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C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
I’m guessing a lot of texts, emails, and phone calls were made to family and friends by 2024 Crew season ticket holders when the club announced a Black Friday sale on tickets to the Inter Miami game. The idea is to give them first crack at tickets for those family and friends to see Lionel Messi at Lower.com Field. Well, at least it is a nice idea.
Sticker Shock
I’m sure plans were made and all were abounded with excitement. Then, the sale began and we all saw the ticket prices. The range of emotions from Crew fans ranged from outrage to, well, outrage. Why? Because the price of tickets to see the Miami Messi’s is outrageous. Really outrageous. Prices range from $421 for NORDECKE to $726 for premium seating. These are not resale prices, folks. Those are the face value of the tickets. Crew fans are unhappy and I don’t blame them.
Same Old Song
I like attending Crew games for many reasons, but one of the biggest is affordability. Crew tickets are very affordable for the average fan. The problem I have with the cost of the Messi tickets is it prices out that average fan. Yes, tickets to this game are included in season tickets, but what about those who don’t want to or can’t make that commitment? High ticket prices that force out the average fan is something we see in far too many other sports.
Just Go Away
I realize I’m very much in the minority, but I wish Messi would go back to Barcelona or some other team in some other league. I enjoy following MLS and reading articles and listening to discussions about the players and teams in the league. Once he showed up in Miami, Major League Soccer became Messi League Soccer and that’s all the media wanted to talk about. I realize he’s this generation’s “greatest player ever”, but I have little interest in seeing him play. Maybe it’s because I saw Pele’ years ago. I not only saw him, but saw him score a goal. In that game, I also saw legends Georgio Chinaglia and Rodney Marsh (yes, the same Rodney Marsh who co-hosts Grumpy Pundits on Sirius/XM). It’s sacrilege to a soccer purist, but I wish Messi would go away and leave MLS alone.
Crew fans are unhappy with Messi ticket prices and they should be. The club is certainly pricing the average fan out of a chance to see a player who is the face of the sport and I think that stinks.