Точка Синхронізації

AI Archive of Human History

Inter Miami Reportedly Passes LAFC To Become Most Valuable Club In MLS At $1.45 Billion
| USA | sports

Inter Miami Reportedly Passes LAFC To Become Most Valuable Club In MLS At $1.45 Billion

#Inter Miami #Lionel Messi #MLS valuations #Sportico #Los Angeles FC #Soccer business #Franchise value #Revenue growth

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Inter Miami is now the most valuable MLS club with a valuation of $1.45 billion, overtaking LAFC.
  • The 'Messi effect' has driven a 148% increase in valuation and projected revenues of $250 million by 2026.
  • The total collective value of all 30 MLS franchises has reached $23 billion, with an average of $767 million per team.
  • Concerns are mounting regarding the wealth gap between top-tier clubs and struggling franchises like Vancouver and San Jose.

📖 Full Retelling

Inter Miami CF officially surpassed Los Angeles FC to become the most valuable franchise in Major League Soccer (MLS) on February 14, 2024, according to the latest valuation report by Sportico. The Florida-based club reached a record-breaking valuation of $1.45 billion, a staggering surge fueled largely by the arrival of international superstar Lionel Messi. This shift at the top of the financial rankings highlights a broader trend of rapid capital appreciation across the league, with the total value of all 30 MLS franchises now estimated at $23 billion. The astronomical rise of Inter Miami represents a 148% increase from its pre-Messi valuation of $585 million. Beyond the club's market value, financial projections indicate a 75 percent increase in revenue, with experts anticipating the club will rake in $250 million by 2026. This financial boom has allowed the club to leapfrog 2023 leader LAFC, which is now valued at $1.4 billion, followed by other high-value franchises like the LA Galaxy, Atlanta United, and New York City FC. Collectively, the average value of an MLS team has climbed to $767 million, showcasing a 39 percent growth since 2021. Despite the record-breaking numbers at the top, the report identifies a growing economic disparity between the league’s wealthiest clubs and its lower-tier franchises. Inter Miami is currently worth nearly 3.5 times more than CF Montreal, the league's lowest-valued club at $480 million. Critics and owners have voiced concerns over the league's media revenue structure; after production costs, MLS teams reportedly net only $5 million annually from their deal with Apple, significantly trailing the $40 million netted by NHL teams from their national TV contracts. This gap in liquid revenue has made it difficult for certain ownership groups, such as those in Vancouver and San Jose, to attract new investors or sell minority stakes in their franchises.

🏷️ Themes

Sports Finance, Major League Soccer, Market Performance

📚 Related People & Topics

Los Angeles FC

Los Angeles FC

American professional soccer club based in Los Angeles

Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) is an American professional soccer club based in Los Angeles. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. It was established on October 30, 2014, and began play in the 2018 season as an expansion team.

Wikipedia →

Inter Miami CF

American soccer club in Miami, Florida

Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami (lit. 'Miami International Football Club'), commonly referred to as Inter Miami, is an American professional soccer club based in the Miami. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Inter Miami plays their home matches a...

Wikipedia →

Penske Media Corporation

American digital media, publishing, and information services company

Penske Media Corporation (PMC ) is an American mass media, publishing, and information services company based in Los Angeles and New York City. It publishes more than 20 digital and print brands, including Variety, Rolling Stone, Women's Wear Daily, Deadline Hollywood, Billboard, The Hollywood Repor...

Wikipedia →

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi

Argentine footballer (born 1987)

Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, Messi has set numerous records for indiv...

Wikipedia →

📄 Original Source Content
Inter Miami are now Major League Soccer's most valuable club, valued at a league-high $1.45 billion, according to Sportico's latest MLS valuations. The club leads five teams worth more than $1B, ahead of LAFC ($1.4B), as total MLS franchise value climbs to $23B across 30 teams, reflecting continued growth across the league. Messi-driven financial boom According to the figures compiled by Sportico, Inter Miami have had a staggering rise from its pre-Messi valuation of $585 million. The club has also seen a projected 75 percent increase in revenue, with estimates pointing toward $250 million in revenue by 2026, a figure unmatched elsewhere in MLS. The top five Los Angeles FC were the previous leaders and are now second at $1.4 billion. Here is the top five: Overall growth The average franchise value has reached $767 million, and collectively all MLS franchises were worth a combined $23 billion. The average franchise saw its value grow 39 percent from Sportico's 2021 valuations. However, there were some concerns about the growing disparity between the league's haves and have-nots. Inter Miami is worth 3.4 times the amount of CF Montreal ($480 million). With national TV revenues not as robust as the NBA, NFL, and other counterparts, that could impact the quality of what's on the pitch. According to Sportico, MLS teams only net $5 million in revenue after production costs from Apple. By comparison, NHL teams net around $40 million. Also, even as team values rise, some ownership groups are having a hard time selling their clubs. The Vancouver Whitecaps and San Jose Earthquakes have struggled in this respect. "We had like more than 30, almost 40 groups who signed an NDA and went into our data room and did a full analysis on our situation," Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster told Sportico. "Not one single one is interested in buying even 1% of this club, because all of them think that our setup here, the market and the situation we are in is not something where you can invest." Wh

Original source

More from USA

News from Other Countries

🇵🇱 Poland

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

🇺🇦 Ukraine

🇮🇳 India