La Previa: Swifties Take Over NFL, Messi’s Future and Sphere’s Debut
On the latest episode of La Previa, hosts Asli Pelit and Boris Gartner discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including Taylor Swift’s impact on the NFL and potential repercussions of Lionel Messi’s injury.
Swift, rumored to have a romantic relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, attended the Chiefs’ road game against the Jets on Sunday, where hundreds of Swifties bought tickets to see their idol. Since her first appearance at a Chiefs game two weeks ago, Swift has been credited with driving ticket and merchandise sales and boosting the league’s social media engagement.
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The hosts agree the NFL doesn’t need help promoting its product in the U.S., but discuss Swift’s potential impact in territories abroad where the NFL is looking to expand its audience, namely in Europe. The Chiefs’ Nov. 5 game against the Miami Dolphins at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany, is already sold out, but the La Previa hosts said a potential appearance by the singer might still make an impact. Swift, who has won 12 Grammy awards to date, has already made an impression in Spain, driving Celta de Vigo’s attempt to win LaLiga’s annual best jersey competition.
Next, the hosts discuss Lionel Messi’s injury and how it will impact Inter Miami’s and MLS’ business. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s arrival has meant unprecedented commercial success not only for his team but also for opponents. The biggest winner so far might be the Chicago Fire. The team’s home game on Oct. 4 against Inter Miami has passed $9.5 million in ticket sales. However, the hosts argue that this bubble could burst sooner than expected if the 36-year-old were to miss the rest of the season due to his injury.
Lastly, the hosts talk about Sphere, MSG’s new venue in Las Vegas. The arena debuted Friday night with a U2 concert, drawing rave reviews from attendees. The construction of the 17,500-seat venue with the world’s largest indoor LED screen started in 2018 with a designated $1.2 billion budget, which passed $2 billion once its exterior was covered with 580,000 square feet of programmable LEDs. Despite rumors of becoming an NBA arena, the space is designed for other events, including fights and esports gaming contests.
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