- Argentine pulls in punters
- Prices rise as a result
- Unable to grace every fixture
WHAT HAPPENED?
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is the biggest draw in Major League Soccer, with every appearance pulling in A-list guests as ticket prices soar. The biggest problem for sides in the United States arises when the Argentine icon is not playing.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The Vancouver Whitecaps are the latest team to deal with that issue, having sold 50,000 tickets – many at inflated prices – for a fixture that Messi did not make. Ex-MLS star Gomez can understand why sides play up the potential of seeing the all-time great in action, but feels too much is made of one man – with there always the threat of questionable decisions off the pitch backfiring.
WHAT GOMEZ SAID
Gomez has told ESPN: “I am cool with Messi, Inter Miami deeming what they think is fit for their players – whether it is a six-and-a-half-hour trip, the longest in Major League Soccer, going from South Florida to Vancouver, that’s two different countries and a long flight with customs etc. If they want to take it off because they don’t want their players making that trip and playing on turf because they see the congestion of what the schedule is for Inter Miami, is for Lionel Messi and Co, and they see what is ahead, the games ahead, and Messi leaving for Copa America. I have no issue with them doing what is best for them and their players, that is their prerogative, that is their right. Here’s what I’m not cool with. I’m getting sick and tired of other teams advertising Messi – ‘Come watch Messi score on us, come watch Messi’. That’s fine if you like to do it, raising the prices of that game to do so. That’s the issue here, because the club can say ‘we don’t have any control’. Vancouver is right, they don’t have any control over what Inter is going to do. Guess what you do have control in doing – not raising the prices in a way where it’s unaffordable and ridiculous and you look stupid if this happens. You have that control. Unfortunately they are not alone. The majority of clubs do this, and that’s what I have a problem with.”
WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?
Messi continues to thrill audiences wherever he goes, but will be back on home soil for the foreseeable future. The expectation is, having been rested for a trip to Canada, that he will return to Tata Martino’s plans for back-to-back meetings with Atlanta United and St Louis City at Chase Stadium in Florida.
