Lionel Messi Has Increased Ticket Prices For Inter Miami Home Opener By 1885%

Getting into Inter Miami’s home opener versus L.A. Galaxy is going to cost soccer fans more than they bargained for this time around. The cheapest tickets for Inter Miami’s home opener have surged by 1885% in 2024 thanks to the addition of Lionel Messi. Last season, Inter Miami’s home opener had a get-in price of just $7 but that number has jumped to $139, according to TickPick.

Inter Miami will host the Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in California on Sunday, February 25th. Messi and Inter Miami kicked off the season with a 2-0 victory on the road versus Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night.

Thanks in large part to Messi’s presence, the MLS set a record for overall attendance last season and is expected to set the bar even higher in 2024. Over 10.9 million fans attended MLS games last year with the average attendance reaching 22,111, the most ever. There were seven games with over 60,000 fans, including 82,000 fans at the Rose Bowl for El Tráfico.

Expectations Are Sky High For Inter Miami

Expectations are sky-high for Inter Miami and for good reason. Last year, Messi had 11 goals in 14 matches with Inter Miami and led the team to its first-ever trophy in the Leagues Cup. This season, Messi will be joined on the pitch by former teammate Luis Suarez, along with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Suddenly, Inter Miami is favored to win the MLS Cup in 2024.

Even MLS Commissioner Don Garber is rooting for Inter Miami’s experiment to succeed. “I think the eyes of the world are on Inter Miami, and I’m hoping that they’re able to deliver on that and whatever expectations people have,” said Garber at Wednesday’s match. “Mostly, I’d just like his experience to be good, the experience of the team to be successful, how they’re positioned both here in the league but also around the world. That’s the story that I think is most important to us.”

Messi Helps Inter Miami Valuation Climb Over $1 Billion

Even if it doesn’t work on the pitch, the excitement that Inter Miami has generated by signing Messi has already paid off big time.

In 2022, Inter Miami generated just $56 million in revenues but that mark is projected to just to over $200 million in 2024, an increase of 257%. Crossing the $200 million mark would also represent a new MLS record. As a result, the team’s most recent valuation has also climbed to record heights. This year, Inter Miami is valued at $1.03 billion, up 72% from its $600 million valuation in 2023. That means Inter Miami is now more valuable than Premier League clubs like West Ham United, Everton, Newcastle United, and Aston Villa.