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By: Grant Salsman
Lionel Messi has won all there is to win.
He has won six Ballon d’Ors, six Fifa World Player of the Years, and three Champions Leagues. He earned his crowning jewel just last winter after his Argentinian team won the World Cup.
This player, who is arguably the greatest soccer player of all time, announced last week that he is coming to MLS to play for Inter Miami.
There are two questions now: why and how does this affect St. Louis City and Sporting KC?
Breaking: Lionel Messi says he’s going to play for Inter Miami, he told SPORT and Mundo Deportivo. pic.twitter.com/G6j0yNRaMr
— ESPN (@espn) June 7, 2023
The first question is a little bit more complicated than the second. Messi spent his first 17 seasons at FC Barcelona, the club he joined at 13 years old. Unfortunately in 2021, Barcelona could not afford to keep him. There was interest in a return but Messi was quoted saying, “I was dreaming of Barça return, yes; but I was never sure about that happening because I remember very well the story of August 2021, two years ago.”
Messi spent the last two years at PSG, but elected not to renew his contract. Instead he turned down a reported $1.6 billion contract offer from Saudi Arabian club , Al-Hilal, and decided to join MLS’ Inter Miami, a club that is co-owned by former England superstar David Beckham. Messi will make a reported $150 million over a two-and-a-half year contract.
Now what does this mean for St. Louis City and Sporting KC?
They will have the most eyes they have ever had on them when they play Messi and Inter Miami. Since Messi’s announcement, Inter Miami’s Instagram account has grown by over 6 million followers. Miami also travels to St. Louis on July 15, and even though it’s not clear whether or not Messi will be playing on the team by that date, ticket prices have shot to over $400 according to Ticketmaster. The demand to have even a small possibility of seeing one of the best athletes of all time is there and this is a huge chance to get viewership and draw in new fans.
The eyes will be on them and MLS while Messi is in the league, but that will not be forever. Teams and the league need to make sure that they can retain any new fans that they attract after Messi comes and goes.
