CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ticket prices for an October match between Charlotte FC and Inter Miami CF have dramatically increased in response to Inter Miami making a huge international signing.
Lionel Messi, the Argentinan superstar, announced on Wednesday that he is signing with Inter Miami CF, bringing his world-renowned talents to Major League Soccer. It's arguably the biggest signing in the 27-year history of MLS.
Soccer fans across the globe have taken note of the move. Messi's status as an international superstar has been in place for nearly 20 years after his successful days at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
The 35-year-old forward's move to MLS has prompted Inter Miami ticket prices to dramatically increase for this season.
Charlotte FC's Oct. 21 home match against Miami saw prices skyrocket following the immediate news of Messi's move. The cheapest ticket prices currently sit around $135 for each ticket in the upper deck with the cheapest resale tickets hovering around $200.
Resale tickets make up a majority of the available tickets for the match, with lower deck tickets ranging from around $300 to $10,000. Many tickets are priced over $1,000.
For comparison, Charlotte's match on Saturday against Seattle Sounders FC has tickets ranging from $42 to $182.
A spokesperson for Charlotte FC confirmed the club planned to have the upper bowl open during the game because it's fan appreciation night, but with news of Messi's signing, they put tickets on sale earlier than they typically would for home matches.
The Charlotte vs Miami game is not an anomaly. Miami has seen prices for its matches jump dramatically for all of the team's remaining games for the rest of the season.
Messi is projected to join Miami in late July and hopes to bring a spark to a side that currently sits last in the Eastern Conference standings.
Charlotte FC will first play against Messi on Aug. 20 in Miami.
Messi became an international superstar while spending 17 seasons with Barcelona before making an earth-shattering move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. Messi's name has become synonymous with Argentinan soccer in that time frame with notable performances at five World Cups, including Argentina's victory at the 2022 World Cup.
While the move is a remarkable moment for MLS, it's not out of the ordinary for high-ended soccer players to coast to the end of their career in the United States.
David Beckham, Kaka, Steven Gerrard, and Wayne Rooney, among others, all closed out their careers in MLS. Before MLS, Pelé, Bobby Moore, and George Best, among others, all did the same in the North American Soccer League, the predecessor to MLS.