If the PSG took advantage of the presence of Lionel Messi for two years to make its business work, the future departure of the Argentine star from Paris this summer will also have important consequences on the economic level.
How far away do the images of Lionel Messi greeting his fans on the balcony of his Royal Monceau hotel room seem, in the heart of the summer of 2021… The Argentinian, who wore a white t-shirt on which was written ” Here it is Paris”, heads for a departure from the French capital. If the balance sheet is not flamboyant on the sporting level, PSG and Paris have on the other hand taken advantage of the presence of the sevenfold Ballon d’Or to boost their business very strongly.
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A big impact for tourism
But in case of departure, the impact of Lionel Messi on the economic plan will also be very important. When Messi left Barcelona in 2021, the Catalan regional tourism board estimated between 15 and 20% the drop in attendance in the city of Barcelona for the sole reason of his departure. In Paris too, there will be consequences if the Argentinian packs his bags. For the coming summer, reservations for Parisian hotels are already records, which promises an XXL turnover for the club if Messi were to extend. But that’s clearly not the trend…
Business will also fall for restaurateurs around the Parc des Princes. The latter indicated in recent days that PSG represented 30 to 40% of their annual turnover and that this proportion had been increasing since the post-Covid era. An increase which is explained by the return of tourists but also by the presence of the Argentine star. In the event of departure, the significant consequences will be felt above all after six months. The time that the tourists who are fans of Messi no longer worry about PSG and the business will go down mechanically.
A blow for PSG sponsors
These same tourists who allow excellent economic results for PSG and whose impact is also found with the store. The results have almost doubled compared to the club’s ambitions. Ditto for visits to the Parc des Princes. Big loss in sight also for the sales of jerseys. In the ranking of the most requested players for flocking, the Pulga comes in well ahead, far ahead of Kylian Mbappé.
The presence of the Argentinian is valued at 20% of the contractual amounts of the sponsors, which bring in 380 million euros per year, i.e. an estimated valuation of 76 million euros. The PSG box office, too, could lose big. For the only match against Bayern in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League, Ticketplace posted a huge result of 2 million euros. Finally, PSG have a lot to lose on social media. In this sector, Lionel Messi has increased the club’s followers by 30%. There is also no match with personal accounts. The Argentinian greatly exceeds Kylian Mbappé with 458 million followers against 130 for the French.