Messi: The financial “miracle” of the pink shirt with the number 10

In a period of three months, Mr Lionel Messi made her impressive jersey Inter Miami the most“hot” part of commercial sports on the planet.

Just days after Lionel Messi announced he would be joining Inter Miami, stores and suppliers asked Adidas for nearly half a million jerseys.

Suddenly, after only one summer, the pink jersey is everywhere. It appears on the backs of fans in American stadiums, in the markets of Buenos Aires and Bangkok, and in football stadiums in England.

It is about a “simple, capitalist equation“, as the “New York Times” newspaper typically mentions in its relevant article.

It is – as he notes – “the result of an irresistible combination of one of the most recognizable and beloved athletes of his generation, a distinctive, exotic color and the ruthless efficiency of textile factories in Southeast Asiawho were able to efficiently produce the jerseys, meeting the increased demand.

For many, of course, the immediate question was football: Six months after winning the World Cup with Argentina, why Messi, the greatest player of his generation, left Europe to join a team ranked among the worst in America’s top flight, Major League Soccer? But for Adidas, there was a rather more pressing issue.

The German brand experienced an unexpected surge in demand once the move was confirmed for Messi, who signed his contract on July 15. He received nearly half a million applications for the pink jersey in a matter of days. To meet this demand, Adidas had to take several steps:

• Fast sourcing fabric from the specific pink required for the jerseys as close as possible to the manufacturing facilities in South East Asia to speed up production.
• Fast-Track Production: Logo and emblem orders were expedited to other facilities to expedite production.
• Fast shipping: The first batches of Messi jerseys were shipped as soon as they were produced to reduce shipping times.

Despite their efforts, the demand for the jerseys was so great that even “fake” versions flooded the market to make up the shortfall. The jersey caused a worldwide sensation, selling in many places.

It should be noted that under normal circumstances, retailers order jerseys up to nine months in advance. Major sportswear brands such as Adidas and Nike generally prefer to produce large batches rather than build to meet demand.

Acquiring a pink jersey with Messi’s name and No. 10 on the market immediately became Adidas’ No. 1 priority worldwide.

The frantic production effort worked. Adidas had initially told its retailers to start selling jerseys with a promise of delivery by October 15. But the first jerseys arrived in the United States on July 18. They were sent straight to Miami, where demand was greatest.

Despite all of Adidas’ efforts to get Messi’s official jerseys into stores as quickly as possible, the demand for them has proved so great that imitations have flooded the world market to make up the shortfall.

Official sales have surpassed every benchmark Adidas could imagine. More than the frenzy that accompanied David Beckham’s move to LA Galaxy in 2007, more than the rush caused by Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United in 2021beyond the fuss over Messi’s Argentina shirt in the wake of Qatar 2022.

The official Messi jersey with Inter Miami has now become one of the best-selling soccer jerseys in North America, surpassing the traditional jerseys of European clubs that Adidas usually considers its “jewels”. It has also achieved record sales on online retail platforms.

Inter Miami’s matches drew record crowds and ticket prices for next season have increased significantly.

Since July, Fanatics, which dominates sportswear in the United States, has sold more Messi jerseys than any other soccer player or athlete, in addition to Philadelphia Eagles leader Jalen Harts. No player, in any sport, has ever sold more jerseys on this website.

The popularity of this jersey has been unprecedented and has surpassed traditional football merchandise sales. It became a symbol of Messi’s impact on Major League Soccer and the wider world of sport.

Source: RES-MPE