Shubham Sawarkar
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Lionel Messi’s seamless transition into the Major League Soccer (MLS) arena is not only igniting fervor among sports enthusiasts but also eliciting substantial gains for Apple‘s commercial pursuits. The meteoric rise in ticket prices for Inter Miami matches since Messi hailed as the preeminent soccer luminary of his era and conceivably of all eras, graced the team’s ranks several weeks ago is a testament to his profound impact. In a parallel trajectory, the adoption of Apple TV‘s MLS Season Pass subscriptions has undergone an exponential augmentation, effectively doubling since the revered star commenced his tenure in the US, a feat elucidated by none other than Jorge Mas, a distinguished owner of Inter Miami.
Mas furthermore attests that the viewership of Messi’s matches on the MLS Season Pass, particularly among Spanish-speaking audiences, has surged beyond the 50 percent threshold, underscoring his profound resonance within the Hispanic community. This endorsement of Messi’s transcendent popularity has found resonance in the retweet by Apple’s Chief Executive Officer, Tim Cook, further validated by the proactive amplification of the message by Apple’s Public Relations team.
While precise figures pertaining to the subscribers of the service remain undisclosed, preliminary estimations from July pointed to a nearing figure of one million subscribers prior to Messi’s momentous debut. Regardless of the precise count, it is patently evident that Apple is both gratified and invigorated by Messi’s transformative influence on the MLS Season Pass.
In the words of Cook, during a recent Apple earnings conference call, “We couldn’t be more pleased with the trajectory of our collaboration with MLS. While it is unequivocally early days, our subscriber metrics have transcended our most optimistic projections. The impactful inclusion of Messi in the Inter Miami roster has undoubtedly contributed to our success. We anticipate exciting developments ahead.“
Apple, manifesting its commitment to broadening access to the offering, implemented a strategic reduction in the subscription fee from $99 to $49 for the latter half of the season. Akin to an orchestrated symphony, this endeavor harmonizes with Apple’s substantial investment of $250 million annually in acquiring the broadcast rights for the MLS. In an intriguing intersection, it has emerged that Messi, as part of his contractual arrangement with Inter Miami, participates in a revenue-sharing mechanism with regard to fresh MLS Season Pass subscriptions.
While Messi’s age of 36 often corresponds with a waning phase in most footballers’ careers, his indomitable spirit and prowess continue to resonate. An achievement of singular magnitude was his pivotal role in Argentina’s triumphant conquest of the World Cup last December, preceding his instrumental contributions to Paris Saint-Germain’s consecutive clinching of French league championships before his sojourn to the United States. Consequently, Messi stands as the unambiguous frontrunner for an unprecedented eighth Ballon d’Or, an accolade widely venerated as football’s most prestigious individual honor.
