How was Lionel Messi's deal with Inter Miami done? Check out Three keys to his MLS signing

Lionel Messi took the footballing world by storm on Wednesday night by announcing the David Beckham-owned Inter Miami as his next destination. Speaking to Spanish media outlets Mundo Deportivo and Sport, the Argentinian great revealed his decision, saying he was not able to return to Barcelona. This came after months of speculations about the FIFA World Cup 2022-winning captain opting for a move to Saudi Arabia on a lucrative deal.

Interestingly, Messi seemed to have chosen Inter Miami over money from Saudi and memories from Barca. Having said that, here’s a look at the possible reasons behind the 35-year-old’s stunning move to the US. As per Marca, a report by The Athletic revealed three keys to Lionel Messi’s MLS signing. 

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Lionel Messi to share MLS Season Pass profits

The report claims MLS and Apple offered Messi a deal that will see him share the profits generated by new subscribers to the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+. MLS entered an agreement with Apple, allowing the tech giant to stream all league games on a global scale for 10 years on Apple TV+. The agreement was signed for a decade in 2022 in exchange for USD 250 million per season.

The MLS Season Pass is available at a price of USD 14.99/month or USD 99/year. The cost drops for Apple TV+ subscribers, who need to pay USD 12.99/month and USD 79 for the whole year. It is worth noting that a basic Netflix account without ads is priced at USD 9.99 in the US.

Adidas continues its association with Lionel Messi

Adidas has reportedly offered to share a portion of the profits generated from Messi’s arrival in the Major League Soccer in merchandising sales. Adidas have been a sponsor for the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner since he was a youngster. Moreover, the clothing brand dresses all 29 teams in the MLS.

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Docu-series by Apple TV+ on Lionel Messi’s FIFA World Cup run

Apple TV+ announced a documentary series on the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner on Tuesday. The much-anticipated series will feature four episodes and will focus on Messi’s run at the FIFA World Cup. He led Argentina to their first WC title since 1986 in November last year.