- Word of Lionel Messi joining MLS club Inter Miami is seeing its ticket prices leap ten-fold.
- The cheapest prices for one of its big matches in September is already $624 on TicketIQ.
Soccer legend Lionel Messi put his star power on display this week when news of his move to the US sent ticket prices through the roof.
The 35-year-old announced on Wednesday that he's set to join Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, turning down his old club, FC Barcelona, and a reported $300 million-per-year deal in Saudi Arabia.
Messi's agreement with Inter Miami has yet to be finalized, according to MLS. But the news is already bringing the club's ticket prices up by more than 1000% for some matches.
Tickets for Inter Miami's July 21 game against Cruz Azul used to sell for $29, but are now $329, per TickPick.
—TickPick (@TickPick) June 7, 2023
On VividSeats, the cheapest ticket for the same game is now priced at $466. Stadium seats for earlier games, like Inter Miami's June 24 match against Philadelphia Union, go for as cheap as $79 on VividSeats.
And the cheapest tickets for Inter Miami's September 3 game against MLS champions Los Angeles FC now cost $624 on TicketIQ, up from $81.
Fans don't even know when Messi will start playing for his new club.
"I have made the decision that I am going to Miami. I still don't have it agreed upon 100%, and a few things are needed, but, well, we decided to continue my path there," Messi told the Spanish media outlet Mundo Deportivo.
The seven-time world player of the year is in talks to receive a share from the MLS Season Pass TV subscription from Apple, and he might sign a profit-sharing deal with Adidas where he gets a cut from MLS-related sales.
It's not clear exactly how much Messi, who earned $130 million last year, will be paid for moving to Inter Miami.
His rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, signed an up to $200 million-per-year contract with Saudi Arabia in January.