As Lionel Messi Ticket Prices Soar, Can MLS Make Him Feel Like Family?

At his annual MLS All-Star Game press conference on Tuesday, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber laid out his vision of what would make Lionel Messi’s time in the league a successful one.

It wasn’t about performance on the field or metrics off it.

“We want him to have a good experience,” Garber said. “We want him to feel that he’s part of the MLS family, and because of his global appeal, if he believes in Major League Soccer, if he is part of the great journey that we’re on to the path to being one of the top leagues in the world, and when he’s done, no different than many of the other great players who have played in our league, to look back and say, ‘I think Major League Soccer is not only on the rise, but has arrived.’

“At some point, five years from now, 10 years from now, (the hope is) there will be some player that is thinking about Major League Soccer because he saw about the experience and success of Lionel Messi.”

To strike that balance between making Messi feel like part of a bigger effort to grow the game in America, while also reaping the considerable commercial windfall he brings, is no easy challenge.

Consider what has happened in the MLS secondary ticket market since Messi’s signing was first reported and then eventually announced.

According to data from Ticket IQ, the average ticket price on the secondary market for what could be Lionel Messi’s debut in Friday’s Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul is north of $1,300.

The average price for any of his remaining eight home games between the Leagues Cup and MLS play is up to $850, with the cheapest ticket for any of those games at $177 for next week’s second Leagues Cup game against Atlanta United.

The average ticket price for their remaining road games is even higher, though it varies depending on the size of the visiting stadium. (Prices are considerably cheaper in Charlotte and Atlanta, which both share larger venues with NFL teams.)

Overall, the average increase in the secondary market ticket price has been about 450% at home and 550% away.

On the surface level, that kind of consumer demand should be great for MLS. But there’s also a risk of creating an environment that feels more like a traveling carnival or a Papal tour than like what Messi has excelled at his entire life: meaningful, high-stakes soccer.

It also speaks to one of the paradoxes most global stars encounter when they arrive in MLS. Off the field, their relative anonymity compared to previous clubs and cities allows a more normal life. Take Messi’s recent trip to a Publix supermarket near Miami, a journey that would’ve been too fraught with the weight of his own fame anywhere else he’s played in his career.

But on the field, the oddity of seeing one of the world’s biggest stars in the most international sport in, say, Cincinnati or Orlando transfers that burden of fame onto the field. Messi will never be “one of the guys.” He was always special within the ranks of FC Barcelona or the Argentina national team. But in those environments, he was ultimately judged by what he won. In Southern Ohio or Central Florida, that is likely to be secondary to a crowd that just wants to be near him, to get an autograph or a selfie or even just a picture of him with the ball during the field of play.

The good news for Garber is that Miami appear to be very smart in creating an environment to make the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner feel comfortable.

In club owner David Beckham, the Herons have the man whose MLS experience in five years playing for the LA Galaxy is closest to what Messi will face. Beckham’s assimilation wasn’t a smooth one, and he understands the pitfalls his new star acquisition could face more than anyone else.

And unlike when Beckham arrived at the Galaxy, Miami have been intentional about creating a landing spot. New manager Tata Martino knows MLS and knows Messi, as do former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. And while there are a couple seasoned MLS veterans in the fold — like striker Josef Martinez and defender DeAndre Yedlin — there don’t appear to be many potential direct clashes of personnel and egos. With Rodolfo Pizarro exiting the team recently, it’s not like Messi will be taking the play-making role from anyone of import.

And in Beckham’s case, it passage of time eventually made his presence feel normal. He remained a star until the very end. But he ceased being a circus attraction.

“I’ve lived through what was a five-year experience with David Beckham,” Garber recalled. “And for those of you who were around, the beginning wasn’t easy for anyone. He was injured, the team struggled. And then it worked out pretty well with two championships.”

Regarding Messi in Miami, Garber continued: “I don’t believe that anyone is looking at it in short term. They’re looking at it over 2 and ½ years that Lionel Messi will be in the league.”