February 14, 2024
HONG KONG – “Messi’s Mess” in Hong Kong has made international headlines since Sunday. For the 38,000 soccer fans who paid exorbitant sums of money for the match tickets, the absence of Lionel Messi from the friendly between Inter Miami CF and the Hong Kong League XI brought great despair and bitterness.
To add fuel to their fury, the Argentinian superstar played for more than 30 minutes in Tokyo, Japan on Wednesday — three days after the team said it was too risky for him to play because of a hamstring injury.
The great disappointment, frustration and humiliation was felt far beyond local soccer circles and penetrated all sectors of the community. While all the stakeholders are watching closely to see if there will be any refund arrangements by the event promoter Tatler Asia, the Consumer Council of Hong Kong has received more than 820 complaints against Messi’s no-show, involving a total amount of about HK$5.6 million ($716,030).
A refund or another form of remedial measure by related parties to compensate those fans who paid to watch the match is essential. Hong Kong has also learned a lesson from the incident — a more prudent selection of event service providers and organizers is necessary. All parties involved should scrutinize details of the performance contracts and closely monitor negotiations and promotions to ensure consumers of maximum protection.
In this case, the most expensive tickets for the much-hyped exhibition match cost HK$4,880 and were selling for up to HK$12,000 on the internet.
All the tickets sold out soon after going on sale. Hong Kong also held a ceremony at the airport to receive the team on its arrival. However, the city’s warm reception for its distinguished guests was met with an unenthusiastic response. Not only did Messi fail to take to the field, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government’s justifiable request to have him present the trophy and give a speech to supporters afterwards was disrespectfully ignored.
The event was originally awarded an “M” Mark status by the Major Sports Events Committee, as well as a total matching grant of HK$16 million from the government. One of the key terms of the funding agreement with Tatler Asia was for Messi to play at least 45 minutes, subject to fitness and safety considerations.
According to Tatler Asia’s official statement issued after the match, it had a contractual agreement with Inter Miami CF stipulating that celebrity players such as Messi and Luis Suarez, would play unless they were injured. The event promoter later withdrew its application for the “M” Mark event status and grant.
In Inter Miami CF’s official team sheet issued before kickoff, both Messi and Suarez were listed as substitutes, so everyone expected both to play. However, neither did.
The public has a right to know why such an exciting occasion ended on an emotionally sour note filled with anger and a sense of loss.
The team said Messi could not play in Hong Kong because of injury, but surprisingly only three days later he played in Japan for over 30 minutes. This is like rubbing salt in the wounds of local fans. Messi’s local supporters have a right to know the truth.
We know that there are different kinds of celebrity appearance fee packages in sports promotions to ensure that celebrity players interact with their supporters in different circumstances, according to the promoter’s budget. The bigger the budget, the longer the interaction. It is reported that the contract signed between Tatler Asia and Inter Miami CF was worth about $6.5 million, which is about half of the ticket revenue generated by the event. This does not include additional commercial sponsorship. It is also widely known that the cost of taking a photo with Messi was HK$150,000.
Taking into consideration the substantial profits reaped from the event, it is bizarre that while Messi could not play there were no back-up measures in place to provide solace for his supporters. This is the prime concern of soccer fans and Tatler Asia needs to provide an honest explanation.
Although commercial considerations are important for professional soccer clubs internationally, social responsibility is an essential element needed to generate loyalty. In this case, a little public relations gesture could have turned the situation around. Regretfully, Hong Kong people did not see any such gestures being made throughout the day. Related parties need to take concrete actions to achieve reconciliation, as compliments about Hong Kong and its people will not suffice.
The incident has a positive perspective. Hong Kong soccer fans showed great restraint in expressing their despair and frustration. Apart from booing the club’s co-owner David Beckham and demanding refunds at the stadium, only a handful of display boards featuring Messi were destroyed by angry fans when they dispersed. This demonstrated the discipline of local residents and the rule of law and order in the city. Had the incident occurred in a Western democracy, large-scale riots with massive destruction of public facilities might well have resulted .
The government reacted swiftly to update the public about what really happened, preventing rumors spreading on the internet. We had a bitter experience in the 2019 riots when online rumors were not properly or promptly handled, providing a breeding ground for anti-government propaganda and subversive activities.
The government is dedicated to improving its governance to make Hong Kong a prosperous and safe city. Hong Kong is still a colorful and vibrant city attractive to foreign investment and tourists. We will continue to organize more mega events for residents and visitors.
The author is a Hong Kong-based freelance writer and an adviser to the Hong Kong Association of Media Veterans.