The hottest sports ticket in town these days? It's none of the usual suspects this time.
Normally at this time of the year, the Yankees are making their playoff push and fans snag tickets hoping to catch a division-clinching game. Sometimes the Mets are even still playing meaningful baseball. Sometimes.
But that's definitely not the case this year for either team.
In some years, now is when Giants or Jets fans start to get their hopes up and buy up tickets in anticipation of the upcoming NFL season. And while that's definitely true this year — Giants coming off a surprise playoff run and the most-highly anticipated Jets season in quite some time, maybe ever — neither can hold a candle to the hype ahead of an upcoming game for a different New York team.
The New York Red Bulls are the center of attention, at least this weekend, because of who they will be facing. For the first time since signing with Inter Miami, soccer superstar Lionel Messi will be coming to the tri-state.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
Fans have been buzzing with excitement for days leading up to Saturday evening's matchup at Red Bull Arena, in Harrison, New Jersey. Dozens of fans hoping to catch a glimpse (or even an autograph) started lining up at the W Hotel in Hoboken, where Messi and the rest of Inter Miami are staying ahead of their game. Just the bus arrival alone drew hundreds of fans.
Messi last played in New Jersey in 2022, against the Jamaican national team. But you'd never know it was so recent based on ticket prices for the match.
The cheapest ticket on Gametime were selling for $311. That's cheap compared to others: StubHub's cheapest seat was going for $354.
The most expensive? That'll set you back 5-figures, as people are selling front row seats for tens of thousands of dollars.
