The signing of Lionel Messi to Inter Miami in 2023 increased the franchise’s value to heights never seen before in Major League Soccer.

Since Lionel Messi arrived in the US, MLS and Inter Miami have seen tremendous success. His signing has caused the Herons’ popularity to skyrocket. With the club attaining an unbelievable assessment before the start of the new season, the financial statistics have also increased.

The average franchise value in Major League Soccer is already approaching $700 million. This means that Inter Miami is not the only team that has profited in the last few months.

The legendary Argentine striker won his first game with a spectacular free-kick against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup. On the heels of it, he had a sensational debut, making 14 appearances and contributing five goals and eleven assists.

Messi was instrumental with Inter Miami in its triumph in the Leagues Cup, the team’s first trophy ever. Furthermore, they made a valiant effort to secure a playoff position in MLS. Inter Miami fell short, but it was a successful season given the fact Messi arrived when the club was near last in MLS.

With Messi, what do experts value Inter Miami at?

Miami has since added several star players to their roster in the hopes of dominating Major League Soccer this season. At the DRV PNK stadium, former Barcelona player Luis Suarez reunited with his Blaugrana colleagues.  

They want to be a part of the Florida team’s first league championship this year. Regardless, David Beckham has struck gold with the signing of Lionel Messi. With the team’s amazing statistics across all areas, the Herons have seen a stratospheric surge in popularity.

Inter Miami is now the third most valuable team in Major League Soccer. The Florida side has seen a meteoric rise in income from $55 million to $127 million. Also, In the most recent edition of Sportico‘s valuation rankings, the Florida team finally breaks above the $1 billion barrier.

Thus, the value of the brand has increased by an astounding 74 percent after the Argentine’s highly acclaimed arrival last season.

Among American clubs’ values, Los Angeles FC has the highest at $1.15 billion. Second place goes to Atlanta United, whose net value is $1.05 billion. They are closely followed by Inter Miami and LA Galaxy, who are both within a few decimals of each other.

Influence goes way beyond pitch

The signing of Lionel Messi has been a game-changer for the Miami club in more ways than one. The squad has racked up a huge sum thanks to the sponsorship agreements they have inked. For example, the club signed a new shirt sponsorship deal with cruise line Royal Caribbean. However, there was no information on the money exchanged in that deal.

The Messi effect has also propelled Miami’s jersey to the top of the North American sales charts. It has even overtaken the long-established European powerhouses. Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham experienced the excitement when Messi jerseys broke sales records. The Englishman had trouble getting one at first, too, despite his fame.

With Messi’s first full season coming up in 2024, Inter Miami and its partners are prepared to accommodate the unprecedented demand for the next ‘Messi 10’ shirt.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.