How the 'Messi Effect' will influence American soccer for years
The Argentine will play for Inter Miami starting this summer
Lionel Messi is taking his talents to South Beach this summer. As a result, the next three years will be big for American soccer.
The pending arrival of Lionel Messi to Inter Miami will not only boost MLS, but all of American soccer will see increased interest over the next three years.
Not only will fans in cities from New York to Los Angeles, and everywhere in between, get the chance to see Messi play in person — but two major international tournaments featuring Argentina will take place on U.S. soil will also boost interest.
An expanded version of the Copa America will be played in the United States next summer and the U.S. will co-host, along with Mexico and Canada, the 2026 World Cup. Both tournaments are likely to feature Messi.
All these factors have already created a “Messi Effect.”
Ticket sales, for example, have already skyrocketed. Prices for Inter Miami tickets on the secondary market have soared 1,034%.
Messi's first game with the team could likely be on July 21 when Inter Miami host Mexican side Cruz Azul in their Leagues Cup opener in Fort Lauderdale. Messi is under contract with Paris Saint-Germain until June 30.
The lowest price for a ticket for that game had been $29, but by Wednesday the price had reached $329, according to TickPick.
Inter Miami's road matches have also experienced a big price jump. The team’s game at New York Red Bulls on Aug. 26 saw a 1,236% increase and trip to Southern California to play LAFC on Sept. 3 went up 420%.
Then there’s all the stuff that takes place off the field that will certainly give American soccer more attention. Messi will likely be seen courtside at Miami Heat games, while his jersey sales and Apple+ TV subscriptions will all see major increases in the coming months.
“MLS doesn’t have any real international following. With Messi they get all those fans,” said economist Steven Mandis, author of several books including “The Real Madrid Way: How Values Created the Most Successful Sports Team on the Planet.” “And they need that for broadcasting revenues, which are relatively small.”
Messi could have returned to Barcelona. There was also interest from Saudi Arabia. Ultimately, he chose Miami.
“I made the decision that I'm going to go to Miami,” Messi said on Wednesday. “I still haven’t closed it 100% percent. I’m missing some things, but we decided to continue on the path. If the Barcelona thing didn’t work out, I wanted to leave Europe, get out of the spotlight and think more of my family.”
Having the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner playing in an Inter Miami jersey could help lure others from Europe and South America. David Beckham’s 2007 signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy did that for MLS, leading to the arrival of other superstars in the ensuing years like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lorenzo Insigne.
“After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca,” Messi added, “it was time to go to the American league to experience football in a different way and enjoy the day-to-day, obviously with the same responsibility and desire to win.”