Lionel Messi's months-old partnership with Major League Soccer and Apple TV+ is already paying dividends, as the streaming services have recorded a surge in subscriptions since the World Cup champion signed with Inter Miami.
There were 110,000 sign-ups to MLS Season Pass – the US football body's streaming service – on the day Messi made his debut with Inter Miami, according to subscription analytics company Antenna.
This was a 280 per cent increase on the number that signed up on the first day of the 2023 MLS season, Antenna said.
Messi's effect on sign-ups is atypical for a sports league, with the majority of sign-ups for a league's streaming service coming at the start of the season. This season, the MLS Season Pass recorded 15 per cent of its sign-ups when the season began in February and 46 per cent after Messi arrived in July.
This effect has extended to Apple TV+ as well, with about 50 per cent of those who signed up for MLS Season Pass already Apple TV+ subscribers at the time, while 15 per cent subscribed some time after signing up.
The MLS Season Pass costs $12.99 per month or $25 per season for Apple TV+ subscribers. The streaming service costs $14.99 per month or $29 per season for non-subscribers, as of September 6. The service is free to MLS season ticket holders.
Apple and MLS announced their partnership with MLS Season Pass in November, following a trend in which streaming services are joining forces with sports leagues. Amazon Prime announced an 11-year partnership with the NFL in March to stream Thursday Night Football, while YouTube will carry its first season of the NFL's Sunday Ticket Package. YouTube's deal is for seven seasons and is valued at about $2 billion per season.
Apple signed a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with MLS last year.
As part of his contract with Inter Miami, Messi will receive a revenue share of MLS Season Pass and Apple TV+ subscriptions, several media outlets reported.
His contract with Inter Miami runs through the 2025 season.
Profile Box
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif
Based: Manama, Bahrain
Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation
Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($100,000)
Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
FA CUP FINAL
Manchester City 6
(D Silva 26', Sterling 38', 81', 87', De Bruyne 61', Jesus 68')
Watford 0
Man of the match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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- Petr Fradkov, head of recently sanctioned Promsvyazbank and son of former head of Russian Foreign Intelligence, the FSB.
- Denis Bortnikov, Deputy President of Russia's largest bank VTB. He is the son of Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB which was responsible for the poisoning of political activist Alexey Navalny in August 2020 with banned chemical agent novichok.
- Yury Slyusar, director of United Aircraft Corporation, a major aircraft manufacturer for the Russian military.
- Elena Aleksandrovna Georgieva, chair of the board of Novikombank, a state-owned defence conglomerate.
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
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