Lionel Messi came off the bench to score on his MLS debut, as Inter Miami secured a 2-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, and lifted them off the bottom of the Eastern Conference, to 14th.
Having played 390 minutes across 4 matches in the last 2 weeks, Miami manager Tata Martino opted to start his Argentine compatriot, Messi and former Barcelona teammate, Sergio Busquets from the bench, to the disappointment of a record crowd of 26,276 fans in the Red Bull Arena.
Chants of “We want Messi!” began in the sixth minute of the game, and continued in the 35th minute with a loud “Mes-si!” “Mes-si!”.
There were loud cheers also, three minutes into the second half when Messi got off the bench for the first time to begin warming up.
It got louder when Messi was subbed-in in the 60th minute, and loudest when he scored in the 89th minute to seal the Miami victory.
This is Messi’s 11th goal in 9 games in all competitions since joining Miami in June. This is Miami’s first League win since May 13 against New England, losing right games and drawing 3 in that time.
They have now gone 9 games unbeaten since Messi joined, and he will be looking to lead them up to the MLS playoff line.
The team’s chances of playoff qualifications remain slim, but not impossible with 11 games to go, and Lionel Messi in the team.
Miami manager, Martino defended his decision to start the 36-year-old on the bench despite the hopes of the ‘Messi crowd’.
- “I understand the desire of the people who want him to play, this will happen everywhere we go,” he said.
- “But as the coach, I cannot be guided by those fans’ desires. My job is to make sure Leo takes care of himself,” he said.
It is easy to see why anyone would fume at the possibility of Messi not playing, after paying an exorbitant price just to catch a glimpse of his greatness.
The average ticket price for Messi’s MLS debut vs. New York Red Bulls rose by almost 1000% since he joined Inter Miami. A year ago, the average Red Bulls ticket sold for $46-$66, but after Messi signed with Inter Miami and over the past month, the average price to see him reached as high as $503.
That’s 48% more expensive than the New York Jets’ home opener ($339) and 67% more expensive than the New York Giants’ home opener ($301), according to TickPick.
Doing it, on and off the pitch
According to Chief Business Officer, Xavier Asensi, Inter Miami CF is projecting $200 million in revenue in 2024. This is more than three times the target before Messi’s arrival.
This projection far exceeds the record single-year revenue of any previous MLS team and positions Inter Miami alongside the world’s highest-earning clubs.
In the 2021-22 season, only 33 teams globally achieved over $200 million in revenue, with Brazil’s Flamengo being the sole representative from the Americas, according to Sportico.
This revenue surge includes ticket sales, as Inter Miami is now the league’s hottest ticket, both for home and away matches, but it also proceeds from longstanding corporate partnerships.
Asensi revealed that Inter Miami had actively sought sponsorships featuring clauses that would increase payments to the team, should they sign a player of Messi’s calibre (a player with multiple Ballon d’Or awards), though the contracts don’t explicitly mention his name.
Among the boosted deals, Inter Miami’s jersey partnership with cryptocurrency platform XBTO, a significant MLS sponsorship agreement, stands out.
However, not all the club’s commercial partnerships follow this model, with Asensi highlighting that the team had been selective in negotiations, turning down some deals that didn’t accommodate this detail.
Inter Miami’s strategic sponsorship approach also includes structuring partnerships to align with the expiration of Messi’s contract in two and a half years.
The team will be in search of a New Jersey partner for the upcoming season, with such partnerships being among the most valuable assets in terms of commercial value.
Last year, Sportico valued Inter Miami at $585 million, ranking it as the 10th most valuable team in the league. The acquisition of Lionel Messi has rapidly transformed the club’s commercial prospects.
Owner Jorge Mas predicts that the club’s valuation could reach $1.3-$1.5 billion next year. The Lionel Messi Effect!
