The departures of Lionel Messi from Parc des Princes and Neymar to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023 have had significant consequences for PSG’s financial situation and international image.
PSG entered a new chapter in the summer of 2023. Neymar was transferred to Al-Hilal, and Messi’s contract was not renewed. For the first time since 2017, the Parc des Princes team played without Neymar and Messi. Of the MNM attacking trio, only Kylian Mbappe remains, and even his contract will expire on June 30th.
Even though the French national team captain, Kylian Mbappe, has a global reputation, his influence does not match that of his two former teammates. The signing of Neymar in 2017 marked a significant turning point in PSG’s international brand. Four years later, the “contract of the century” with Messi had an even more substantial impact.
A few months after the departure of the two Brazilian and Argentine stars, their adventure in Paris also had a considerable impact on several areas.
Sponsorship contracts have been reconsidered
Even though some sponsors had signed agreements with PSG for several years, the long-term collaboration is now being questioned. An example of this is crypto.com.
The cryptocurrency company signed a contract with the French champions just weeks after Messi’s arrival, committing to a three-season partnership worth about 8.5 million euros per year. However, after Messi’s departure, the company is considering reevaluating its sponsorship contract with PSG. Currently, negotiations are underway to possibly terminate the agreement one year early.
Surprisingly, partners from Qatar, such as Aspetar, Ooredoo, and Qatar Airways, have been slow to pay their fees. Finding sponsors for the back of the jerseys and naming the new Poissy training center is also taking longer.
A substantial drop in social media followers
Since the departure of the two stars, PSG’s social media, especially Instagram, has lost between 10 to 15 million followers (although it remains significantly higher than before their arrival). When Messi arrived, the club’s account gained over 20 million subscribers in just a few weeks before continuing to grow during his two years at Parc des Princes.
Of course, some unfollowed PSG because Messi and Neymar left, primarily due to their attachment to the players rather than the club. However, according to some statistics, a significant portion continues to follow PSG even though the two former Barça stars are no longer with the club. This is considered a rare positive outcome for PSG after the departure of Messi and Neymar.
Ticket sales have slowed down
While the Parc des Princes stadium continued to sell out for every match, Ticketplace, a ticket resale platform managed by PSG, has seen a slowdown since this summer. A season ticket holder in the Borelli stand explained, “Previously when I sold tickets, they were all sold within less than 48 hours.” He emphasized receiving full refunds for his two season tickets at 6,000 euros.
However, this season, he could not resell two tickets for the Nice match (2-3) on September 15th and another pair for the Dortmund match (2-0) four days later. Tickets for the upcoming Strasbourg match have not found buyers yet, and many tickets are still awaiting resale on the website.
This phenomenon has been observable since the start of the season and suggests that tourists, who were willing to pay to see Messi or Neymar play, no longer find it as attractive without these two stars.
The club’s image has weakened considerably, and the PSG brand has taken a hit after losing two significant superstars.
