How Messi's Inter Miami deal could change football

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 16 Jul 2023 02:17 CDT
• 3 min read

The monumental contract Lionel Messi signed at Inter Miami did not only include a huge financial incentive for the Argentine, but it also provided multiple other benefits for the Barcelona legend.

According to Sportico, Messi's two-and-a-half year deal with Inter Miami is “worth up to $150 million total from his salary, signing bonus, and equity in the team.”

Furthermore, terms with Adidas and Apple were negotiated. Messi will earn income from MLS, Apple and Adidas, according to the Wall Street Journal and the Athletic.

READ MORE: How Inter Miami will line up with Messi and friends

In addition, Messi will reportedly receive a percentage cut of all new paid subscriptions to MLS Season Pass.

Irwin Kishner, co-chair of the Sports Law Group, told ESPN: “That deal has never been given to anybody in baseball, basketball, football, and so it's very unique. It's a generational-type thing, and it's hard to think if you would ever see anything comparable.”

WATCH: Messi welcomed to Inter Miami by Beckham in unique style

Will things change thanks to Messi’s deal?

"This is really going to set some alarm bells off," a former NBA agent told ESPN. "For the right players and the right player agents, if they have individuals who can really move the needles -- so the Giannis Antetokounmpos of the world, the Nikola Jokics of the world, the Joel Embiids of the world, they are going to look at this in the next collective bargaining and say, 'Listen, players control the league,'" he said.

Furthermore, the ripple effect of Messi’s mega-contract at Inter Miami could trickle down to smaller leagues. "What I've learned in all my years in licensing, there is a thing called 'slicensing' -- because you can slice the pie up," Cara Lustik, a branding and licensing expert, revealed to ESPN.

There are few athletes who can match Messi’s standing within their own sport, but the idea of a superstar playing helping boost viewing figures is one that could work across the globe. "There are so many leagues that could use extra eyeballs, and to do that, the easiest way is to take advantage of the talent who has them, and everybody wins," Lustik concluded.

Messi has signed a deal that runs until the end of 2025, but there is an option to extend that by a further year. If that is exercised, then Messi will be playing in the MLS when the 2026 World Cup rolls around - which is hosted in the USA.