Ranked a very close second to Los Angeles FC, Inter Miami's remarkable financial turnaround has seen its valuation skyrocket to $1.2 billion, a 17 percent increase from the year prior. And it's not hard to figure out where the spike in valuation comes from: It's directly correlated to the arrival of Messi, the Argentine superstar who joined the team in July 2023.
The Messi Effect
Before Messi's arrival, Inter Miami was valued significantly lower — as in about $600 million to $700 million. His signing triggered a commercial explosion, with record-breaking sponsorship deals, increased global fan engagement, and a dramatic rise in ticket sales. His presence brought international media attention, boosting merchandise sales and driving the team's marketability.Sponsorship agreements with Adidas, Apple, Fanatics and other brands reached new highs, further solidifying Inter Miami's financial standing. The club's average ticket price soared, with resale values climbing in excess of 1,000 percent of face value for some matches. Apple TV's MLS Season Pass also saw a surge in subscriptions, reportedly due to Messi's influence.
South Florida Valuation Rankings
Of course, while Inter Miami is approaching the peak of the MLS-valuation mountain, David Beckham and Jorge and José Mas have a long way to go before claiming to be one of South Florida's most valuable. Below is a rundown of Miami's top pro franchises.
Miami Dolphins: $8.1 Billion
Numerous sites value the Dolphins from anywhere from $6 billion to $8 billion. But for the sake of this ranking, we'll go with what a private equity group, Ares Management Corp., and billionaire Joe Tsai, the chair of Alibaba Group, used in their recent agreement with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross to buy minority stakes in the team. That valuation number was an eye-popping $8.1 billion, including the stadium and revenue from events at Hard Rock Stadium, such as F1 races. The valuation places Miami near the top of all NFL teams in terms of value and far and away the most valued in all of Miami sports.
Miami Heat: $5 Billion
There is no indication that the Arison family would ever sell the Miami Heat. But if they did, they'd receive a hell of a return on the $32.5 investment Micky paid to purchase the team in 1995. The Heat's 2024 $5 billion valuation placed them within the Top 10 most valuable NBA teams, but, in context, over $1.5 billion more than the Orlando Magic, with whom they came into the NBA in 1988. For a team as young as the Heat — yes, in NBA terms, a franchise less than 40 years old qualifies as young — ranking among the top-valued teams is a crazy accomplishment.
Florida Panthers: $1.35 Billion
If you thought winning a Stanley Cup would catapult the Florida Panthers toward the top of the NHL's team valuation list, you'd have thought wrong. According to CNBC, the Panthers are still only the 26th-most valuable NHL franchise, worth $1.35 billion as of November 2024. To put the Panthers' valuation in context, doubling their current value wouldn't put them in the Top 5 NHL teams, and still far off the $4 billion the Toronto Maple Leafs, the NHL's most valuable franchise, are worth.
Inter Miami: $1.2 Billion
Scroll up and reread that Forbes valuation bump, then sit back in awe at the fact that in the proverbial blink of an eye Inter Miami is worth more than the Miami Marlins, owners of two World Series titles.What a job by David Beckham and the Mas brothers.
