(Photo : Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
Club owner Jorge Mas understood he needed to beef up security of Inter Miami players due to Messi’s fame.
The imminent arrival of Argentinian football legend Lionel Messi into the Major League Soccer (MLS) team Inter Miami would result in several firsts for the club, the New York Post reported.
According to Inter Miami team owner Jorge Mas, they would upgrade its security detail for its athletes by adding Messi. He mentioned the team would have to be bussed in through a tunnel for home and away games. This followed an upward trend regarding ticket prices and demand for Miami games.
On Messi and Messy Fans
Inter Miami has also completed expanding its home field, the DRV PNK Stadium. The stadium would now seat 22,200 people.
Mas added he was aware of the tight security measures the Argentinian national team had when they practiced in Miami before the most recent World Cup, which they won. "[W]e're very prepared," he said. "We've been getting ready for this."
Messi is expected to play his first game for Inter Miami on July 21, which means the team has one month to prepare for any security threats and contingencies a player like Messi might attract.
Inter Miami's contingency plans to keep Messi and his future teammates safe had their merits. The measures were considered after Chinese football fans packed Beijing's Workers' Stadium last week.
During an exhibition game between Messi's Argentinian team and the Australian Socceroos, an 18-year-old Chinese football fan jumped onto the field and sprinted toward Messi to hug him. Mas said Messi joining Inter Miami would forever change MLS and the US soccer atmosphere.
Read Also: Paris 2024 Olympic Headquarters Searched by French Police in Alleged Corruption Inquiry
Messi's Lucrative Inter-Miami Deal
"I have a very, very strong held belief that we can create in North America and the United States, if not the greatest league, one of the top two leagues in the world," he said. Messi's debut game with Inter Miami would mean the team would face Mexico's Cruz Azul in a Leagues Cup opening match.
Meanwhile, Messi's contract with Inter Miami has been revealed to cost $150 million alone. He still needs to count his commercial deals with Adidas and Apple, who have pre-existing partnerships with MLS.
Earlier this month, Messi announced he would join the MLS franchise in the US instead of the Saudi Pro League and his former club FC Barcelona. It is speculated that the global football star would like to devote the final years of his career to Miami because he already owned property there.
Related Article: Major League Soccer To Unveil New San Diego Expansion Team
