“I think to some extent, what Messi has done for American soccer fans is similar to what Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have done for the recent wave of women flocking to NFL games,” said Jason Wagenheim, CEO of Footballco.

Footballco is a media company headquartered in London (UK), specializing in building information portals and sports market research, with the goal of targeting the next generation of audiences.

NFL player Travis Kelce’s recent public relationship with pop star Taylor Swift has sparked a wave of teenage girls flocking to watch the NFL. According to Footballco research, NFL viewership has increased by 53%, with the 18-24 age group increasing by 24%.

This is considered the effect brought by Taylor Swift, when this female singer owns a huge fan base. Therefore, when the idol publicly announced her relationship with player Travis Kelce, it also brought the female singer’s fans to the NFL.

This event also caused a lot of controversy in American sports. Many questions were raised, does the NFL (the number 1 sport in America) need to have Taylor Swift to attract audiences? However, many people also support the relationship between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, thinking that it is true love, the resonance from this love affects the NFL, bringing many positive things.

“Meanwhile, since Messi came to the United States, he has had a huge impact on football here and reached a new level. Messi’s presence has attracted a large number of celebrities and fans to fill stadiums across the United States, and wherever Inter Miami FC plays,” said Jason Wagenheim.

“This year, the United States will be the center of world football when it hosts the 2024 Copa America. Next up are the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 World Cup. Messi will be the center of attention in these events. Messi’s impact on American football will also be compared to what Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have done for the NFL in particular and American sports in general. In a survey conducted by Footballco, with the appeal of Messi, it was shown that up to 90% of American fans are satisfied that the 2024 Copa America is held in the US,” said Jason Wagenheim.

The 2024 Copa America will serve as a preview to gauge the United States’ ability to host the 2026 World Cup alongside co-hosts Mexico and Canada. As a result, it is creating a big impact on American soccer fans.

In addition, Messi’s appeal continues to increase, this famous player is helping Inter Miami Club to make great strides in all aspects. For example, the social network account Instagram has skyrocketed with more than 16 million followers. In addition, Messi’s shirt sales are also increasing rapidly and are always in a state of “sold out”. Messi’s presence also helps this Florida team attract many new sponsors, such as Royal Caribbean sponsor on the shirt…