"Like seeing Michael Jordan at his greatest" - MLS club's president details reason for high ticket prices after Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami
FC Dallas president Dan Hunt recently talked about the soaring ticket prices in the MLS since Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami last summer. The legendary Argentine decided to play in the USA after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired last summer, and fans have clamored to watch him play.
Messi led Inter Miami to a Leagues Cup triumph last year, while driving them to the final of the US Open Cup. His performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar led to the playmaker winning his eighth Ballon d'Or, which has enhanced his superstardom.
Ticket prices, especially in Florida, have skyrocketed to record highs since Lionel Messi joined the Herons. The demand for tickets is still high and with the new season about to begin, there's a likelihood prices will remain high in 2024.
Speaking to Dallas News, Dan Hunt said (via GOAL):
“Basically, I’ve been consistent in my messaging. This is like seeing Michael Jordan at his greatest. This is Lionel Messi still at his greatest because he won a World Cup recently, right? I mean, this is a guy who is the best in the game."
The FC Dallas president continued:
"But yeah, people have this opportunity to pay and see it because you don’t know when it will stop and you should enjoy it because these are lifetime memories."
Hunt also hopes Messi's time in MLS will lead to the United States producing world-class talent in football. He added:
"I hope that all this inspires generations of players, and eventually, the United States will produce players who are considered the best in the world. I don’t know if that’s going to be tomorrow or in 30 years, but you hope we have that moment. My biggest hope is that we produce superstars on the heels of this.”
Lionel Messi addresses political criticism from China after failing to play in Hong Kong
Lionel Messi has received heavy criticism from football fans in China since missing a friendly match against Hong Kong XI in Hong Kong on February 4, due to an injury. However, he participated in a game in Japan only three days later, which has led to anger from the Chinese government.
Following his absence from the match in Hong Kong, Chinese authorities have called off two international friendlies that Argentina was scheduled to play in the country. The Global Times, a state media outlet, hinted that Messi and Inter Miami skipped the game for political reasons (via BBC).
The legendary Argentine took to social media platform Weibo to clear the air. He stated that his absence was because of an inflamed adductor muscle and not because of political reasons.