Average ticket prices for Inter Miami’s matches have experienced a significant increase of approximately 500% since Lionel Messi signed with the team. MLS fans are rushing to secure tickets to witness the highly anticipated league debut of one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
According to data from TicketiQ, the average ticket price for Inter Miami home matches during the upcoming season has skyrocketed by 459%, rising from $152 to $850. Furthermore, tickets for Miami’s next seven away matches have increased by 558%. The cheapest tickets for Messi’s debut match against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup start at $314, with an average ticket price of $1,294. The most expensive front row midfield seats are being sold for an astounding $23,737.
TickPick, another ticket platform, states that the get-in price for the match is $325, representing an increase of over 1020% since Messi’s announcement to join the MLS. The get-in prices for Messi’s first away match against FC Cincinnati on August 23 are selling for $423, while the average ticket price for that match is slightly lower at $830 compared to the Cruz Azul match.
Jorge Mas, the co-owner of Inter Miami, revealed that Messi will be earning between $50 million and $60 million per year in his two-and-a-half-year contract with the team. This information was shared in an interview with Spanish outlet El Pais.
Messi’s arrival has had a significant impact on ticket prices in Miami. Last month, he made his first appearance at Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium in front of a sold-out crowd of approximately 20,000 fans who stood in the rain to witness his debut.
Messi’s decision to join Inter Miami surprised many, as he had been rumored to return to Barcelona, re-sign with Paris Saint-Germain, or follow his longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal. In his first statement after the move, Messi stated that his decision was not influenced by money and that if it were, he would have gone to Saudi Arabia or another place. He had received an offer from Al-Hilal reported to be around $300 million.
Throughout his career, Messi has earned an estimated $1.28 billion through on-field contracts and endorsement deals. Forbes calculates his earnings last year to be approximately $130 million, making him the world’s second-highest-paid athlete after Ronaldo.
For more information, you can read the articles 'America’s Number 10': Lionel Messi Welcomed To Inter Miami In Lavish Unveiling Ceremony and 'Not Because Of Money': Lionel Messi Picks Inter Miami Over Saudi Mega-Deal, Barcelona Reunion.