Lionel Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami has doubled Apple TV’s MLS season pass subscribers, owner Jorge Mas claims
- It’s unclear exactly how many of these new subscribers paid for the service
- Messi is reportedly set to receive part of the revenue share from new subscriptions
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Lionel Messi’s move to South Florida has increased subscriptions to the Major League Soccer streaming service.
According to Jorge Mas, co-owner of club Inter Miami, Messi’s arrival has more than doubled the number of subscribers to the service – many of whom tune in to watch the matches in Spanish.
“The Messi effect is real!” Mas claimed. “Subscriptions to #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV have more than doubled since Messi joined @InterMiamiCF.”
“Additionally, #MLSSeasonPass Spanish speaking viewership on @AppleTV has surpassed 50% for Messi games and continues to grow.” How exciting for a truly global fan base!’
Apple hasn’t released any stats to back up Mas’s claims.
The arrival of Lionel Messi has boosted Major League Soccer subscriber numbers
Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas says Messi’s move has doubled subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass
Apple hasn’t released any data to back up Mas’ (above) claims
But it wouldn’t be surprising if Mas were telling the truth – considering Messi’s games have been hugely popular since his arrival.
Just before Messi made his debut against Cruz Azul at the end of July, the service had reached almost a million subscribers.
However, that doesn’t mean everyone pays for the service.
One of the main ways to use the service for free is to buy a season ticket to any MLS club. According to WorldSoccerTalk, an estimated 420,000 people are season ticket holders in Major League Soccer.
Additionally, those who have T-Mobile as their carrier – and those who own an LG Smart TV – can get the service for free for a season.
Essentially, it’s not clear how many people have taken advantage of the service through payment — or if they’re one of many who received it as an incentive.
According to multiple reports, Messi is set to receive a share of MLS Season Pass subscription revenue as part of his deal.