Fans Confused After Messi Match at Hard Rock Stadium

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — After a thrilling match on June 23 between Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami and Brazil’s Palmeiras, confusion ensued for over 60,000 attendees as they attempted to find their rideshare pickups.

As fans streamed out of Hard Rock Stadium, they were directed to Lot 30 by stadium signs, but few realized that it was a long walk away. Many fans were puzzled, looking at their phones and asking each other how to reach their rideshare destination.

A security guard repeatedly encouraged crowds to ”keep walking,” but as they stepped onto Carl F. Barger Boulevard, confusion grew. Rideshare drivers and taxis were not permitted to stop along the busy road, and police urged fans to hurry across the street.

Sabine Niehaus, 69, found herself struggling with her rolling walker in the heat, sweating under the weight of her Messi jersey. ”I’ll never go to another game, especially not here,” she said.

Nearby, Mark Sachnoff, 67, faced a similar plight. After asking a police officer about the distance left to walk, he learned that it would take another 20 minutes. Suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, he exclaimed, ”You might as well call me an ambulance because I’m not going to make it.”

Sachnoff expressed frustration at the lack of assistance for disabled fans. ”First, they told me there’s an ADA shuttle, but there were none tonight. Everybody was telling me different directions,” he complained.

Despite initial helpfulness inside the stadium, Niehaus encountered no assistance when exiting. Her Uber app mapped a pickup point far from where she exited the ADA gates, confounding her further.

As taxis offered exorbitant fares — a minimum of $150 for an 11-mile ride — patrons were left scrambling for options. Rideshare prices had surged after the match, reminiscent of previous events such as the Super Bowl in 2020, which also saw inflated Uber rates.

Amidst their struggles, fans noted that some residents provide ride services for a fee, but many were absent after the match. The hard-to-navigate area around Hard Rock Stadium raises safety concerns, as public transportation options are sparse.

Hard Rock Stadium is a vital venue, hosting various events, but past incidents of crowd control issues induce anxiety for many attendees. Last summer, thousands were trapped outside during a Copa América final, necessitating improvements ahead of future tournaments.

As the night wore on, Niehaus continued her trek, occasionally stopping to rest, hoping for assistance that never came. Then, a local resident named Mike appeared with his golf cart, offering her a free ride to the pickup area.

Gratefully, Niehaus accepted the help, but later found that connecting with another rideshare driver proved problematic. Eventually, she encountered Ernesto, an Uber driver willing to take her to her hotel.

This chaotic exit highlighted the need for better planning and resources to support fans navigating major events at Hard Rock Stadium. The experience left many questioning the effectiveness of the current setup.