Lionel Messi announced through his networks the creation of a production company for film and television under the name 525 Rosaryreferring to his home address in Argentina. The sign will be installed in both Miami and Los Angeles.
The company was formed as a joint venture between the Messi family and Smuggler Entertainment, the production company behind the series of Apple TV+ Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend and Messi Meets America. 525 Rosario will have a CEO in Tim Pastore, who also runs Smuggler, produced Messi’s World Cup and has production credits on titles including Free Solo and the Jane Goodall documentary, Jane.
The plan is for 525 Rosario to handle editorial content, presumably more unscripted documentaries, as well as family-friendly content and branded commercial stories in partnership with advertisers. The new joint venture will be represented by WME.
Lionel Messi’s 525th Rosary Launch
“Entertainment has always been a passion of mine, whether on the pitch or in other areas. I am really motivated by the opportunity to continue the project we created with Smuggler Entertainment and expand it further to create content and experiences on a global scale through this new venture,” Messi said.
With the launch of 525 Rosario, Messi joins other global stars such as LeBron James (The SpringHill Co., founded in 2008), Steph Curry (Unanimous Media, founded in 2018), Peyton Manning (Omaha Productions, founded in 2020), Tom Brady (199 Productions, founded in 2020), Serena Williams (Nine Two Six Productions, founded in 2023) and Naomi Osaka (Hana Kuma, founded in 2022) in its quest to produce content directly to sell to buyers who have increasingly turned to sports figures.
The production deal marks an expansion for the man who ranks as the third-highest-paid sports figure in the world, with $135 million in earnings on and off the field in the past year, according to Forbes’ 2024 tally.
“This new project aims to highlight and develop everything that Leo Messi represents, not only through massive premium content on a global scale, but also through community outreach and family-focused initiatives,” Pastore said. “We are very grateful to Leo and his family for the opportunity to create and collaborate on media experiences for local and global audiences, while pushing the boundaries of traditional genres.”
A statement attributed to the Messi family adds: “The goal remains to inspire and connect with people around the world in a whole new way, and we are looking forward to embarking on this adventure.. We would like to continue advancing in the entertainment sector, providing new initiatives and productions with global reach through innovative storytelling, programming and experiences.”
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
