Once there was Pelé, a deity of football, whose s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s were so divine that he captivated hearts in every corner of the world, even in the lands where the game is called soccer. It always seemed impossible for anyone to claim the throne of the king as he stood atop his throne. But then came the little boy from Rosario Argentina, to step foot in the unbreakable monarch. Athletes will come and go, but what Lionel Messi has achieved in his 35-year-long career will highly likely be matched by anyone. He has completely transformed the entire game during his vast and enchanting career. And finally, he is now ready to play on American soil.
There isn’t a single soccer club in the world that does not covet Messi in its roster. After declining a whopping 1.6 billion dollar deal with a Saudi-based club, Al-Hilal, the GOAT of soccer joined Inter Miami, a professional soccer club based in Florida. This unbelievable move has already started seeing its effects in the US sports industry. But how does it compare with American football stars like Patrick Mahomes?
The Lionel Messi Effect
There were only a few people who still hoped for Messi to play in Major League Soccer (MLS) as it can not compete with the vast European league or the lucrative deals the Middle Eastern clubs are willing to pay. It was nothing but a fantasy for the American soccer fans. But David Beckham owned, Inter Miami, shocked the whole world and made it happen. The aftermath of the signing was very expected. The ticket prices of the club have already seen a staggering 1500% rise. So it has to be asked if Mahomes has finally met his match.
This is not the first time the US sports industry has witnessed this much hype in ticket sales. Super Bowl tickets are still one of the most expensive tickets in the world. But it has still witnessed an incredible rise this year. Mahomes’ incredible performance for the past few seasons has had an incredible effect on ticket sales.
When the 2X MVP reached the finale to face one of the most ruthless QB in the league, Jalen Hurts, the fans were all out to witness the faceoff. The ticket prices saw a 30% rise to an average of $8800 for a single ticket, which destroys soccer ticket prices by a landslide. However, before dismissing the football team and laughing it off, there are still important factors to take into account.
Soccer still has a chance to go head-to-head with the NFL
Soccer isn’t fairly new in the US, but it’s definitely unpopular among other sports. But the US has still managed to appear in the World Cup a whopping 11 times. After missing the World Cup in 2018, the team managed to appear in the World Cup just last year, which had a whopping 550 million viewers. It is way higher compared to the NFL‘s average viewership of 115 million. Moreover, soccer fans are growing massively in the country, and now it is high time for sports fans as they have the GOAT of soccer playing in a US-based club.
Lionel Messi has always turned the corner when it comes to soccer. He has managed to achieve the most incredible feat as a footballer and won the World Cup last year, playing for the Argentinian team. He has an unbelievable influence over his fans and it is just a matter of time before the jersey sales of his new team see a rise. It is very much certain that we will get to witness several changes in the US sports industry very soon. Lastly, it is also very unfair to compare the two sports, as they are completely different, and it is also highly likely that the NFL will ever be affected by soccer.
Source: essentiallysports.com
