Messi to Miami FC (for real)
- Thread starter Fk_Pitt
- Start date
He supposedly was offered $1,2 BILLION to play in Saudi Arabia and turned it down, showing more integrity than the PGA.
Also seeing that they could loan him back to Barca. But it’s from weird sources so….
The 28 year old 2nd year out of college will never see the field. MLS is only for South American C teamers (and maybe Messi)
He will make more money in Saudi Arabia but American endorsements and other opportunities will close the gap some. And at the end of the day, how much money does one man need? If he makes $500 million in Saudi Arabia and $300 million in the US, he is still making more than he can realistically spend.
When does he play? I think it means this season…as in now?
Apple and MLS must be thrilled. Their streaming service isn’t US…MLs games are visible outside the US.
Apple and MLS must be thrilled. Their streaming service isn’t US…MLs games are visible outside the US.
I think this goes to show how valuable the Apple TV deal with the MLS will become. It’s essentially the only league in the world where only one entity owns the rights to produce the games globally. The potential outreach through Apple is immense, and it’s why Ronaldo almost signed with Sporting KC in December.
Also, hats off to David Beckham for an incredible business move by joining the MLS. He will have turned $25M (cost for expansion franchise in Miami) to $1B+ when it’s all said and done.
Also, hats off to David Beckham for an incredible business move by joining the MLS. He will have turned $25M (cost for expansion franchise in Miami) to $1B+ when it’s all said and done.
The rumor yesterday was that they were targeting his first game to be their League Cup game against Cruz Azul on July 21.
Back when Beckham joined LA Galaxy, my nephews where teenage soccer players in Pittsburgh, they loved Beckham and wanted to see him play, the first game was in DC, my brother asked me if I could get tickets, so I got tickets to Beckham's first ever MLS game at RFK Stadium for the 4 of us, typically DC United averaged about 15K fans, that night it was a sellout, 50K, DC beat LA 1-0, Beckam played, remains the only MLS game I ever attended in person, I paid $22 per ticket for the 4 of us, back in 2007. just curious, how much is astronomical?
As a long-time Barca fan, and someone who thinks Messi is the greatest soccer player to ever lace up his boots, I am happy that he is not going back to Barca. They are far from being a great team and need to look toward the future and not the past.
I think they actually could have made a profit off of signing him with increased merchandise sales, even after giving him a significant chunk. A new Messi jersey would sell like crazy. (I wonder how much he will make through endorsements in the U.S. because his command of the English language is pretty much non-existent. How many more commercials can he do where he doesn’t speak?)
However, Barca would have had to sell one or, most likely, two players they really shouldn’t sell to acquire Messi. That would be in addition to the 4 or 5 players they should sell if they want to contend in the Champions League again. Right now, IMO they are at least 5 new players from contending. And, soon they are going to have to replace Ter-Stegen, who reportedly wants to leave when his contract expires.
When Messi bought a house in Miami a few years ago, that was a sign that he would end his career there. It’s a smart move for him, especially if it includes an option to purchase a piece of the franchise. The often-raised idea of ending his career back in Rosario with his boyhood club was a pipe dream.
It’s the move CR7 should have made two years ago, but he choose the short-term big money immediately in Saudi Arabia over the long-term payoff. And, his reputation has suffered as a result. (It also has to be driving him crazy that he took $200 Million and they offered Messi $1 Billion.)
I think they actually could have made a profit off of signing him with increased merchandise sales, even after giving him a significant chunk. A new Messi jersey would sell like crazy. (I wonder how much he will make through endorsements in the U.S. because his command of the English language is pretty much non-existent. How many more commercials can he do where he doesn’t speak?)
However, Barca would have had to sell one or, most likely, two players they really shouldn’t sell to acquire Messi. That would be in addition to the 4 or 5 players they should sell if they want to contend in the Champions League again. Right now, IMO they are at least 5 new players from contending. And, soon they are going to have to replace Ter-Stegen, who reportedly wants to leave when his contract expires.
When Messi bought a house in Miami a few years ago, that was a sign that he would end his career there. It’s a smart move for him, especially if it includes an option to purchase a piece of the franchise. The often-raised idea of ending his career back in Rosario with his boyhood club was a pipe dream.
It’s the move CR7 should have made two years ago, but he choose the short-term big money immediately in Saudi Arabia over the long-term payoff. And, his reputation has suffered as a result. (It also has to be driving him crazy that he took $200 Million and they offered Messi $1 Billion.)
Yep. And now that little “who’s better” debate has the little added nugget that CR7 took the Saudi money and Messi didn’t.
If there’s anyone on the planet in the position where money isn’t an issue, it has to be Messi, right? Guys like Phil and DJ could be tempted by Saudi money, but it appears Messi isn’t. Isn’t the money he was making the reason why Barca is in financial distress?
Back to Saudi again. It’s a sad time for me because my favorite player, N’golo Kante, was just signed away 2 days ago to play in SA for $100 million per year. I love the guy, but I don’t know how an extremely quiet and humble, ball winning midfielder who doesn’t score goals moves the needle there. He’s not anything like CR7, Benzema, or Messi. He is a a Muslim though so maybe that’s part of the allure.
I don't follow MLS closely but they're not far out of playoff contention. They'll get at least one other name to go with Messi (Di Maria is rumored). That should be enough to catch a team or two.
They also need a coach and they're likely to get Tata Martino, who has previously managed him. Mike's right, Messi can't realistically play in Rosario full time but they can surround him with Rosarinos like Martino and Di Maria.
I have to say, I don't care about quality of play, I just want to watch a league in cities like NY, DC or LA more than see "quality" I've been a DC United fan since the thing started in '96. I've watched dozens of MLS games every year since, and maybe a handful of EPL games, Messi will do great, Wayne Rooney had no problem excelling with the crappy American and 3rd rate South Americans when he played in DC a few years ago, neither did Zlatan and Beckham in LA, and others.
Does it even matter? The Saudi royal family can buy all the Premier League players not it wouldnt put a dent in their wallet.
Interesting though? What if they did? Would networks then replace Premier League with Saudi League? Because they're "the best". Or would it be like they are just paying them to play in their back yard stadium where they hold beheadings on the off days and nobody sees it?
I don’t think Messi is fond of Tata. By the end of his year there, no one was. He was way out of his depth
As for Di Maria, he had a very good World Cup. But he is past being an every game type of player. They are going to need an attacking MF who can get the ball in to Messi.
It’s weird. I watched the Hounds play against Columbus last week and it was a really difficult watch for me. Although I didn’t know if it was the play, or the field turf surface and the bouncing of the ball that made it a difficult watch. That said, I watch Pitt soccer and women’s soccer and seem to accept the style of play.
Sadly, had the Hounds beaten Cincinnati Messi would be coming to Highmark in August.
My guess is that they would have moved the game to Accrisure if possible, but if they hadn't what might tickets to see Messi in a 5,000 seater have gone for?
Not at Highmark on that turf field. Maybe at Accrisure if they moved the game there.
Even if they moved the game to Acrisure, 0% chance Messi was playing vs a USL side. I can't imagine he would ever play a US Open Cup game unless it was the final and maybe not even that.
Sometimes I can watch parts of Premier League games, and I can clearly tell that they are far superior higher quality teams, but the fact that I don't care about the teams or the league or England causes me to lose interest, I just don't have any rooting interest so I don't stay glued to it. It's difficult for me to watch Liverpool vs. Chelsae because I just don't care. But it's easier to watch DCU vs. NYCFC simply because I've been a fan of DC and that's like a rivalry game, and how good of players they are means nothing. I think if I lived in Pittsburgh still, it would be very easy for me to be a full-blown supporter of the Riverhounds and attend games and revolve my watching habits around the USL. We all know the NBA is the best quality basketball in the world, but every year I can hang on the edge of my seat and watch 30 Pitt basketball games and usually I watch ZERO full NBA games. I guess it depends on what you want out of sports, seeing the very best skills or attaching yourself to a local team for the fun of it, I hear the Hounds are selling out so apparently 5000 Yinzers are getting into minor-league, low-quality soccer this year My guess is, rather than seeing world class skill, they want to show up there, drink beer and yell
Some MLS teams have artificial turf I think? So will Messi not play if there's a game scheduled of a turf field?
No. Not a chance. I mean this is Messi we are talking about. Maybe, maybe the greatest athlete of all time (in the convo). He isnt turning down $1 billion to risk injury in an event he's never heard against what he would view as a rec team.
The only way I could see him playing is if it was moved to Acrisure and he got a percentage of the gate and even then, why would that even do it? He turned down $1 billion.
I once heard someone say he would have been a Hall of Fame Second Baseman if he had grown up playing baseball
In all serious, are these guys SERIOUSLY that scared of artificial turf? I think it's pretty laughable.
I once heard someone say he would have been a Hall of Fame Second Baseman if he had grown up playing baseball
In all serious, are these guys SERIOUSLY that scared of artificial turf? I think it's pretty laughable.
I dont think you realize the type of athleticism, muscle memory/movement, and coordination it takes to be a world-class athlete. If he grew up in the DR, he absolutely would have been a HOF 2nd baseman.
