After Lionel Messi’s reported move to Inter Miami, here’s how ticket sales are soaring

In less than 24 hours after it was reported Argentina star Lionel Messi was coming to Inter Miami CF, the amount of tickets purchased in the secondary market featuring the MLS side away and home quadrupled.

According to Logitix, demand for Inter Miami CF tickets is high following the reports that one of the sport’s greatest players was leaving Europe to play in Major League Soccer.

Logitix, a software company that “analyzes millions of real-time data points, providing up-to-the-minute insights within the live event marketplace,” said in a news release that Inter Miami CF tickets were sold four times as much as the 169-day on-sale period leading into Wednesday.

The cheapest tickets — outside the standing supporter’s section — available for Inter Miami CF’s next home match, which is July 1 against Austin FC, are $42.

However, the July 25 home game against Atlanta United FC at Fort Lauderdale’s DRV PNK Stadium have limited tickets available on Ticketmaster.

And they’re for sale north of $1,250 per ticket.

Details on when Messi will make his debut is not known yet. However, ticket demand is increasing, according to Logitix.

Messi’s reported move to Inter Miami ended speculation where he would go after his contract with French club, Paris Saint Germain, expires June 30.

FC Barcelona, Messi’s first club, was in talks to bring the popular player back to Spain’s LaLiga. Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal also reportedly made Messi a lucrative offer to join them.

Instead, the seven-time Balon d’Or winner, given annually to the best player in the world, chose Miami and explained to ESPN why.

“After winning the World Cup and not being able to return to Barcelona, it was my turn to go to the league of the United States to live football in another way and to enjoy the day-to-day more,” Messi told ESPN. “Obviously, with the same responsibility and desire to play well and do things well as always. But in a calmer way.”