David Beckham's Inter Miami are already reaping the rewards both on and off the pitch after Lionel Messi's blockbuster switch to MLS.
The Argentine legend has hit the ground running at DRV PNK Stadium with five strikes in his first three appearances and it appears that he has quickly found his groove stateside. The presence of the superstar has galvanised his teammates, with the team unbeaten in the trio of games he has featured in.
With all the intrigue surrounding the 36-year-old great's move to the US, it is only to be expected that the Herons would receive a boost in interest from a commercial perspective as well. As "Messi Mania" continues to sweep the nation, investment managers Ares Management have been convinced to back the club with a major influx of cash to help continue the team's whirlwind rise.
The Los Angeles based corporation has invested a cool £176million ($225m) already in the Floridan franchise since 2021 and they have now committed to providing extra funds of £59m ($75m), according to Bloomberg. The club is now expected to use this money to develop a new stadium at Miami Freedom Park, while also funding separate growth initiatives.
This fresh influx in cash forms part of the vision of club co-owner Jorge Mas, who has previously stated in an interview with Bloomberg that he expects the value of Vice City to increase to £1.17billion ($1.5bn) within a year. An estimate made by Sportico last year had the club's value listed at £458m ($585m).
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The ambitious construction tycoon Mas has made no mistake of his desire to see the club reach new heights in the coming years, with the arrival of World Cup winner Messi central to this. He told El Pais: "A lot has been invested. There are two big milestones [in US soccer]: Pelé's signing by the New York Cosmos [in 1975] and David Beckham by Los Angeles [Galaxy] in 2007.
"Messi will take the league to another level. I believe he has a desire to make a mark, and he will be able to continue doing this after his playing days are over. When he retires, he will have a role in the club.
Lionel Messi has joined David Beckham in Florida and is already earning Inter Miami investment (Getty)"I envision a life after soccer for Messi very similar to David [Beckham] or Michael Jordan’s lives. He will be able to work in a market that keeps on growing. He will have opportunities here that don’t exist in other places."
This is not the first team that Ares has invested in, with the Californian company having also had involvements with Spanish giants Atletico Madrid as an investor. They have also had dealings with the Eagle Football Holdings company, which is involved with Premier League outfit Crystal Palace as well as French club Lyon.
Jim Miller, co-head of sports, media and entertainment strategies at Ares explained his vision for the investment, saying in a statement: "We are excited to upsize our strategic investment in the club. Our work together and the progress made since our initial investment has only reinforced our confidence in Inter Miami’s bright future."
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