Court to rule on B.C. class-action lawsuit against Whitecaps over Messi no-show
A B.C. judge will decide Monday whether to approve a settlement in a class-action lawsuit against the Vancouver Whitecaps regarding Lionel Messi’s absence from a 2024 game.Summary
A British Columbia judge is set to rule on a proposed settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed against the Vancouver Whitecaps and Major League Soccer following a 2024 game heavily promoted to feature Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets, who ultimately did not play. The proposed settlement includes updates to the team’s ticketing policies and a $475,000 donation to charity. Lawyers for the class argued that a direct distribution of funds to the 50,000 class members would result in minimal individual payouts, making the charitable donation a more impactful outcome, potentially funding sports fees for thousands of families through organizations like KidSport BC. The representative plaintiff, Ho Chun, faced significant online harassment and misinformation after coming forward, a factor the judge acknowledged as a deterrent for future representative plaintiffs. The settlement was reached through mediation, and the judge’s ruling is expected on Monday morning.
(Source：CHEK News)