Lionel Messi, along with his family, has arrived in Florida, USA on a private jet and is set to make his debut for Inter Miami on July 16, much to the excitement of fans.
A recent video shared by ESPN showed Messi and his family landing at Fort Lauderdale airport early on July 12, marking the end of his summer vacation and the start of his new life in Florida, just a few days before his official media launch on July 16.
Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami has caused seismic waves in the US professional league (MLS), surpassing what the team’s president, the legendary David Beckham, accomplished in 2007.
As a result, Inter Miami’s Instagram following has reached 8.6 million, making it the only football club to feature in the top 5 most followed sports teams in the US, after basketball teams like Golden State Warriors, LA Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Chicago Bulls.
Sales of Inter Miami merchandise have also skyrocketed, increasing by 4,500%, while demand for tickets to watch the team play has risen by 1,200%. Despite the dramatic increase in ticket prices, all tickets to Inter Miami’s home and away matches this season have been sold out, with fans willing to spend anywhere from $300 to $3,500/ticket depending on seating position and match attractiveness to watch Messi play.
Previously, tickets to matches typically ranged from $30 to $100/ticket. For example, ticket prices to watch Messi’s debut against Cruz Azul on July 21 have reached $329 (for the lowest-class seats), while tickets to the Inter Miami match against the New York Red Bulls have surged from $30 to $401.