Lionel Messi drives a surge in MLS Apple TV subscriptions

Lionel Messi has helped drive an unprecedented flood of new subscribers to Apple TV, with more than 110,000 fans signing up to MLS Season Pass for his Inter Miami debut alone.

According to subscription analytics company Antenna, via the Wall Street Journal, there were more than 110,000 new joiners on July 21 - the day Messi played his first Inter Miami match and scored a last-minute free kick against Cruz Azul.

That 'enormous bump' dwarfs the previous day's sign-ups (6,143) and is a greater number than both the opening day of the MLS season and the day Season Pass became available.

In fact, July saw a surge in Apple TV+ subscriptions too, making it the best month for new US customers in 2023.

'There is only one Lionel Messi, so this was a very big moment for the sport in this country,' Jonathan Carson, chief executive of Antenna, told the WSJ.

'Sports are definitely star-driven but that has never before translated into an enormous subscriber bump.'

As part of his move to MLS, Messi is believed to earn a slice of the revenue from new subscribers to Apple's MLS Season Pass, which was launched earlier this year as part of a $2.5billion partnership over 10 years.

Last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook credited Messi for helping the tech giant enjoy an unforeseen rise in new joiners.

'We are beating our expectation in terms of subscribers, and the fact that Messi went to Inter Miami helped us out there a bit,' Cook said on Apple's August earnings call.

Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas claimed back in August that Messi's arrival had seen subscriptions more than double in just a few weeks.

'The Messi Effect is real!,' Mas said. 'Subscribers to #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV have more than doubled since Messi joined @InterMiamiCF.'

MLS Season Pass currently costs $12.99 a month, or $25 a season for those who already subscribe to Apple TV+. Those who don't pay $14.99 a month or $29 for the season.

MLS season ticket holders were given free Season Pass subscriptions for this year.