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Boardroom is a sports, media and entertainment brand co-founded by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman and focused on the intersection of sports and entertainment. Boardroom’s flagship media arm features premium video/audio, editorial, daily and weekly newsletters, showcasing how athletes, executives, musicians and creators are moving the business world forward. Boardroom’s ecosystem encompasses B2B events and experiences (such as its renowned NBA and WNBA All-Star events) as well as ticketed conferences such as Game Plan in partnership with CNBC. Our advisory arm serves to consult and connect athletes, brands and executives with our broader network and initiatives.

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Sports July 21, 2023
Boardroom Staff

You Can’t Put a Price on the Lionel Messi MLS Experience

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Last Updated: August 21, 2023
The legendary star’s effect on MLS? Instantaneous. Boardroom’s Gabe Oshin breaks down why a $110,000 ticket to Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debut was a pretty good deal.

How much would you pay to see your favorite athlete in action?

Does that figure go up if the game in question marks the first page in a new, unlikely, fascinating professional chapter in an already historic career?

Soccer fans across the United States snatched up tickets to their local MLS matches against Inter Miami FC upon the news that the club had signed Argentinian icon Lionel Messi. However, many shelled out more than they anticipated as ticket prices spiked nearly 500% upon the confirmation of his signing.

Elsewhere, MLS and Inter Miami saw additional evidence of an immediate Messi bump:

  • Every game against Inter Miami sold out, leading to a secondary market spike in ticket prices.
  • Instagram followers lept from 1 million to 8 million in a single week.
  • Apple TV+ viewership was up over 75% week-over-week for his July 25th debut, and overall subscribers also boosted to over 800,000.
  • Inter Miami tickets have outsold the club’s MLS competition by 50% since the move was announced.
Read More on the Messi Effect
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has wasted no time bewitching the landscape of MLS and US soccer at large on and off the field since joining Inter Miami CF.
Check it Out!

Fans and front office folks alike are ponying up a ton of cash to be even a tiny part of Messi’s American breakthrough.

It’s an interesting question: Is a $110,000 ticket to get into the building for Messi’s first-ever Inter Miami appearance actually a better deal than you think?

The market will inevitably decide — but what we already know for certain is that market has never seen a singular force like Lucky Leo.

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Boardroom Staff