Lionel Messi shocked the soccer world on Wednesday with the news he would join MLS franchise Inter Miami CF, and there was an immediate impact on the ticket market.
The Athletic cited a source as saying Messi could make his debut with the club on July 21 in a game against Cruz Azul, and that game immediately saw a huge increase in ticket prices. According to TickPick, the cheapest tickets for that game, which normally sold for $29, were soon going for more than $300.
Tickets for Inter Miami's Aug. 26 game against New York Red Bulls, which would be his first MLS game, rose from $30 to $401. And a Sept. 3 matchup against LAFC went from $81 to $422 following the news.
And prices continue to rise: Forbes reported a 1000% increase in Inter Miami ticket prices overall in the hours after the Messi news broke, adding that the club's average home game ticket price jumped 515%, from $152 at the start of the season to $935.
Inter Miami's season tickets for this season are already sold out, according to the club, but you can "reserve your spot in line" for 2024 season tickets with a non-refundable deposit of $200.
There's an entertaining but expensive season coming soon in South Beach, and MLS fans have Messi to thank for that.
