Messi’s ire is free publicity for MLS. So why is the league editing it out? | Alexander Abnos

The world's most famous player had some complaints about MLS referees, and the league helps nobody by burying them

Inter Miami, led by Lionel Messi, have been terrible lately. On Sunday, their complaints to the referee only made their situation worse.

That sentence was fairly easy for me to type, at least in part because it is rooted in the clearly visible. Inter Miami have been terrible. Their complaints to the referee on Sunday did make their situation worse. These dynamics are not just surprising given Miami's star-studded roster and record-setting performance last season, they are interesting. They are worth talking about and reacting to. They're the sorts of things that get people thinking about the player, the team, the league, the sport. The more business-oriented among us may say they drive engagement."