The imminent arrival of star player Lionel Messi at Inter Miami CF is already having an impact on Major League Soccer (MLS), particularly ticket prices for games involving his new team.
On Wednesday, specialized ticket sales app TickPick demonstrated the ripple effect using a few examples.
Hours before the announcement of the 35-year-old forward’s arrival, the cheapest ticket for the August 26 game between Inter Miami and the New York Red Bulls was sold at their stadium for $30. The price then exploded and now you have to shell out at least $401.
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Sports website The Athletic claimed that Messi’s first game with his new club would be the League Cup against Mexican side Cruz Azul on July 21. The reserve ticket price for this game at Lockhart Stadium went from $29 to $329 in minutes.
Unfortunately for Messi fans in Quebec, CF Montreal won’t host Inter Miami CF until the end of this season. However, it is still possible for the two clubs to face off in the playoffs.
An influence on social networks
The Argentine’s arrival at the Miami team was also felt on social media.
Sports marketing expert Joe Pompliano reported Thursday that the Florida-based organization gained more than 4.2 million Instagram followers in 24 hours.
Inter Miami CF now has more Instagram followers than any other team in the NHL, MLB, NFL and MLS.