Some respite for crushed fans who thronged to Hong Kong stadium over a month ago, hoping to watch Lionel Messi in action. Those who bought tickets will be issued a 50 per cent refund on their tickets as the Argentine football star failed to make it to the pitch at all during the game. The refund will be given by May if the buyer agrees not to pursue any further legal complaints, the event’s organiser has announced.
Tatler Asia said on Monday those who bought tickets for the February 4 match between Inter Miami CF and Hong Kong League XI through official channels would receive emails the same day detailing how to claim the refund.
The announcement aims to bring closure for tens of thousands of angered and frustrated Messi fans, some of whom paid as much as HK$4,880 (US$624) per ticket.
Fans who bought their tickets through official platform Klook would have until April 12 to respond to the email and accept the terms and conditions for the refund, Tatler Asia said.
The organiser said refunds would be processed within 30 days after the deadline, adding the actual date for receiving the money could differ depending on the recipient’s bank policies.
Customers who bought tickets through Tatler Asia, as well as the other event sponsors and partners, would be contacted by account managers directly, it said.
Messi says rumours that his no-show in Hong Kong game was political are false
According to the terms and conditions included in the announcement, those who already initiated claims, complaints or payment reversals with Klook will not be able to receive the refund unless they abandon them.
Customers seeking a refund also have to agree to not pursue any further legal complaints and waive all past and future claims.
Liao Ke, 24, a teacher based in Shenzhen, said he received the email at around 4pm and accepted the refund terms immediately.
After waiting for over a month, Liao said it was “great” to get half of his HK$2,280 ticket price reimbursed but stopped short of calling it a “satisfactory” conclusion.
“I can only say this is a remedial measure to calm the fans’ emotions a little. What’s really disappointing is that Messi didn’t play as promised,” he said, adding he was no longer a fan of the football star.
“I travelled from Shenzhen to Hong Kong for the game so the expense was manageable. Imagine those people who travelled all the way from other parts of mainland China … Is it really enough to just refund half of the ticket?”
Other fans said there was a lack of clarity about some of the terms of the refund, particularly as they related to previous complaints already logged.
Your Voice: Messi leaves a bitter taste in Hong Kong (short letters)
Yang Jingcong, from the southern mainland city of Jiangmen, said he had filed a complaint with Hong Kong’s Consumer Council and police. He said he was unsure about whether those would be counted as ongoing complaints and what steps he should take to withdraw them. He also has not found a place to submit additional documents as proof of their withdrawal.
“The clause only mentions third parties, but it does not specify,” he said. “Which third-party organisations are included? I don’t know whether I need to go to the Hong Kong Police Force and the Hong Kong Consumer Council to make a withdrawal.
“It was my first time in Hong Kong, and I am so disappointed, not only at the game, but also at the attitude afterwards of the parties involved.”
The widely hyped match sparked public fury across the country after Messi, who was heavily featured in the match’s promotion, remained on the bench the entire match due to a thigh muscle discomfort.
Fans, many of whom travelled to the city from the mainland, Australia and elsewhere, were further infuriated when Messi returned to action just a few days later with his Inter Miami CF team in Japan.
Amid criticism by the public and government officials over the fiasco, Tatler Asia eventually agreed to distribute refunds to ticket-buyers and withdraw its application for HK$16 million in taxpayer dollars for putting on the event.
Your Voice: Messi disappoints Hong Kong (short letters)
The row also launched a review of how funds were distributed to private organisations under the government’s M Mark system, a designation for key sporting events that qualifies organisers for millions of dollars in public cash.
Messi later sought to tamp down outrage over the event, saying allegations that political factors were involved were unfounded and that he hoped to meet his Chinese fans in person again.
In an unaudited breakdown of the finances behind the club’s visit, Tatler Asia showed the refund would end up costing the company its entire projected profit for the event, plus another HK$43 million (US$5.6 million).
