Los Angeles FC lead owner Larry Berg has predicted MLS will surpass Major League Baseball in popularity during the next 10 years and Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas added it will be of higher quality than the Premier League or La Liga by 2045.
The pair spoke at the league's kick off event Wednesday, two days ahead of the start of its 25th season.
- When does the 2020 MLS season begin? All you need to know
- Stream MLS games LIVE on ESPN+
"We definitely have the demographics in our favor, both in terms of youth and diversity, Berg said. "So I think we'll pass baseball and hockey and be the No. 3 sport in the U.S. behind football and basketball.
"I think we will be the league of choice. I think we're already a league of choice to a certain extent, whether we can be a top-five league or a top-three league will really come down at the end of the day to money, our ability to compete for players."
MLS has increasingly attracted better players from South America.
"I think the good news is players want to play here," he said. "We're the United States of America.
"People want to live here. It's an incredible lifestyle. The infrastructure is fantastic."
Mas co-owns the Miami team that launches this weekend, partnering with former England captain David Beckham. He talked about what MLS will look like for its 40th year in 2045.
"I think MLS will be one of the top sports leagues in the United States," Mas said. "I think it will be on par or exceed the best leagues in the world, the Premier League or Serie A or La Liga worldwide.
"I think that the MLS 25 years from now will be Premier League-ish if we want to so-call it that on the metrics that leagues are measured by."
