Lionel Messi left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain last summer in one of the most high-profile transfers of all time. PSG couldn’t actually fit Messi’s salary – €40m net – into their wage bill but gambled that the commercial payoff of the deal would make it worth it.
And, according to Marca, it was a risk worth taking. Messi’s first season at the Parc des Princes has generated €700m through image rights, marketing and matchday income. Messi’s arrival brought ten new sponsorship contracts and broke records when it came to shirt sales, surpassing a million sold for the first time in the club’s entire history.
Messi’s arrival in Paris also made a huge difference to the club’s social media, with the club gaining 15m followers across all their platforms once their capture of Messi was public. Finally, Messi’s arrival has sparked wild demand for matchday tickets and therefore increased the club’s matchday revenue.
