With Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi out with an ankle injury, the Chicago Fire have a sweet offer for fans who want to see the soccer star: The MLS club is incentivizing fans to attend the Fire’s home game against Inter Miami on August 31, whether Messi plays or not, by paying admission if the player doesn’t play.
If Messi is still sidelined at the end of August, Chicago will offer what it calls a “fan-first credit guarantee,” an incentive the team said in a press release that will encourage fans to fill Soldier Field to a sold-out home stadium regardless of Messi’s injury status.
If Messi is unable to play, fans who purchase tickets will receive one of three perks depending on the date of purchase: a season ticket credit, a free ticket to the Fires’ fan appreciation game in October, or a single-match ticket to next year’s game against Inter Miami, according to the team.
With a packed stadium for the Aug. 31 game, the Fire are offering a fan-first credential to ensure everyone who attends has the best experience possible.
Depending on the purchase date, fans will receive the following credits if Messi isn’t available on August 31st.
🎟️ Season… pic.twitter.com/iJAjSeXKRN
— Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) July 19, 2024
Messi suffered a gruesome ankle injury in Monday’s Copa America final, missing the entire game as Argentina beat Colombia 1-0. The injury, which Inter Miami announced was ligament damage in his right ankle, will keep him out for at least the next two games. The Inter Miami captain watched his team’s 3-1 home win over Toronto on Wednesday but remained in the stands.
Chicago’s contingency plan appears to be based on what happened last year, when more than 61,000 fans bought tickets to see Messi play at Soldier Field, but the Argentine was left out of the starting lineup. Messi missed an extended period of games last fall, including the October game against Chicago, with “muscle fatigue” explained as the reason.
To make up for the fact that the status of Messi’s injury was unknown at the time, the Fire offered fans who purchased single-game tickets to the match a $250 account credit towards their membership for the 2024 season.
Chicago isn’t the only team to add Messi clauses to ticket purchases or otherwise accommodate Messi’s absence, as Messi’s popularity has contributed to increased ticket sales in MLS.
In November, the New York Red Bulls’ special two-game holiday ticket pack included tickets for fans to RBNY’s home opener and the Hudson River Derby against New York City FC, but included a clause if the home opener ended up being against Inter Miami (RBNY ended up playing their home opener against Nashville SC, so the clause did not apply).
In May, after Messi and Inter Miami stars Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez were unable to play in a match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Whitecaps offered a 50% discount on concessions at the stadium to boost morale.
Inter Miami will face Chicago in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday for the first time this season, and if Messi sticks to his two-match injury schedule, he could next play in two League Cup matches on July 27 and Aug. 3.