The arrival of soccer superstar Leo Messi in America has had a major impact on various aspects of the sport, including ticket prices, apparel sales, and streaming subscriptions. One of the streaming services benefiting from Messi's presence is MLS Season Pass, Apple's streaming package that broadcasts soccer matches. According to analytics firm Antenna, the platform experienced an astounding 1,690% increase in sign-ups on the day Messi debuted for his new team, Inter Miami.
Prior to Messi's arrival, MLS Season Pass had around 6,000 subscription sign-ups. However, on his debut day in the Leagues Cup, the number soared to 110,000 sign-ups. This surge in interest brought about by the "Messi Effect" is considered unique and profound by Antenna. Typically, sport-specific streaming services witness a large portion of sign-ups at the beginning of the season, with gradual additions as the season progresses due to significant games or pricing promotions. In this case, nearly half of all MLS Season Pass sign-ups to date happened in July, after Messi joined the league, demonstrating the immense impact he has had on Major League Soccer.
Interestingly, Antenna's research also reveals that 15% of MLS Season Pass subscribers also have subscriptions to Apple TV+, which is known for its scripted programming like "The Morning Show" and "Ted Lasso." Furthermore, almost half of the new subscribers already had Apple TV+ before adding MLS Season Pass to their subscription. It is worth noting that Antenna's data only includes sign-ups from the US, so it does not fully capture Messi's global appeal.
Apple has not disclosed the exact number of MLS Season Pass subscribers; however, Eddy Cue, Apple's SVP of services, mentioned that the service is performing better than anticipated in terms of subscriptions and viewership. CEO Tim Cook also acknowledged the positive impact of Messi's arrival, stating that it helped boost subscriptions. Messi actively promotes MLS Season Pass on match days by adding a sign-up link on his Instagram stories, likely due to his deal with Inter Miami, which includes a share of the revenue from new subscribers.
Last year, Apple signed a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with MLS to stream matches internationally, marking the tech company's first major sports deal. Messi's signing has undoubtedly increased the value of Apple's media rights deal, and experts believe that the company would have had to pay a higher fee if Messi had been in the league prior to the agreement. Overall, Messi's presence has significantly impacted MLS Season Pass and Apple's streaming platform, demonstrating the power of his global popularity within the world of soccer.