, 2023 - Sports

Charted: The rapid rise of Major League Soccer

Rahul Mukherjee

A pictogram detailing how many years it took a league to get to 30 teams. MLS only took 29 years, half as much as the 2nd shortest, the NBA. MLB took the longest, with 122 years. — Data: NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL, MLS; Chart: Rahul Mukherjee/Axios

Major League Soccer is poised to have 30 teams in less than three decades, faster than any other major sports league in North America.

Driving the news: The MLS awarded San Diego an expansion franchise that's set to begin play in 2025.

Zoom in: The newer leagues tend to reach 30 teams faster. The second youngest of the bunch, the NBA, took 58 years to reach 30 teams, twice as long as MLS.

The MLB — with a long history dating back to the 19th century — took 122 years to reach the 30 mark.

The big picture: The MLS is threatening to overtake the NHL as the fourth most popular league in North America, and many companies are trying to cash in on soccer's rapid ascent.

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Charted: The rapid rise of Major League Soccer

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