Soccer
Online searches for Inter Miami tickets skyrocket ahead of Lionel Messi debut
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Lionel Messi hasn't even officially signed for MLS side Inter Miami yet, but the effects of the superstar's impending arrival are already being felt.
Miami co-owner Jorge Mas confirmed on Tuesday that Messi's debut for the club is expected to come during a Leagues Cup match against LigaMX side Cruz Azul on July 21. However, fans have already started to look for tickets, sending demand soaring for matches at DRV PNK Stadium, Inter's current home in Fort Lauderdale, and also at all venues in which the team is scheduled to play away fixtures for the remainder of the 2023 campaign.
Tickets on the secondary market have spiked significantly, and a recent analysis of Google search data corroborates the frenzy that Messi's planned move to the U.S. has already caused.
According to analysis done earlier this month by JeffBet, Google searches for "Inter Miami tickets" surged 13,057% compared to the previous five years. A recent Forbes report showed that prices of Inter Miami tickets rose 1,000%, while the JeffBet analysis found that searches for Inter Miami immediately following Messi's announcement increased by 2.6 million. Even "MLS" as a search term saw a 437% rise in the immediate aftermath of the Messi news.
Needless to say, the Argentine World Cup winner's debut will be one of the most anticipated events on the North American sporting calendar.
