While ‘Messi mania’ is still in full effect, ticket prices for Inter Miami matches are already becoming an issue. After selling out seats for the Argentine’s debut last week, the demand for high-priced tickets is beginning to level off. The decline in fans at DRV PNK Stadium was certainly noticeable during the player’s second match.

Messi made his second appearance, first start, with the Major League Soccer side Tuesday night. The superstar managed to score twice and add an assist on the night against Atlanta United. While Messi was electric in the match, there were quite a few empty seats during the game in Fort Lauderdale. In fact, thousands of tickets were still available for sale directly from the club before the match started.

Inter Miami significantly raised pricing as Messi joined

The issue may not solely come down to resellers looking to make a buck. Inter raised ticket prices since Messi officially joined the club. This includes even the cheapest seats available. For instance, the lowest price ticket inside DRV PNK Stadium was approximately $25 before Messi joined the team. Now, that same ticket is priced at around $200.

Although the Leagues Cup fixture with Atlanta was a midweek match, many soccer fans seem reluctant to pay a massive fee to see Messi. The MLS side also added around 3,000 seats to their stadium in order to take advantage of Messi’s arrival. However, seemingly thousands of unsold tickets are essentially an indication that the seats are overpriced.

Inter set to host another Leagues Cup game

Messi’s next matchup with Miami comes on Aug. 2. As the MLS season is currently on hold, this game will also be a Leagues Cup fixture. Miami advanced to the round of 32 after victories in the group stage against Atlanta and Cruz Azul. The Argentine and his teammates are set to face either Houston, Orlando, or Santos Laguna in the match.

Tickets went on sale for the aforementioned Leagues Cup round of 32 game on Wednesday. Season ticket holders were able to get the first chance to purchase their typical seats. The remaining tickets then became available to the general public. At the moment, the pricing to see Messi in action with Inter Miami starts around about $140. This is a fairly notable decrease compared to Tuesday’s match.

PHOTO: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire