Lionel Messi’s impactful entry into Major League Soccer (MLS) is not only elevating the sport but also bolstering Apple’s financial prospects. With his presence on the Inter Miami team, ticket prices for their games have surged, riding on the reputation of Messi, widely regarded as the greatest soccer player of his era and possibly of all time. The surge in ticket prices is coupled with a remarkable surge in subscriptions to Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass since the renowned player transitioned to the US to play for the team, a few weeks ago.
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Jorge Mas, one of the owners of Inter Miami, shared these insights. He also noted that the viewership of Messi’s matches on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV is predominantly Spanish-speaking, exceeding 50 percent and continuing to rise. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, endorsed these statements with a retweet, underscoring the authenticity of Mas’ claims.
While Apple hasn’t unveiled the exact number of subscribers, reports from July indicated that the count was close to 1 million before Messi’s arrival. Clearly, Apple is gratified by Messi’s influence on the MLS Season Pass platform.
During an Apple earnings call, Cook expressed contentment with the partnership, highlighting that subscriber numbers were surpassing expectations. He attributed part of this success to Messi’s association with Inter Miami. Apple’s decision to reduce the subscription fee from $99 to $49 for the latter part of the season likely also contributed to the growth.
Apple holds the MLS broadcast rights for a substantial $250 million per annum and has been actively promoting the sport. Messi is reported to be taking a portion of the revenue from new MLS Season Pass subscribers as part of his contract with Inter Miami.
Despite being 36 years old, an age when many soccer players start to wind down, Messi continues to shine. He played a pivotal role in leading Argentina to victory in the World Cup last December and secured consecutive French league championships with PSG before joining the US. This has solidified his position as the frontrunner for the Ballon d’Or, arguably soccer’s most prestigious individual award, with the potential to clinch the honor a record-extending eighth time.
With Messi’s on-field prowess translating to both the MLS and Apple’s gains, the synergy between sports and technology is evident in this triumphant partnership.
