The news that the king of world soccer has decided on a move to Miami surprised many in the sporting world. Having turned down an offer reportedly in excess of $1 billion from the Saudi league side Al Hilal, Lionel Messi has instead opted to join one of the worst teams in MLS, after agreeing to a landmark deal with David Beckham’s Inter Miami, the league itself, and leading sponsors Apple and Adidas. It has also been reported that the deal could include an ownership stake in the team. Though it is not unprecedented in the world of sports for players to own all or a portion of the team they play for, the magnitude of the Messi move makes it a fascinating case study.
There are numerous current and former professional athletes who own stakes in sports outside of the ones they play (or played). Tom Brady recently acquired a stake in WNBA champions Las Vegas Aces, LeBron James owns a stake in Liverpool FC, Venus and Serena Williams each own stakes in the Miami Dolphins, to name a few. However, If Messi were to acquire a stake in Inter Miami, he would join high-profile sports stars Michael Jordan, Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and David Beckham as one of only a few player-owners in the history of professional sports.
It has been reported that Messi’s deal includes an ownership stake for as much as 35% of the club – such a stake is thought to be valued at around $200 million, and would be granted upon Messi’s retirement from the league. The full contract is thought to be valued at $125-$150 million over 2.5 years, with an option for another year. Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas has confirmed that the deal will see Messi paid between $50 and $60 million per year. Messi has additionally agreed to deals with Apple and Adidas that will see him pocket some of the profits from increased streaming and merchandise sales brought on by his arrival in the league.
The structure of the deal, while the exact details are not known, seems to echo a similar deal which brought David Beckham to the MLS in 2007. Beckham joined the LA Galaxy on the promise that he would be able to buy a future expansion team for a discounted rate – a move which would ultimately see him take ownership of Messi’s new team – Inter Miami.
Such deals raise interesting questions surrounding conflicts of interest, when part-owners of teams are still playing for the team they own, or playing professionally in general. While it would be unlikely that Messi would play for another MLS team prior to his retirement, this deal would certainly kill that possibility. There is also a slight chance that, if Messi continues his career after playing for Inter Miami, he could come up against them in the FIFA Club World Cup, which is set to be expanded in coming years, and will see club teams from around the world square off to claim the world title.
However Messi’s tenure in Miami ends up going, in becoming a player-owner, he has added yet another feather in the illustrious cap of his career, and continues to show how legendary a sporting figure he is.
Author bio: Steve Balmer is a rising 3rd year law student at Temple University Beasley School of Law, studying sports and entertainment law. He is an avid sports fan, with a particular interest in American and European soccer.
