SPORTBIZ Miami Special - July 11th-13th. Includes MLS growth and the Messi-Inter Miami showcase

Miami is the newest and one of the most powerful capital of world sport. The city has been catalyzing many financial investments from other US regions, and is a key market today.

Today's post is more than special! On the 11th, 12th and 13th of July, during the Copa America finals, the international congress SPORTBIZ Miami will be held.

For this reason, today´s analysis is a deep and exclusive material about the Major League Soccer growth and the Messi-Inter Miami showcase.

About SPORTBIZ Miami

The SPORTBIZ Miami International Sports Business Congress will be held on July 11th, 12th and 13th, during the Copa America finals. The venue is the Florida International University.

The event will be attended by important names in the global sports industry. The casting is a dream team style! 

Here's all the information.

Here's the event teaser.

An event that already has 25 editions, held in 12 countries, lands for the first time in the USA and is organized by Good Morning Sports and Laugh Sports.

Sports Value is a partner and our followers have a 20% discount on access to the event, whether in remote or on-site format.

 Here to purchase tickets.

Just use the code SPORTSVALUE20 in the promocode space. On Monday will finish early bird price.

MLS growth and the Messi-Inter Miami showcase

The U.S. soccer league , the MLS, is experiencing the best moment of its existence, with the highest revenue and value in history.

The league revenues reached US$ 2.03 billion, for the first time, according to Sportico

In the rhythm of SportBiz Miami this article explaining the reasons for this incredible development, in such a short time.

And the impact on Messi's arrival, on the explosion of Inter Miami's value and revenues.

MLS increase

The global soccer market has been witnessing for some years the rise of a solid and very prosperous market, soccer in the United States.

In terms of revenue and valuation, MLS is already the most important league outside of Europe, getting closer and closer to France's Ligue 1.

According to data from Sportico, the 29 MLS teams combined are worth US$ 20 billion. Their combined revenues surpassed the US$ 2 billion barrier for the first time in 2023.

The new streaming deal with Apple TV boosted revenue and business size. Apple will pay a minimum of US$ 250 million per season.

Previously, MLS earned around US$ 100 million a year from its broadcasts. Today the MLS brings in many more resources in commercial and gameday terms, than with broadcasts. Differently from other leagues.

MLS- Revenues US$ M

The broadcast rights comparision with the European leagues, and even Brazil's Serie A, prove that there is a lot of space to grow.

Broadcast Rights Revenue Leagues - US$ Million

Highest revenues in MLS 2023– US$ million

One of the key points for the economic success of MLS was its commercial development. Sponsorship, licensing, product sales and different services helped to expand the commercial teams ‘income.

According to data from Sponsor United, MLS in 2023 presented sponsorship/marketing revenues of US$ 677 million. In the value are the global sponsorships of the league and the teams.

Commercial Revenues – Football Leagues – US$ Million

One of the highlights of MLS's development was the franchises valuations. Nowadays to open a new team the investor needs to put more than US$ 500 million, a value unimaginable 10 years ago.

Current data from the teams shows a combined value of US$ 19.7 billion in valuation, compared to US$ 16.3 billion in 2022, a 21% increase. Before the pandemic, in 2019 they were worth about US$ 8.3 billion.

Valuation MLS- US$ billion

Inter Miami/Messi´s showcase

Lionel Messi's arrival at Inter Miami CF was a real tsunami, with knock-on impacts for the soccer industry in the U.S.

The Argentine generated impact in so many ways that he can already be considered a phenomenon.

Messi has annual earnings of about US$ 55 million, between fixed payments and participation in the businesses. The salary alone represents the highest in the MLS history, US$ 20 million per year.

On the other hand, the value of the franchise skyrocketed and positioned Inter Miami among the largest in America.

In the first months, since his arrival in Miami, more than 500K pink crack jerseys had already been sold.

Inter Miami was the great beneficiary of Messi's arrival in the United States. The franchise that generated revenues of US$ 45 million in 2021 and US$ 55 million in 2022, saw its numbers go by for current US$ 127 million.

That was all very impacted by the arrival of the GOAT.

Inter Miami Revenues- US$ million

The revenue increased was an impressive 131%, never has that happened so quickly for a franchise.

Inter Miami's calculations are to reach US$ 200 million in revenues in 2024, which would represent another impressive increase of 57%.

In terms of valuation, the impact was 74% growth. The franchise was valued by Sportico for US$ 585 million in 2022 and jumped to US$ 1.02 billion in 2023.

If it reaches the annual revenue of US$ 200 million, it will position itself as the most valuable in the league very soon.

Nowadys Inter Miami is the 3rd. US team with more social media followers.

Messi's impact transcended his club, and it impacted all teams. The prices of tickets to watch the Argentine rose a lot.

Another very favorable point on a national scale was the increase in audiences and more people consuming the league.

Inter Miami Valuation- US$ M

Highest Valuation in MLS 2023– US$ million