Lionel Messi is heading to Major League Soccer - and it seems the impact of his impending arrival is already being felt at Inter Miami.
David Beckham has realised his dream of bringing a major superstar to his fledgling franchise, seeing off the likes of the Argentinian icon's former club Barcelona and the Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hillal to the forward's signature. With the World Cup being held in the US in 2026, it is likely that Messi's arrival could have a transformative effect stateside.
After a glittering career in Europe which saw him win an astonishing haul of honours which included 34 trophies in his 17 years at the Camp Nou, his move to Florida is the biggest coup for the MLS in the league's history. A plethora of big names have played in the US before but securing the services of a record seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is a significant milestone for the sport in the US.
Undoubtedly, the impact of Messi's announcement has meant that the intrigue in Beckham's South Beach club has reached fever pitch overnight. If nothing else, the fact that the MLS Eastern Conference franchise's Instagram following has skyrocketed from 1 million up to 4.8 million in less than 24 hours demonstrates how the transfer has captured the imaginations of many around the globe.
It would be fair to suggest that the departing Paris Saint-Germain ace's star power is as strong as any sportsperson the world over and it is already clear that his draw has been felt in terms of ticket sales for MLS fixtures. Even at this early stage, The Athletic reports that prices for tickets to see Inter Miami take on Wayne Rooney's D.C. United away at at Audi Field in their first game after Messi officially becomes an MLS player have gone through the roof on Ticketmaster, with seats having sold in their thousands within hours.
In fact, the surge in interest from the public has been felt throughout the MLS, with Atlanta United set to open the stadium to its full capacity for Messi's arrival to play at the ground in November. The Mercedes Benz Stadium usually draws crowds of around 50,000 for MLS fixtures but a 70,000 sell-out will be expected this winter.
One interesting case in point comes in the form of the Chicago Fire, who had sold around 10,000 tickets for the upcoming clash with Inter Miami in October prior to Messi's announcement. However, by Wednesday afternoon, this figure had increased by some 7,000 and rising.
In addition,a spokesperson told the Athletic that Charlotte FC expect to open the upper bowl of their 74,000 capacity Bank of America Stadium, having sold some 10,000 tickets by Wednesday afternoon. Likewise, when Inter Miami face LAFC, it is likely that the price of a ticket to see the two teams face off, prices for tickets at the BMO Stadium are expected to have increased tenfold, when compared with more routine fixtures.
Messi is expected to play his first game for the Herons in the Leagues Cup against Mexican outfit Cruz Azul on July 21 and it will come as no surprise that tickets for that encounter have sold out. One expects that the World Cup winner will receive nothing short of the rock star treatment from supporters as he travels around the US in the next year.
