Where will Lionel Messi go next? It’s the biggest sporting news of the summer, and a new report from The Athletic says Apple TV Plus could have a major say on the outcome.
As it stands, the rumors are split between Messi heading back to FC Barcelona, away to Saudi Arabia for a huge contract worth over $1 billion, or to the MLS as part of a league-wide deal that would see the greatest player in world football head to Inter Miami.
The Athletic’s latest report states that MLS’ two biggest commercial partners are contributing to help fund the deal, one of which is Adidas, and the other is Apple.
“Multiple sources involved in or briefed on the high-level league discussions said earlier this week that MLS and Apple have discussed offering Messi a share of the revenue generated by new subscribers to MLS Season Pass, the league’s streaming package on Apple TV+.”
“Both sides view Messi’s potential involvement in Major League Soccer as a boon; Apple and MLS signed a 10-year, $2.5 billion agreement this spring. On Tuesday, Apple revealed that a four-part docuseries chronicling Messi’s five World Cup appearances would stream on Apple TV+.”
With Apple’s backing alongside Adidas, there’s a real chance that Messi ends up playing under the Miami sun, and with a percentage of profits from Apple TV Plus subscribers watching MLS, a cut of any Adidas’ profits increase from him joining the league, and the option of buying an MLS club when he retires, it could really happen.
Apple TV Plus announces Lionel Messi documentary
Not only did The Athletic confirm that the MLS and Inter Miami are pushing to get Lionel Messi’s signature, Apple TV Plus also announced a new untitled four-part documentary series showcasing Messi’s “World Cup career, culminating in his dramatic Qatar 2022 win.”
The show will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Messi and is filmed in Paris, Qatar, and Argentina. The documentary is executive produced by Emmy Award winner Tim Pastore (“Free Solo,” “Jane”), Emmy and Tony Award winners Patrick Milling Smith and Brian Carmody, and Emmy Award winner Matt Renner (“Free Solo,” “Limitless with Chris Hemsworth”) of SMUGGLER Entertainment, alongside Jon Henion (“Welcome to Wrexham”) and Juan Camilo Cruz (“In Her Hands”).
Apple showed its sporting prowess with the release of Real Madrid: Until The End earlier this year and looks set to dive further into the world of sport with this highly anticipated look into the life of Messi.
It looks like the stars could align, and Messi could be playing in the MLS this summer. If that’s the case Apple will have a huge part to play.
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