[News Figures] Jorge Mas, the US Billionaire Who Made the 'Miami Messi' Possible

Messi's Promises Regarding US Pro Soccer Broadcast Revenue
"Helping with Adaptation... Messi Struggles to Find Schools for His Three Children"

On the 17th (local time), the signing ceremony of 'the God of Soccer,' Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, was held at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the home ground of Major League Soccer (MLS) team Inter Miami. Next to Messi were three men dressed in blue shirts and navy suits. They were David Beckham, the owner of Inter Miami and a famous former English footballer, along with co-owners Jorge and Jose Mas, brothers.

American billionaire Jorge Mas is the figure who persuaded Messi to reject Saudi Arabia's 'oil money' and choose to come to the United States. Initially, reports suggested Messi would go to Saudi Arabia with an annual salary offer of $400 million (approximately 506 billion KRW), but in June, the official announcement reversed this, confirming Messi's move to Inter Miami in the U.S.

On the 17th (local time), Jorge Mas, club owner (far left), smiling brightly at the Inter Miami signing ceremony of 'Football God' Lionel Messi (second from left), along with his brother Jose Mas, club owner (third from left), and another club owner David Beckham. Photo by Yonhap News

In an interview with Bloomberg News on the 18th, the day after Messi's signing ceremony, Mas said, "I have a tremendous passion for Inter Miami, MLS, and soccer," adding, "I went all in."

Born in 1963, Mas is the chairman and largest shareholder of MasTec, a Miami-based construction and engineering company. He is the son of Jorge Mas Canosa, a Cuban immigrant who founded MasTec. Having officially acquired the team in 2021, he is focused on revitalizing American professional soccer and improving the team's performance. The three years spent securing Messi were for this very reason.

The official contract period between Messi and Inter Miami runs until 2025. The base salary is $20 million, but including bonuses, it is expected to reach $60 million. Upon retirement, Messi will receive a partial stake in Inter Miami.

Mas revealed that during the persuasion process, he emphasized to Messi the opportunity to transform American soccer. Soccer is relatively less popular in the U.S. compared to American football, baseball, and basketball, but Mas convinced Messi that as a global star, he could elevate the sport's status.

At the same time, to ensure Messi could feel the growth of the American soccer industry through his performance, Mas proposed contract terms involving sharing revenue with Apple TV+, the streaming service holding MLS broadcasting rights, and Adidas, a sponsor.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

In particular, starting this season, Messi will receive revenue from the expansion of overseas accounts on Apple TV+, which holds MLS broadcasting rights for the next ten years. Mas expects 2 million new overseas accounts to be added within 18 months.

Additionally, Mas sees that Inter Miami will gain revenue from ticket and merchandise sales as fans flock to stadiums to see Messi. Economically, the club appears to have already achieved great success. According to the American sports website Sportico, the club's value is estimated to have surged from $585 million last year to $1.5 billion within a year after acquiring Messi.

Mas also emphasized that the MLS league will experience a chain of positive effects simply from Messi's arrival.

Mas used not only economic benefits but also the prospect of a life where Messi could be with his family as a key persuasion point. He highlighted that Miami offers conditions for Messi to enjoy life happily with his family and that the U.S. is closer to Messi's hometown Argentina than Europe, where Messi's main stage had been.

In fact, in an interview with a media outlet last June, when confirming his move to the U.S., Messi said, "I want to leave Europe and step out of the spotlight to think more about my family," adding, "After winning the World Cup and being unable to return to Barcelona, it was time to live differently and enjoy daily life more by going to the American league."

On the 17th (local time), 'Football God' Lionel Messi and his family attended the Inter Miami signing ceremony. [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Since Messi values time with his family, Mas pays close attention to them. Mas said he had difficulties finding schools for Messi's three children. After the pandemic, wealthy immigrants flooded Miami, leaving no vacancies in private schools, which made the search challenging.

Mas said, "We are trying to make sure he adapts as comfortably as possible," and self-assessed, "So far, it seems very good."

Meanwhile, Messi will make his Inter Miami debut on the 21st in the opening match of the Leagues Cup, a combined tournament of MLS and the Mexican league, against Cruz Azul. Foreign media report that fan interest is intense, with ticket prices for this match already exceeding $110,000 following the news of Messi's joining. Veteran midfielder Sergio Busquets, who led the golden era of Spain's Barcelona alongside Messi, will also play for Inter Miami.

However, Inter Miami is a weak team, currently at the bottom among the 15 teams in the MLS Eastern Conference. They have not escaped an 11-game winless streak. Only 12 regular-season games remain, and the gap to the playoff qualification zone is 12 points, so Messi and Busquets are expected to play significant roles.