Lionel Messi's sensational start to life in MLS means $360,000,000 superstar Aaron Judge isn't Miami's headline act ahead of Yankees' Marlins showdown
Lionel Messi and Aaron Judge, arguably the premier superstars in their respective sports, were both in Miami on Friday night. Messi is the recent addition of Inter Miami and has been leading them through the Leagues Cup, while Judge and the Yankees were in town to visit the Miami Marlins.
Judge and his $360 million salary are among the best in the sport. He, even if the Yankees are struggling, is must-see. He can blast a ball over 460 feet to dead center on a whim, which he did on Friday night. The Yankees rarely play in Miami, too.
However, with Messi in town, that's all anyone in the area wants to see. Even with an American-born, baseball star in the stadium, the Argentinian who just signed in Miami is the hottest attraction.
Lionel Messi showcases marketability over Aaron Judge
The stadium that Inter Miami plays in, DRV PNK Stadium, sold out pretty quickly. Messi is a recent addition to the roster and Friday was his fifth game with the club. Still, everyone in Miami wants to see him. Those who couldn't probably ended up in loanDepot Park watching Aaron Judge face off with Luis Arraez and the playoff-hopeful Marlins.
Via the Sun Sentinel, local Sal Palmisano said:
“I got four (tickets) on the field right when the schedule came out. I was hoping to sell at least some of them, but (the Yankees being in) last place doesn’t help, so I’m keeping them. I’ve got buddies who want to go. So, fine.”
The Yankees aren't doing well, which doesn't help. Nevertheless, Messi is the brand and he's driving the MLS into the national spotlight. Another local named Derek Reed said:
“I don’t know much about Babe Ruth, but Messi is absolutely why my kids … and people at work are talking about MLS. All those last-second goals, you don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s very exciting."
The Marlins often struggle to sell out stadiums. Even with the team doing better this year, the attendance hasn't been overwhelming. When a player like Aaron Judge visits, or a team with such stature as the New York Yankees, people show up.
Their fans travel well, but anyone who was in or traveled to Miami over the weekend had one person on their mind: Lionel Messi. Judge is a superstar and the most marketable baseball player right now. He's just no Messi. That's fine, because no one is.