How Messi’s Arrival At MLS Doubled Apple TV Subscribers

By Anthony Nlebem.

Lionel Messi‘s arrival at Inter Miami is exactly what the Major League Soccer (MLS) needed as Messi effect brings with global eyes on the U.S. soccer league,  the business and increasing subscribers on Apple TV.

The World Cup winner Messi has already notched in eight goals in five games for his new club Inter Miami.

Messi is already a record holder at Inter Miami despite only playing a handful of games for the club.

Miami were in Leagues Cup action against Charlotte FC on Friday night in the quarter-final. Gerardo Martino’s team recorded a 4-0 win to book their place in the semi-final of the competition.

According to Inter Miami club co-owner Jorge Mas, Messi’s arrival has more than doubled the service’s subscribers, which includes MLS, Leagues Cup, and Campeones Cup – many of whom are tuning in to watch the matches in Spanish.

“The Messi effect is real. MLS Season Pass subscribers on Apple TV doubled since Messi joined Inter Miami. And viewership of Spanish-language broadcasts has surpassed more than 50% for Messi’s matches and continues to grow. Incredible for all fans worldwide!” wrote Inter Milan’s president.

Mas only gave the data of the streaming matches with Messi’s participation although he omitted if the other matches have also been very successful.

Messi’s salary with Inter Miami is $40 million per season; however, there is a bonus in his contract that he will earn part of the Apple TV MLS Season Pass subscriptions.

In addition, Messi has also agreed to create a miniseries on the Qatar 2022 World Cup championship, which Apple is already working on it.

In the US company’s first cash cut at the end of last July, it was reported that it reached 1 million new subscriptions in the MLS Season Pass.

Meanwhile, for those who are not Apple TV+ subscribers and want to watch games just for the MLS season pass, prices are a bit higher and range from $14.99 per month to $49.00 for the entire season.

Even with the signing of Messi in June, Apple TV+ added more than 300 million new subscribers, a further reflection of the weight that the World Cup Champion has had for the future of MLS and also for the brands involved.

According to multiple reports, Messi will receive a share of the revenue generated from subscriptions to MLS Season Pass as part of his contract.