Global superstar Lionel Messi joined the American professional soccer team, sparking a spike in ticket and merchandize sales in addition to viewership of games.
The superstar Lionel Messi is having never-before-seen effects while playing less than 10 games in the American men's professional soccer league. Messi joined Inter Miami CF of Major League Soccer in late July, which led to an increase in ticket costs in the cities the team has so far visited. Record-breaking jersey and product sales resulted after his signing. Watching of TV and streaming increased.
But even though Messi has had a historically significant impact on MLS, which was established in the 1990s, it hasn't been enough to catch up to the NFL and NBA and other more well-known professional sports leagues in the U.S. in terms of viewership and ticket costs. The 36-year-old, who is frequently regarded as the "GOAT," or "greatest of all time," in the sport, is close to retiring and giving MLS, which is still seen as being in its infancy when compared to other U.S. leagues, a much-needed boost.
Teams are promoting season tickets as a definite way to see Inter Miami play again the following season as they try to ride this wave. The cost of tickets has skyrocketed on the secondary market. On StubHub, Inter Miami tickets cost an average of $161, which is approximately 64% more than the league average. Sales of tickets for national matches are also up.
