In just four years of existence, Inter Miami CF, with a regular-season winning percentage slightly above 41%, has experienced unprecedented popularity. The arrival of Lionel Messi has sparked a frenzy, with the transfer saga, highly anticipated unveiling, impressive Leagues Cup debut, and ongoing dominance, all poised to divide MLS history into the pre-and-post “Pulga” era.
But with the MLS club, Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham expressed his excitement about the bright future of soccer in America. He highlighted the significant growth witnessed over the past 10 to 15 years, emphasizing the immense significance of bringing someone like Messi to Inter Miami, MLS, and America at large.
he presence of the football icon has captured the attention not only of Latin America but the entire world.
Should be 100 rating in our opinion 😏
— 🎮 Major League Soccer | #eMLS (@eMLS) July 31, 2023
The MESSI 99 FUTTIES CARD is finally here🔥🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/jzM6PmfU8P
The news of Lionel Messi joining South Beach’s Inter Miami caused a massive spike in the club’s global popularity, as evident by Google searches, which surged by over 1,200%. Beyond online searches, Messi’s presence is felt in the collectibles market, with eBay reporting a staggering 75% increase in searches for his memorabilia and trading cards globally the following day after the announcement.
The arrival of Lionel Messi has truly turned Inter Miami CF into a global phenomenon, solidifying its place in soccer history and signaling a bright future for soccer in America.
In anticipation of Lionel Messi’s debut with Inter Miami CF, ticket prices on the secondary market skyrocketed by over 1,000%. On July 20, the eve of Messi’s first match, the average ticket price for the Leagues Cup clash against Liga MX’s Cruz Azul reached $712, marking an astounding surge from $122 to $373 since the announcement of Messi joining the club on June 7, according to Vivid Seats.
🗣Steve Cherundolo (LAFC Head Coach ) :
— PSG Chief (@psg_chief) August 2, 2023
"It's wonderful to have the greatest player of all time in our league(MLS). Messi's impact has been immediate both on and off the pitch for Inter Miami. He's still able to control and affect the outcome of games as always" pic.twitter.com/t82gch11iL
Moreover, the arrival of Messi has generated an unprecedented sales boom in team merchandise. Fanatics, the digital sports platform and MLS e-commerce partner, reported selling more Inter Miami gear since the news broke than the total sales of the entire year up to that point in 2023.
Inter Miami became Fanatics’ top-selling MLS club in this period, surpassing their closest rival by 50% in merchandise sales.
The impact of Messi’s presence was particularly evident in jersey sales, with the first 24 hours of his jersey release being the best ever recorded for any player switching teams across all sports. This achievement outpaced notable signings such as Cristiano Ronaldo joining Manchester United in 2021, Tom Brady joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, and LeBron James joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018.
Football is too easy for Lionel Messi … he's ready to play quarterback 😆 pic.twitter.com/1ifADa01TK
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 1, 2023
Inter Miami’s extraordinary merchandise sales continued, with the team remaining Fanatics’ top-selling across all sports from July 17 to July 20. A source from Fanatics highlighted that such a feat for an MLS team was unheard of, emphasizing the unprecedented demand generated by the news of Messi’s arrival.
