The Messi Effect: A Salary Reality Check for Pro Sports Lionel Messi's recent contract with Inter Miami, worth a guaranteed $28 million per year, has sparked both admiration and outrage within the sports community.
Fans and sponsors are thrilled to have one of the greatest players of all time in the MLS, but others see this as another symptom of an out of control spending culture that threatens the fabric of professional sports.
Messi's contract reflects the shifting economic landscape of soccer. Gone are the days when top athletes were content with modest salaries supplemented by endorsement deals.