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Messi AFA China Saudi Arabia India map

The old playbook of charging for a player's name has officially wrapped up, leaving the AFA with significantly less leverage without Lionel Messi. It is reported that China, Saudi Arabia, and India would have walked away from playing Argentina during the FIFA date in November if Messi wasn't on the pitch, which lines up with how sponsorships and commercial agreements are described as having decreased. For years, leadership under Chiqui Tapia reportedly demanded full ticket sales and commercial rights for organizing friendlies, but Asian promoters allegedly refuse conditions requiring high payments for stadiums with uncertain attendance without Messi. The difficulty in filling stadiums became impossible to ignore when the biggest draw was absent, proving that without Messi, the AFA's negotiating power is stated to be diminished. This isn't just a rough patch; it signals a total shift where the business model built on a single star's reputation has finally hit a wall.

2h

Footy News@Footynews

Follow

Messi AFA China Saudi Arabia India map

The old playbook of charging for a player's name has officially wrapped up, leaving the AFA with significantly less leverage without Lionel Messi. It is reported that China, Saudi Arabia, and India would have walked away from playing Argentina during the FIFA date in November if Messi wasn't on the pitch, which lines up with how sponsorships and commercial agreements are described as having decreased. For years, leadership under Chiqui Tapia reportedly demanded full ticket sales and commercial rights for organizing friendlies, but Asian promoters allegedly refuse conditions requiring high payments for stadiums with uncertain attendance without Messi. The difficulty in filling stadiums became impossible to ignore when the biggest draw was absent, proving that without Messi, the AFA's negotiating power is stated to be diminished. This isn't just a rough patch; it signals a total shift where the business model built on a single star's reputation has finally hit a wall.

2h