North America’s top football league, MLS, has launched a new initiative called ‘Messi Cam’ in collaboration with TikTok.
This weekend, fans worldwide can watch Lionel Messi in a new way as Inter Miami begins its playoff campaign. MLS will broadcast an exclusive live ‘Player Spotlight’ stream, focusing on Messi throughout the match and capturing every movement, shot and celebration.
Marking the first time that TikTok broadcasts an entire live match centred on a single player, the stream will be available exclusively on the @MLS TikTok profile and simulcast on the @InterMiamiCF TikTok profile.
Since joining the league, Messi has had an unimaginable commercial effect on the league. The Argentine is regularly attributed as the reason for record attendance, with MLS recently achieving a new regular season milestone by attracting over 11 million fans.
Messi’s marketability has not gone unnoticed, as this initiative is just one example. Earlier this year, Primo Entertainment and Moment Factory collaborated to create ‘The Messi Experience: A Dream Come True,’ allowing fans to engage with 10 interactive physical and digital activities that highlight Messi’s journey from his childhood in Rosario to his current life in Miami.
In a similar vein, Manchester United‘s owners, the Glazer family, reportedly expressed interest in exploring opportunities in Augmented Reality (AR) to generate revenue earlier this year.
This concept was trialled by TNT Sports during a match between Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers, where players wore cameras during warm-ups, offering fans a glimpse of the game through the players’ eyes.
While the camera will not provide a direct perspective from Messi, it will still offer a general view of his gameplay. This initiative supports the broader concept of leveraging media and a specific player’s appeal to generate increased interest and revenue.
Attracting new fans has become a key focus for MLS recently. Earlier this month, the league partnered with football media company OneFootball to expand its reach to a broader international audience.
Under this partnership, OneFootball will serve as an official content distribution partner for MLS, gaining access to highlights from hundreds of MLS matches, as well as MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches each season.
