Since the arrival of Lionel Messi to Inter, In July 2023, United States football USA was convulsed and both the Miami franchise and its own MLS They underwent a notable evolution.
However the “Messi effect” It not only caused the valuation of Inter to skyrocket, but also that of all the franchises. It also caused greater security in the signing of contracts, such as that of Manzana and it gradually caused greater interest in football with a view to World Cup 2026 to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Not long ago, in an interview Jorge Masowner of Inter Miamiassured that the impact Messi was going to go beyond sports for the institution, referring to the fact that in the coming months there would be an increase in the total value of the franchise.
And so it happened, because only six months after Messi’s arrival was announced and after the incorporation of Luis Suárez, The value of the Miami institution grew 74% compared to what the organization was valued in 2023, becoming the club that gained the most in valuation.
Now, the value of Inter Miami, at the beginning of 2024, reaches US$1,020 million, representing the long-awaited jump by the board, since in 2023 it was only US$585 million, prior to the arrival of the Argentinian.
The 29 MLS franchises jointly invoiced more than $2 billion last season, 27% more than the previous year. The most significant case is Inter Miami, due to the “Messi Effect”. The franchise’s revenue reached $127 million, compared to $55 million the previous season.
There are already four franchises that exceed US$1 billion in valuation: Los Angeles FC, Atlanta United, Inter Miami and Los Angeles Galaxy. Fifth place, with a valuation of $840 million, goes to New York City FC, which still managed to capitalize on the potential of the soccer market in the city unlike other major leagues.
Precisely, the average valuation of MLS franchises is still very far from other major leagues, since the NBA exceeds $4 billion, as does the NFL. Meanwhile, in the MLB the average valuation of its teams exceeds US$2,360 million and in the NHL they are already above 1,000 million. In the women’s soccer league, the Nwsl, the average value is still ten times lower than the MLS at $66 million.
Business impact
On the commercial side, the “Messi effect” He also had a notable influence, since he secured the agreement with Apple for ten years and US$2.5 billion that was also decisive for the league. Although Apple had already signed the contract before Messi’s arrival, his arrival caused subscriptions to double, reaching almost two million.
Apple added more than 110,000 new users on the day of the debut of Messi and another 65,000 subscribers when he played his second game against Atlanta United on July 25.
In the US market Apple has the audiovisual rights in streaming and Fox in linear television after Espn ended decades of relationship.
His arrival and the greater notoriety of the league was also reflected in attendance at the stadiums. The Chicago Fire team, which plays its games in the Bears’ NFL stadium, went from an average of 15,000 people per game to filling 65,000 seats when it hosted Inter Miami last year, billing around 55% of the seats. Total regular season ticket revenue from this game alone.
The club achieved the record for ticket sales for an MLS match with 10.5 million dollars. The Nashville team was also one of the big beneficiaries, and received the Miami team in the final of the Leagues Cup, achieving a box office of almost $10 million. The impact went beyond a single match, as viewership for Nashville games on Apple increased approximately 30% for the remainder of the season after the finals.
Messi, with his arrival at Inter Miami, made the MLS become the second American league that multiplied its income the most in the last year, only behind the NBA.
In short, Messi is a sign of greater investments and a search for worldwide notoriety, for a league that is still small next to other local ones such as the NHL, the famous ice hockey.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
