2 hours ago
18
Fan alleged "bait-and-switch" in lawsuit launched after international superstars Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquet didn't show up as advertised with Inter Miami to play the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Fans who paid a premium for tickets won't receive any compensation under the proposed deal
Karin Larsen · CBC News
· Posted: Dec 29, 2025 3:30 PM EST | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago
Listen to this article
Estimated 3 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
A proposed settlement to a class-action lawsuit won’t provide compensation for thousands of ticket buyers who, despite marketing promises, never got to see soccer stars Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquet and Luis Suarez play the Vancouver Whitecaps at B.C. Place in May of 2024.
Instead, the settlement is proposing the Whitecaps pay $475,000 — minus up to one third of that for the law firm representing the plaintiffs — to be split between three charitable organizations.
Details of the proposal were released on Monday by the law firm representing the Burnaby, B.C., man who brought the claim.
In his lawsuit, Ho Chun alleges he paid $404 for a pair of tickets to see Inter Miami CF play the Whitecaps in a game where the three famous Miami players were advertised as participating.
None of them did, but their no-show was only announced a couple of days before the game. Hon’s lawsuit called it “a classic case of bait-and-switch,” citing print, online, social media and billboard ads that promised the trio.
In a statement emailed to CBC News, the Vancouver Whitecaps said: “A settlement has been reached in the class action relating to the Whitecaps FC v. Inter Miami CF game on May 25, 2024. The settlement is subject to approval by the British Columbia Supreme Court.”
Evolink, the law firm representing class action plaintiffs, declined comment.
According to the proposed settlement, the Whitecaps will revise their ticketing terms and conditions to state that player rosters are subject to change and cannot be guaranteed.
In addition, the team will add similar information to the pop-up notices on Ticketmaster’s website and will display the updated terms and conditions more prominently on its own website.
Chun's lawsuit was originally seeking a full refund for tickets that went unused and a partial refund for tickets that were used, amounting to the difference between the price charged for the Miami game and the average price for all other Whitecaps games.
It claimed the Whitecaps and the MLS were "reckless in not confirming that Messi, Suarez, and/or Busquets would be playing at the Vancouver v. Miami game."
The proposed settlement will be the subject of a B.C. Supreme Court hearing in Vancouver set for Feb. 27, 2026.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karin Larsen is a former Olympian and award winning sports broadcaster who covers news and sports for CBC Vancouver.
English (US) ·