He is arguably the most popular athlete on the entire planet, and his decision rocked the soccer world this week. On Wednesday, football great Lionel Messi announced that he has made the decision to come to the MLS and play for Inter Miami FC for the upcoming season.
Lionel Messi Makes An Immediate Impact On Ticket Sales In Miami
Messi could make his MLS debut in July.
Inter Miami’s ticket prices are skyrocketing — currently 16x more expensive on @tickpick than they were yesterday. pic.twitter.com/xzY6WCELkw
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 7, 2023
The on-field product will certainly change. Inter had some of the longest odds of any team to win the MLS Cup, sitting at +10000 (100-to-1) yesterday before the news broke. But upon the announcement, Miami’s odds have shrunk significantly, all the way down to +3000 (30-to-1).
But the real impact will be on the financial side of things. Messi is a global icon, arguably the top player in the world’s most popular sport, and his moves and career are followed by millions and millions of people. The addition of him to Inter’s roster will instantly make them a premier attraction in the sports world, and they’ve got every reason to be excited about the financial ramifications.
It starts at the ticket booth. According to TickPick on Twitter, the get-in price for Lionel Messi’s first game in Miami on July 21st is currently sitting at $521. Comparatively, the get-in price to Game 3 of the NBA Finals, which are happening in the same city, is currently listed at $412. Before the announcement from Messi, the cheapest ticket for Inter’s first game was $29.
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) June 7, 2023
There will of course be all the added revenue that comes with the territory, including merchandise sales and spikes in viewership.
But it may be an even more lucrative deal for Messi himself, and likely the main reason that he made the choice that he did. According to multiple reports, the deal will include revenue sharing from both Apple and Adidas, and there may be some kind of future ownership role promised in the future.
The deal between Miami and Lionel Messi comes after a saga of uncertainty surrounding the superstar player. There were rumors that he could be heading to Saudi Arabia to take the money there, and a return to Europe was always in the cards as well.
Messi is fresh off of his run of leading Argentina to a World Cup victory in December, the first major international victory of his career.
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