Now that Lionel Messi is playing for Inter Miami, Dan Hunt is eager for a chance to cash in.
The co-owner of FC Dallas sees the spillover effect of Messi moving to the US spreading across Major League Soccer, lifting club valuations and helping draw in talent. Last month Messi left Europe to sign with Inter Miami, the club co-owned by British soccer legend David Beckham.
“It’s the greatest coup in the history of the league,” Hunt said in an interview at Bloomberg’s Dallas office. “Sometimes in life you need these moments. We needed that David Beckham moment, to really spur the league forward.”
Hunt may get to witness Messi mania firsthand on Sunday because Dallas is potentially in line to host a match in the Leagues Cup tournament against Inter Miami at the FC Dallas stadium in Frisco. Both the Dallas and Miami teams would have to win their respective Wednesday games for that to happen.
If it does, the game would likely sell out in minutes, according to Hunt, because of the fanfare surrounding the Argentine superstar.
With soccer’s popularity on the rise and Messi’s arrival, valuations for MLS teams will soon start crossing $1 billion, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in July. FC Dallas was valued at $470 million as of 2022, according to Sportico.
Read More: Miami billionaire who signed Messi reveals plan to win big
Hunt co-owns FC Dallas along with his older brother, Clark. They also co-own the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL along with their two other siblings, Sharron and Lamar Jr. They are all the children of Lamar Hunt, founder of the American Football League, which later merged with the NFL. The Hunt family is also a shareholder and founding investor of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.
Dallas is one of 16 cities that will host World Cup in 2026. It’s also bidding to host the final World Cup game at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, and a decision will be announced later this year, Hunt said. Dallas is well positioned for the World Cup because of its proximity to a major international airport and state-of-the-art stadium, he said. The Dallas metro area would see billions of dollars in economic impact from hosting the final along with other matches.
“We would be getting eight Super Bowls,” Hunt said.
--With assistance from Thomas Black, Romaine Bostick, Katie Greifeld and Jason Kelly.
Author: Shelly Hagan, Felipe Marques and Julie Fine
