Ticket Prices Bottom Out As Lionel Messi's Chicago Chances Fade

CHICAGO — One of the more anticipated sporting events in Chicago in recent memory appears to be losing steam quickly as soccer star Lionel Messi’s probability of playing against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday night at Soldier Field seems to be fading fast.

Messi, who signed with Inter Miami ahead of the Major League Soccer season, has been a big draw for soccer fans, driving up attendance — and ticket prices — everywhere the team and their superstar main attraction has traveled.

But an apparent lower leg injury has forced Messi to miss five of the team’s last six games heading into Wednesday's highly anticipated match. Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said that the team hasn’t been willing to risk making the injury worse by playing Messi, which appears to be the case for the team's match with the Fire on Wednesday.

Martino told the Miami Herald that Messi would go through training on Monday and Tuesday and that the team’s medical staff would make the determination if Messi would make the trip to Chicago.

“He might be ready to play against Chicago, he might be on the bench, or if we think there is still a risk and he has to be left out, he will be left out,” Martino said over the weekend, according to the newspaper.

On Tuesday, the Fire issued a statement saying that they realize many fans may be disappointed if Messi does not play. The team said that there is never a guarantee that an athlete will play on any given night due to several factors. The team said that as of Tuesday, it has distributed more than 61,000 tickets for Wednesday's match.

The Fire, who are fighting for a spot in the MLS playoff picture, had touted Wednesday’s match as a must-see, which spiked ticket prices for Messi’s visit. The league announced in June that Messi would be signing with Inner Miami, which suddenly sent fans scrambling to their calendars to see when they could get an up-close look at the international star.

Inter Miami is 8-0-4 in the 12 games the 36-year-old forward has been on the pitch with the team but is 1-2-2 when Messi has not played.

“Obviously with Messi on the pitch, it’s an element to their team, and in their game where you have a very good team but you have a player now that at any moment can turn the game upside down with one play, so obviously it’s a little bit of a different team,” Chicago Fire FC manager Frank Klopas told reporters. “Obviously with him on the pitch but we have to prepare both scenarios, if he’s on the pitch, if he’s not on the pitch. I think our tactical organization has to cover — we’ll go through a couple different scenarios, and then I think we have confidence.”

Messi has scored 11 goals and registered two assists in 12 games with Inter Miami this season. But while the team — like the Fire continue their push for the postseason, not having Messi healthy enough to play may hurt Inter Miami’s chances.

Not to mention what it has done to the ticket prices and the Fire’s hopes of setting a new attendance record come Wednesday night.

Ticketmaster had been selling tickets for Wednesday’s match for up to $260, but as of Tuesday, tickets for the match were available as low as $29 on SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, and Stubhub.

Despite plunging ticket prices, the Fire are trying to make attending the match — Messi or no Messi — worthwhile to fans.

The Fire said they will be offering a $250 account credit toward new memberships for the 2024 season — or a $50 account credit for anyone unable to use the new member credit — to all single-game ticket buyers who attend our match vs. Inter Miami regardless of which players are able to make an appearance on the pitch.

"We realize that there will be many in attendance who are coming to a Chicago Fire match at Soldier Field for the first time, and we’re excited to welcome them to the Fire Family and give them an opportunity to become long-term fans by creating a wonderful, fan-focused atmosphere," the team said in a statement.