Lionel Messi’s “impact on Major League Soccer” was among the many topics discussed at this year’s Soccerex conference, where “more than 2,000 soccer industry movers and shakers from 80 countries gathered,” according to Michelle Kaufman of the MIAMI HERALD. MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Apple SVP/Services Eddy Cue said that “more than 1 million people tuned into Messi’s games” on Apple’s MLS Season Pass. Cue said that Apple “saw significant spikes in MLS Season Pass subscriptions in Argentina and Brazil” after Messi joined the league and in Mexico “before and during the Leagues Cup.” He added that by the end of summer, Apple saw “bumps in viewers from the UK and France and other European countries.” Cue said Apple thought they “wouldn’t grow internationally until later, and obviously, we’ve accelerated that, given Messi.” Inter Miami Chief Business Officer Xavi Asensi said that the club is “projecting $200 million in revenue in 2024, more than triple what it was before Messi’s arrival.” Cue and Garber said that heading into next season, there are “initiatives planned to drive even more viewership outside the United States.” Other topics addressed at the conference were the upcoming 2024 Copa America and 2026 World Cup, both of which will be held in the U.S. Miami-Dade mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Miami mayor Francis Suarez, both “stressed how South Florida has become a key player in the world of soccer.” Kaufman noted that along with Messi’s arrival, FIFA recently opened a headquarters in Coral Gables that will “house 300 employees,” and the CONCACAF headquarters are in downtown Miami (MIAMI HERALD, 11/14).
