Until June 7 of this year, Intel Miami was the worst team in Major League Soccer (MLS), which brings together 29 North American Clubs. But on that day, Leo changed history: after weeks of rumors about what would be the next destination of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi accepted the juicy offer to join the North American Soccer League.
An unexpected decision followed his successful time at Paris Saint-Germain, one of the best teams in the world. This move is only comparable to the arrival of David Beckham at the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 from Real Madrid, or to the developments in the Saudi League following Cristiano Ronaldo´s arrival at Al Nasser.
Until now, Inter Miami and American soccer have only seen positive outcomes; fans fill stadiums to watch the Argentine team Captain play, and the league´s value has soared. The sale of the new number 10 shirts, priced at US$ 125 each, set new records within the first 24 hours.
Another indicator of success is popularity on Instagram. The club´s account went from having 800 thousand followers in June to 13.5 million when the signing was announced. Thus, the team positioned itself among the five sports franchises with the most followers on that social network. At the moment, it is only surpassed by the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Cleveland Cavaliers, all NBA teams, Messi, meanwhile is today the athlete with the most followers in the United States, with more than 480 million.
To achieve this Sporting and marketing coup, the MLS had to contribute money. Although it may be difficult to understand how competing clubs finance Messi´s salary, the economic impact it has had and will continue to have on the entire league is already evident. All MLS franchises have appreciated in value by between 30% and 50% with his arrival.
Obviously, “Pulga” (a nickname for Messi) has emphasized the significance of the best player in the world joining one of the weakest teams in the United States, where soccer is still a minor sport. He will receive a salary of $40 million per season. The Argentine star signed with his new team until December 2025, with the option to extend the contract for one more year, just before the 2026 World Cup.
In addition to his generous salary, there is the possibility of him becoming a club owner once he retires. Furthermore, he will receive a portion of the income from the broadcast agreement between Apple TV and the MLS, as well as from the sales of Adidas products associated with his image.
On its debut, Sunday, July 16, the live broadcast of the match recorded 12,500,00 viewers, making it the most-watched soccer game in American television history. This is significant since, for the first time, this sport surpassed basketball and American football, which, at their peak, reached around 11 million viewers.
According to MLS data, the 2022-23 season´s matches have had an average attendance of 22,000 people, surpassing only the NFL (American Football) and MLB (Baseball) among the top five leagues in the United States.
Meanwhile, according to the Sports Business Journal, Apple TV had around 1 million subscribers before Messi´s arrival, but it has now surpassed 2 million users. These numbers are significant, especially considering that each subscription to MLS content costs around $15 per month.
But the success of the player has not only been limited to a stratospheric income. In just ten games, Messi led the Herons (as Inter Miami is colloquially known) to the semifinals of the Leagues Cup, something unthinkable a couple of months ago. “Messimania” made the tickets for that match sell out in just eight minutes. Watching him play is a spectacle: the Argentine star scored nine goals in his first six games.
Tickets for the match between Inter Miami and Los Angeles FC became the most expensive in MLS history. According to CNN, the average cost was $690, representing an increase of over 500% from the early season prices.
Soccer has become a trend.
The Argentine Captain will serve as the emblem of the league during a crucial period for this sport in the United States. The country is set to host the 2024 Copa America, the 2025 Club World Cup, and the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted with Mexico and Canada.
Experts predict that this could be the perfect combination for soccer to finally gain the traction and popularity it enjoys worldwide. Furthermore, Messi´s signing is expected to motivate other stars to join the American League, always with unparalleled multi-million-dollar offers.
Miami has also experienced the effects of this phenomenon: billboards featuring Leo’s face line Interstate 1-95; buildings in the financial district of Brickell are illuminated in Pink, the color of Inter Miami; and several murals with his image have already adorned the Wynwood neighborhood, renowned for its painted walls. In reality, the entire city has embraced the Brand.
It´s not surprising, then, that Messi is set to be the protagonist of an upcoming miniseries that will narrate his journey from winning the 2022 Qatar World Cup to his arrival in the United States.
Although everything in the world of sports is a resounding success, there is something that troubles Lionel and his wife Antonella Roccuzzo: they can´t find a house that meets their expectations. This has become a topic of great interest for entertainment media journalists.
For now, the 36-year-old Argentine is residing in an apartment he purchased in 2019 at the Porsche Design Tower in the Sunny Isles neighborhood. According to various publications, the thousand-square-meter apartment boasts, among other luxuries and indulgences a car elevator and a wine cooler for a thousand bottles. However, today, the idol´s obsession is to find a mansion where he, his wife, and their three children -Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro- can live in seclusion, surrounded only by family, friends, and the staff who work for the family, partly to escape Messimania.
