There’s no denying that Messi’s arrival to MLS in August has had an impact of unprecedented proportions. It not unusual for some current (early 2000s: ‘David Beckham effect’ on MLS) or retired athletes (Now: ‘Deion Sanders effect’ on NCAA football) to have an effect in their sports; however, in Messi’s case, multiple aspects of MLS have been deeply and permanently impacted by the now well-known “Messi effect”. Below is a brief summary of its impact so far:
- Increased global attention: Lionel Messi is one of the greatest footballers of all time and already had a massive global following. His arrival in MLS attracted substantial attention from not only American fans, media, and sponsors but worldwide too. MLS is benefitting from increased exposure, TV ratings, merchandise sales, and more international viewership. Since his arrival, Messi helped Inter Miami win its first trophy just a few weeks after joining the team. In his first 11 games with Inter Miami, the team won 10 and tied 1. In those games, Messi scored 11 goals and recorded 8 assists. With those numbers, it’s inevitable to not garner global attention.
- Boost in attendance: Messi’s presence in MLS stadiums has increased attendance numbers. Every stadium where Messi has played has sold out. Fans (casual and hard-core) are eager to see one of the world’s best players in action. His participation in games has resulted in increased ticket sales (527% increase in prices) and higher game-day revenues.
- Television (Apple tv) ratings and subscriptions: Inter Miami matches have experienced an exponential boost in television ratings. MLS Season Pass, which is Apple’s streaming package that broadcasts soccer matches, experienced a 1690% increase in sign-ups the day Messi first played for his new club. Broadcasters are excited to showcase Messi’s skills (in multiple languages) and MLS’ TV deals are becoming more lucrative abroad. Higher ratings have inevitably attracted more advertisers and sponsors.
- Enhanced brand value: Messi’s arrival to the league has elevated its brand value and prestige. It’s now very common to see celebrities in attendance whenever Messi plays. He has not done it alone though, former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba joined Inter Miami which only continued to elevate the club’s AND the league’s value. Inter Miami’s worth prior to Messi’s arrival was $575 million. As of September 15th, that value is now near $1 billion and estimated to be in the range of $1.3 to $1.5 billion in 2024.
- Financial impact: While the signing of Messi required a significant financial investment -he earns an estimated $50 – $60 million annually-, his signing has led to an exponential overall revenue for the league. ESPN reported that in the first 24 hours of Messi jersey sales, it was the best 24 hours of any player’s changing teams across all sports. Messi’s Inter Miami jerseys were conveniently out of stock until a couple of days ago, they are currently priced at $180 each. Sponsorship deals, merchandise sales, and international interest have generated additional income enabling MLS to potentially reinvest in infrastructure, youth development, and player salaries making the league even more attractive and financially competitive with top continental leagues such as Liga MX and Campeonato Brasileiro.
- Player development and competition: Messi’s presence serves as a tremendous opportunity for young MLS players. Training and competing alongside one of the best players in the world has elevated the level of play of those around him (ex. Campana, Cremaschi, Allen, etc.). Elevating the competitive level of his teammates and opponents can gradually contribute to the overall development of domestic talent; thus improving the leagues’ competitiveness and who knows, maybe the US national team pool. Prior to Messi’s arrival, Inter Miami had only won 10/28 games, drawn 3 and lost 15. They were in last place and now, they are fighting for a playoff spot with a few games remaining in the season.
Unfortunately, not all the Messi effect’s and influence has had a positive effect on fans. See, I was refereeing this past weekend when out of the corner of my eye, I spot a soccer parent walking down the experts’ sideline trying to get his son’s attention while the match is going on. Once, he succeeded, he instructs his son, who at the time was playing as a forward, to forget about playing defense and play like Messi. We, other parents and myself, were all puzzled when the following emanated from his mouth: “Don’t defend anymore, just stay up and wait for the ball to come to you; only run when the ball is 5 feet away from you; that’s how Messi plays and he is successful at it”. The kid incredulous heeded his father’s instructions the remaining of the match.
Needless to say, his son’s team ended up losing the game badly as they practically played down a player and the son never touched the ball again in the match. Moral of the story, be careful instructing your children with stuff you see on TV without the proper knowledge, context and background. Sometimes, in an effort to help our kids, we prevent them from progressing. This supportive father, imparted some useful wisdom onto his son that ended up serving a completely unintended effect on his son (and his team) in part thanks to the “Messi effect”.
Keep in mind that there’s only one Messi, and as simple as the game is, his greatness stems from making the simple game look even simpler. The “Messi effect” will gradually fade and we will be left with his legacy. For now, enjoy him while you can and if you are planning to watch him live, remember to not pay the exuberant ticket prices unless you are certain he will be playing. See below what some fans played for the Orlando vs Miami game last Sunday and Messi, Jordi, and Busquets did not play.
Part of the reason the ex-Barcelona trio did not play against Orlando was strategic. They need to rest for their Lamar Hunt US Open Cup championship match tomorrow night. That game, prior to Messi’s MLS arrival, would have taken place with little fanfare. Tomorrow, all the spotlights will be on Inter Miami, especially if Messi plays.
The opponent for that game will be Houston Dynamo and if Inter Miami is victorious, it could be Messi’s second trophy in the last 8 weeks. Stay tuned as he, and teammates, continue to shape up the “Messi effect” on MLS. Until next time, #theGomezway
#TheGomezway 