MLS
MLS owners frustrated about Lionel Messi signing for Inter Miami
The MLS owners are worried about the unknown contract details of the World Cup winner.
It’s safe to say that Lionel Messi’s arrival to MLS has had a huge impact all over the world, with fans turning out in huge numbers and paying extraordinary prices just to catch a glimpse of the Argentine. However, there seems to be a slight sense of ‘unease’ about the deal to bring the player stateside, a feeling that comes from some of the owners of Major League Soccer.
According to a report from Sportico, the owners of MLS are worried about the details of the agreement that has been drawn up to bring Messi to the United States, with all of them having been “kept in the dark” over the deal, something that drove them to speaking out about the lack of transparency. One owner commented that “it’s fun to think about all the ways this could transform the league, but how do I know if I like the deal when I don’t know what’s in the deal?”
MLS worried about Messi’s Apple deal
The main issue is to do with the role Messi could have in his new media relationship with Apple, who own the rights to show MLS games in the US. Major League Soccer has a 10-year agreement with the broadcast company and Messi will receive a share of this money. The agreement is worth a minimum of $2.5 billion, but what is not known is how much Messi will get out of that. Will he receive a fee based off the minimum amount, or will it vary depending on income? It is also unclear whether or not Messi’s cut will come from Apple’s side of the deal or the profit made by MLS.
It must be said that some owners are not concerned, with one anonymous owner pointing out that money is to be made regardless of the deal: “As long as I don’t go backwards, I’m not concerned in any way if he’s sharing in upside that he’s driving, because it likely wouldn’t be there without him.”
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MLS chiefs to meet before All-Star game
The piece also mentions that Inter Miami will pay all the costs of the eye-watering $150 million contract that Messi is about to sign, but the deal does hide certain details, such as the valuation of the equity cut the player will receive. Next week, the bosses of MLS will meet in Washington to discuss various things ahead of the MLS All-Star game vs Arsenal, and Messi will no doubt be at the top of the list.