Messi's arrival at Inter Miami was the biggest transaction in the football world in 2023. It is no surprise: the Argentine is a true legend of the sport, and his presence in MLS guarantees entertainment for American fans. During the time he has worn Inter Miami's shirt, the forward has already delivered sporting and, above all, financial results.
Although the club did not qualify for the American league's playoffs, Messi's team managed to win the Leagues Cup early in the season. In addition to the unprecedented title in the club's history, the revenue is equally historic. Inter Miami's total revenue in 2023 is expected to exceed US$120 million. To understand how much that represents, LAFC, the 2022 MLS champion, generated US$116 million in revenue, the league record until this year.
Records in Ticket Sales and Viewership Too
The fact that the Miami team broke the record without even reaching the decisive MLS games is the “Messi effect.” As soon as the Argentine star's arrival was finalized, ticket prices rose, as did demand. Inter Miami recently announced that it had sold out all tickets for the 2024 regular season. The tickets were on sale for only two weeks.
The league's viewership figures are also staggering. Around 1.75 million people watched the Argentine's debut alone, according to figures compiled by Sportico. This was the best television viewership figure in the United States since 2004, in a country that historically does not place much value on football.
One of the major beneficiaries of these excellent viewership figures is Apple. The company acquired the North American league's broadcasting rights for a decade. According to Eddy Cue, the company's senior vice president of services, Inter Miami games recorded an average audience of one million viewers after Messi's arrival.
Inter Miami Projected to Earn Even More in 2024/25
Inter Miami's revenue projections are even higher for the 2024 season. The team aims to surpass US$200 million by the end of the year even if it does not win any major tournament in the North American league. This shows that the club's earnings curve following the acquisition of the Argentine star goes far beyond sporting gains and is nowhere near its limit.
Evidence of this is that, despite the ambitious goals set for 2024, Inter Miami's revenue could receive an additional boost in 2025, when a new football-only stadium is scheduled to open following an estimated investment of US$350 million. The club is working to complete construction of the venue and the US$1 billion in projects surrounding it in time for the 2025 season, which marks the end of Messi's current contract.
