The MLS owners are worried about the unknown contract details of the World Cup winner.
Bryan ArellanoJoe Brennanj4brennanUpdate: Jul 14th, 2023 05:47 EDT
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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?”
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Inter Miami have expanded their stadium ahead of Messi’s debut.MEGAN BRIGGSAFP
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.
