BC soccer fan sues MLS, Whitecaps for "misleading" Messi promo
One soccer fan is looking to hold the Vancouver Whitecaps accountable for the absence of Lionel Messi in the team’s recent game against Inter Miami FC.
Ho Chun filed a notice of a civil claim in the BC Supreme Court on Tuesday, seeking money back for Whitecaps fans who paid extreme prices to see the game against Inter Miami CF on May 25. He alleges there was a “bait-and-switch” with the advertising, which featured international stars, including Messi, who never showed up.
Messi is one of the biggest stars in the world. Tickets to the game were going for hundreds of dollars apiece, much more than the typical Whitecaps game, primarily for the chance to see him in action. When news broke that Messi wouldn’t be showing up, prices immediately started to plummet.
Messi wasn’t the only Inter Miami CF star who didn’t show up, as Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets, also international stars, failed to travel to Vancouver.
The defendants in the lawsuit are listed as the Whitecaps and MLS. Chun is seeking a refund of the difference between the sky-high prices for the Inter Miami CF game and the typical Whitecaps game, a full refund for unused tickets, and a process for fans to claim additional loss or damages.
The details of the lawsuit explain how Chun spent $404 on two tickets in Section 419 for the game. He claims that promotional material used by the Whitecaps in the lead-up to the game, which prominently featured images of Messi and other Inter Miami CF stars who never showed up, was misleading.
Chun is just one of thousands of disappointed fans. The crowd at the game made their voices heard by chanting “Where is Messi?” throughout the match.
While it wasn’t the Whitecaps’ fault that Messi didn’t play, or even come to Vancouver, the club did offer some perks to make up for the global superstar’s absence. All fans got half-priced food and drink, kids under 18 got a free meal combo, and the team later gave everyone a free ticket to a future regular-season game.