The midget is joining MLS. - Lionel Messi Discussion

[–] GolfnGuitars (2488) a year ago

He's my oldest son's favorite soccer player! 😃

I know you're not crazy about him, but I have to say this...it's a huge signing for MLS. There has been talk for a long time of soccer's increasing popularity here in the U.S. This signing may take it to another level. Even if he's not the player he once was, it won't really matter. He'll be a big draw for MLS, IMO.

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[–] samoanjoes (53431) a year ago

Unfortunately for MLS, this is the first year of their 10 year contract with Apple+ which gives them exclusive rights to broadcast the games league wide. They have limited their viewship and now hardcore Messi fans will have to get Apple+... or watch it illegally.

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[–] GolfnGuitars (2488) a year ago

Yes, good points. My son And I were hoping to watch the Columbus Crew over the weekend (since their games were shown on network TV here) and we saw it was on the Apple streaming. Ridiculous!

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[–] samoanjoes (53431) a year ago

I think it will backfire on MLS. Why would they think that being on Apple+ would have a good viewship reach? And for 10 years?

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[–] capuchin (2844) a year ago

When David Beckham went to the MLS, it was in his contract that he could set up a franchise at a cut price, so I can only assume that when Messi leaves Inter Miami they'll allow him to purchase Florida for a dollar.

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[–] samoanjoes (53431) a year ago

Here's what's it took to get him to get to MLS:

- Salary of 60 million euros per year
- Share of profits from shirt sales
- A share of Adidas’s profits
- A share of the club's ownership after retirement
- Percentage of subscriptions to MLS season pass paid directly by Apple.
- All clubs in MLS contributed financially to allow him to play in the league.

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[–] capuchin (2844) a year ago

I wonder what the package is ultimately worth. Reportedly, he was offered anywhere between $400m and $1b (depending on which source you choose to believe) to go to Saudi Arabia. I'm going to guess that all told the MLS/Apple/Adidas deal will end up being worth somewhere in the same ballpark as whatever he was really offered by the Saudis.

Nice work if you can get it. Shame nobody will be watching though.

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[–] [deleted] a year ago

the mls is much too small for this kind of money.

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[–] capuchin (2844) a year ago

Oh, the money from the MLS won't be worth much. The money from Adidas and Apple will dwarf it though. Those shirt sales will still be international sales for a player such as Messi. And I'm sure there will be other 'off the book' payments too to make it worth his while.

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[–] [deleted] a year ago

apple paid $250 million over 10 years for tv rights. that's $25 million a year. that's divided over 29 teams. not big money when compared to europe.

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[–] capuchin (2844) a year ago

No, tiny. No-one's watching. It's a rubbish league. The TV rights are probably worth less than those for the English third tier.

But once you add up the salary, the shirt sales, the image rights, the club ownership share, the subscription share, and 'off the book' extras, I suspect the entire package will be worth around the same or not that much less than whatever the Saudis offered him.

I should make it clear that I don't believe the reported figures of $400m-$1b. Newspapers always inflate these figures when it suits them or play them down (as they have today with Bellingham and Real Madrid) when that suits their narrative.

But what I'm suggesting is that Messi will do more than OK out of this. I'm casting doubt on his 'I'm not going for the money -- I just want a quieter life' narrative. I don't think he's performing a charitable act by turning down the Saudis to grace the MLS with his presence.

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[–] Luffy (856) a year ago

Thanks for the info. I had been wondering how Beckham was going to pay Messi his wages. Beckham sold his sold a few months ago for 135 million bucks. That cannot sustain the demands. But these numbers mean Becks is no longer on a budget. Now he is on a midget.

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[–] samoanjoes (53431) a year ago

It's pathetic that every team had to help out. If I was an owner, as much as his name could help the league, I don't want to help out a rival team get a player.

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[–] [deleted] a year ago

MLS just won't happen. A lot of people want it to blow up and believe that big name players playing there will help it but it'll never be able to compete with the European leagues.

North America have their own sports (american football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey) that aren't played in western Europe. They have cultural impact and history and will always be more dominant over football. They aren't going anywhere.

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[–] samoanjoes (53431) a year ago

Part of the issue is the salary cap. How can the top teams in MLS compete with the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid?

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[–] capuchin (2844) a year ago

Yeah. Salary cap is an issue for them, but it's not just about the quality of play in the league. It's also about the structure of the league itself. US sports culture is so radically different from European sports culture, with their franchises and their 'MLS Cup' and lack of jeopardy because there's no relegation.

In adapting the game for a domestic market, it becomes less appealing to an international market (and vice versa). Americans have their own sports and their own way of doing sport, so MLS is never going to displace the traditional games for US audiences. And the rest of the world isn't ever going to be that interested in an Americanised product when there's plenty of non-Americanised competitors to choose from.

So I suspect the MLS is currently about as big as it's ever going to be.

I mean, I know a fair few American soccer fans. All highly knowledgeable about the game. And not one of the ones I know has much interest in MLS. They all watch either the EPL or La Liga. MLS is at best a gateway drug.

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[–] samoanjoes (53431) a year ago

Liga MX is somewhat successful and has a regular season and playoff format as well. Although their regulation rules are confusing. They do a points-per-game average which is aggregated from 3 seasons or something like that.

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[–] capuchin (2844) a year ago

OK. And your shiny new CPL also has a regular league season and play-offs, or have I misremembered that?

I suppose it's a North American sports culture thing rather than a US sports culture thing, then? Mexico does at least have the advantage of being a traditional soccer nation though.

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[–] samoanjoes (53431) a year ago

I don't know why the CPL does. I've never seen a game.

Mexico does at least have the advantage of being a traditional soccer nation though.

That's what I find strange about it. I'm not sure why they're okay with their format.

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[–] Luffy (856) a year ago

For the foreseeable future the MLS is not competing with European football, but with other American sports. Soccer recently became the 4th most popular sport there, displacing ice hockey, I believe?

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[–] tonganprince (579) a year ago

MLS is the real players retirement home

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[–] samoanjoes (53431) a year ago

It's the only way to draw viewership.

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[–] tonganprince (579) a year ago

Does it though? I remember Beckham coming, Pirlo, etc. Nothing changes.

Messi might do it, but I doubt it.

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[–] samoanjoes (53431) a year ago

Maybe not significant, but I'm sure it helps. I mean, Inter Miami just gained millions of Instagram followers today. I checked at 1:00 and they were at 1.5 now they're at 3.7.

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