Lionel Messi’s Presence Boosts Apple TV+ Performance, Says CEO Tim Cook

Apple CEO Tim Cook has attributed the star power of football icon Lionel Messi to the success of Apple TV+, helping the streaming service surpass its revenue and new subscriber targets.

Apple recently reported its financial results, marking the third consecutive quarter of revenue decline. Most business segments saw a decrease, except for the services category. Within that, the internet entertainment service Apple TV+ exceeded both subscriber and revenue targets. According to Tim Cook, the appearance of Lionel Messi has played a significant role in the triumph of Apple TV+. Last month, Messi signed a contract with the MLS club Inter Miami, which Apple has a partnership with.

“We are delighted with our partnership with MLS, as well as seeing Messi don the Inter Miami jersey,” Cook stated following last week’s financial report. “We are still in the early stages of this collaboration, but our service has exceeded expectations in terms of subscriber numbers, and Messi’s presence at Inter Miami has indeed contributed.”

In February, Apple initiated a 10-year partnership with the top soccer league in the United States, with a total sponsorship deal of $2.5 billion. The company also introduced a Season Pass package priced at $13-15 per month or $99 per season.

Furthermore, in June, Athlentic reported that MLS and Apple were in discussions about incentives for Messi. They will allocate a portion of the revenue from new subscriptions to watch MLS on Apple TV+ to the 36-year-old footballer. Experts at the time predicted that Messi’s presence at Inter Miami would significantly boost viewership of the league.

Messi joined Inter Miami after his contract with the French club PSG expired at the end of June, and he made an impressive start in the U.S., scoring 5 goals in his first three matches for the new club.