July Season Pass Purchases Increase 7-Fold Compared to Previous Month
Tim Cook "Subscribers Exceed Expectations... Messi's Help"
World-renowned soccer star Lionel Messi, known as the "God of Soccer," is drawing attention to Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States, and Apple is reaping significant benefits from this. Compared to Europe or Asia, where soccer has traditionally been more popular, the partnership between Messi and Apple appears to be yielding results early on in the relatively soccer-uninterested U.S. market.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 5th (local time), citing subscription service analytics firm Antenna, that the number of U.S. subscribers to MLS 2023 season on Apple’s online streaming service Apple TV+ increased by as many as 110,000 on July 21.
Messi made his debut on July 21, wearing the uniform of Inter Miami, an MLS team. Entering as a substitute in the second half, Messi scored the winning goal from a free kick in the 49th minute of the second half when the score was tied 1-1, thrilling fans.
Apple signed a contract worth at least $2.5 billion with MLS last year, securing exclusive global streaming rights for all MLS matches for 10 years. Currently, Apple TV+ sells MLS season passes separately from the $6.99 monthly subscription fee in the U.S.
On July 20, the day before Messi’s debut, only 6,143 MLS season passes were sold on Apple TV+. The sudden surge in MLS season pass purchases on the day Messi played his first game in the U.S. suggests strong viewer demand to watch Messi’s matches.
Jonathan Carson, CEO of Antenna, said, "There is only one Lionel Messi, and this is a very important moment for U.S. soccer," adding, "It’s natural for sports fans to be drawn to a star, but this is the first time we’ve seen such a dramatic spike in subscriber numbers."
The number of viewers purchasing MLS season passes jumped about sevenfold from 37,987 on June 1 to 288,101 on July 7 after Messi joined. Since his debut on July 21, Messi has recorded attacking points in nine consecutive matches (11 goals and 3 assists), playing a key role in leading his team to win the Leagues Cup.
During Apple’s earnings announcement last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook also acknowledged the Apple TV+ subscription status, saying, "It is exceeding market expectations," and admitted, "Messi joining Inter Miami has helped to some extent."
Anticipating such success, Messi signed a contract with Apple when he chose to move to the U.S. in June, sharing revenue from new subscribers. The more season pass subscribers increase, the more Messi’s earnings grow.
As the Messi fever sweeps through the U.S., where soccer is a less popular sport, ticket prices for some matches he plays in have surged by more than 1700%. Uniform sales have also skyrocketed, with jerseys bearing Messi’s name becoming scarce. Some predict that Inter Miami’s revenue could quadruple in two years following Messi’s acquisition.
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