MLS Season Pass Subscriptions for Apple TV Double Following Messi’s Move to US

Since Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the greatest soccer player of his generation and potentially the best ever, joined Inter Miami a few weeks ago, ticket prices for their games have significantly increased. Additionally, the number of subscriptions to Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass has more than doubled since the renowned player began his career in the US in July.

That’s what Jorge Mas, one of the owners of Inter Miami, says. Mas added that “Spanish-language viewership for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV has exceeded 50 percent for Messi matches and continues to rise,” underscoring the player’s popularity in the Spanish-speaking community. Apple CEO Tim Cook retweeted Masi’s comments, proving that Masi’s claims are genuine (Apple’s PR team has also drawn attention to the tweet).

The company has not revealed how many subscribers the service has, although reports in July suggested the number was close to a million before Messi’s arrival. Either way, Apple is apparently pleased with Messi’s impact on the MLS Season Pass.

“For MLS, we couldn’t be happier with how the partnership is going,” Cook said on Apple’s earnings call last week. “It’s obviously early days, but we’re exceeding our expectations in terms of takers, and Messi going to Inter Miami helped us a little bit there. And that’s why we’re very excited.”

Apple, which dropped the subscription price from $99 to $49 in the second half of the season, is said to be paying $250 million a year for MLS broadcast rights. Messi is reportedly taking a cut of revenue from new MLS Season Pass subscribers as part of his deal with Inter Miami.

Messi has hit the ground in Miami. He has seven goals and three assists in four games, all won by Miami. Before he joined the team, Miami was on an 11-game winless streak.

Even though Messi is 36 years old, when most footballers are ending their careers, Messi is still going strong. He led Argentina to the game’s biggest triumph, the World Cup, last December and helped PSG win back-to-back French league titles before moving to the United States. As a result, Messi is the overwhelming favorite to win the Ballon d’Or, arguably football’s most prestigious individual award, for a record eighth time.