The Messi Effect: Inter Miami Ticket Sales Soar

Lionel Messi’s recent move to MLS football club Inter Miami has seen ticket sales and prices soar as US fans prepare for one of the game’s greatest ever players to join the league.

After departing Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent, Messi is set to become a Miami player on 5^th July, when the league’s secondary transfer window opens.

Messi’s first game with the team could reportedly be on 21^st July when Inter Miami hosts Cruz Azul in its Leagues Cup opener in Fort Lauderdale.

The incredible uptick in demand demonstrated by surge in sales and jump in average ticket price (ATP), since the announcement.

Since the signing of the announcement, cumulative sales for Inter Miami’s games beginning in July 2023 until end of the season increased nearly 28x, with the team’s cumulative 2023 season sales doubling.

Cumulative number of tickets sold for Inter Miami saw a 25% increase, with games after July 2023 having already sold as many tickets as the entire 2022 season, compared to this time last year.

Average price of tickets sold for Inter Miami’s games from July onwards have seen a 4.5x jump, with the season-wide ATP nearly tripling.

The impact of the Argentina World Cup winner is not just set to impact Inter Miami, but influence ticket sales across the MLS.

Messi is sure to draw eyeballs at away games too. Inter Miami’s visit to Los Angeles FC (LAFC) at the  70,240-capacity SoFi stadium on 4^th September has moved from the 15^th highest-selling event of the LAFC season to the 2^nd highest event in the team’s season, behind an event that already took place, and is on track to easily be the number one event of the LAFC season.

Commenting on the uplift, Cris Miller, Global Managing Director, of ticket exchange platform viagogo, said, “Ticket sales are showing that the Messi Effect has gripped Miami and is spreading fast throughout the US.

“Big name transfers often cause an immediate rush for fans to see their new star in action and that’s happening with a 28-times increase in sales for Inter Miami’s July matches – and in fact games from that month onwards have sold as many tickets on our platform as the whole of last season.

“But Messi’s imminent arrival has already had a wider reaching impact, similar to when David Beckham signed for LA Galaxy back in 2007.

“We’ve seen ticket sales for the MLS as a whole increase [on viagogo]. For example, Los Angeles FC against Inter Miami in September has seen demand increased by a factor of 16 since the announcement.

“The timing really couldn’t be better for soccer in the US, with the FIFA World Cup coming in 2026.”