"Man, he's getting a lot of money" - Lionel Messi 'fan' and Miami Heat star Kyle Lowry reacts to Argentine superstar joining MLS
Miami Heat stars Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler expressed their excitement as Lionel Messi's blockbuster to Inter Miami in the MLS was confirmed on Thursday (June 8).
The Argentine joins the league at the halfway mark of the season, with Miami languishing in 15th place in the Eastern Conference.
In a press conference ahead of Miami Heat's NBA Finals Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, Lowry revealed his excitement about Messi's impending arrival in Miami:
"Man, he’s getting a lot of money. It’s going to be awesome … I’m a Messi fan. MLS is a great league. I think they understand how to put the product out there."
Lowry also touched on the social and commercial impact bringing a player of Messi's stature to the MLS would have:
“Bringing one of the world’s greatest football players out there, bringing him here, is going to be awesome. He’s going to bring a different fan base. He’s going to get some more revenue going.
“It’s going to be a great atmosphere when they get that stadium built. The fans are going to enjoy it. I think it’s great for soccer in America, especially down here in Miami."
Lowry's teammate Jimmy Butler also expressed his excitement on Lionel Messi's impending move to Inter Miami:
"He’s one of the greatest players to play that beautiful game. I’m so excited for the city of Miami to be able to have a player of that calibre here. Now that he’s here, I think all the football/soccer fans from all over the world are going to come here and get an opportunity to watch him compete."
Safe to say that the Argentine's arrival on South Beach has created waves across the spectrum.
Exploring Lionel Messi's contract perks at Inter Miami
When a player of Lionel Messi's stature decides to change clubs, several pieces at various levels need to fall into place for the move to go through. The commercial, financial and legal implications of such a massive transfer are huge.
Of course, for a young club like Inter Miami to lure arguably the greatest to ever play the sport, they needed to add extra benefits in the contract offered to Messi. The Athletic recently released a report elaborating on details, with the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner set to be at the receiving end of some unprecedented benefits.
Lionel Messi will receive a share of the MLS' revenue earned from their Apple TV season pass and also receive a share of Adidas' revenue from shirt sales of Inter Miami's kit. Additionally, he will have the option to acquire a club in the MLS once his contract with Miami expires.