Lionel Messi Accelerates Apple’s Plan to Enter South America as Inter Miami Projects $200 Million Boost

Lionel Messi has had a massive impact on soccer following his arrival in the United States. La Pulga’s move across the ocean has also profited his partners. Notably, Adidas and Apple, who played a critical role in his move to Miami, have benefited from the player’s transfer. With things going their way, Apple is ready to upscale into the South American market, with Inter Miami expecting a $200 million boost.

The Argentine moving to the David Beckham-owned Inter Miami reversed the club’s fortunes. According to the chief business officer of the franchise, the team’s revenue took a drastic hit. They also raked in massive profits from ticket sales, almost two-folding their existing prices for the upcoming season.

Apple looks to expand to South America following the impact of Lionel Messi

The Argentine superstar has completely transformed MLS following his move to the league. The player’s addition to the league has produced picture-perfect profits for its broadcasters. Apple TV, the home of MLS, has seen a staggering growth in viewership following Messi’s arrival.

Apple senior vice president of services Eddy Cue talked about La Pulga’s impact following his arrival in the United States. Cue stated the player has attracted fans across the seas, with over a million people tuning in to see the player with Apple’s MLS Season Pass.

Cue stated, “More than 1 million people watched Messi’s games live, regular season and Leagues Cup games, which is amazing when you compare it to other sports, leaving out NFL and college football.”

He added, “This was our first season, and we wanted to make sure we gave MLS fans we had here in the U.S. the best experience in the world, the ability with one click to watch all MLS matches with no blackouts. We thought we wouldn’t grow internationally until later, and obviously, we’ve accelerated that, given Messi.”

Inter Miami is doing its best to capitalize on the Argentine’s move. The team recently announced their ticket prices for the upcoming season, which might leave fans a little loose on their wallets.

READ MORE: Marcelo Recalls Lionel Messi Giving Him ‘Hell’ During 2017 El Clasico – “It Would Become Very Difficult”

Inter Miami ticket prices witness a titanic hike

The club has done its best to capitalize on La Pulga’s arrival. According to a report published by the Miami Herald last month, the club has almost doubled its prevailing ticket prices.

Based on the report, the cheapest tickets at Inter Miami were going for $28.52 per game at the DNV Park Stadium. Nonetheless, the forthcoming season has experienced a notable rise in prices, reaching an astounding $52. Similarly, the reserved suites that were available for $22,000 and above have now touched the price tag of $46,000.

The latest Noche d’Or celebratory event to honor Lionel Messi’s 8th Ballon d’Or win might have set the tone for the upcoming season. They registered the cheapest ticket for the event at $82, which is a record at the DNV Park Stadium.

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