Lightning storm, heavy rain delay start of Lionel Messi welcome event Sunday night

Torrential rain, furious winds, and a lightning storm rolled over DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale early Sunday evening, minutes before the scheduled start of Lionel Messi’s highly anticipated “Unveil” ceremony Sunday night.

The Argentine superstar and his former FC Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets, who signed with Inter Miami Sunday, got their first taste of summer weather in South Florida. The festivities, which included a concert by Ozuna and other artists, were delayed nearly two hours due to a lightning delay. Weather delays are common at Inter Miami games, as well as other local sporting events from youth sports to professional leagues.

Torrential rain dumped on DRV PNK Stadium, delaying the start of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami welcome ceremony

Fan gates were scheduled to open at 6 p.m., when bad weather showed up, wreaking havoc with thousands of fans who were waiting in line to go through security. As of 7 p.m. the stadium was still under an official weather delay. Fans were instructed to seek shelter.

Cristian Rocha, 47, waits for a weather delay to end before the start of Inter Miami’s The Unveil at DRV PNK Stadium on Sunday, July 16, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The event was held to officially welcome Argentine forward Lionel Messi and Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets to the team.

According to at least two Twitter accounts, Magic City Soccer and IMCF Traveller, a large group of fans crashed the gates and burst into the stadium past security in the midst of the storm without having their tickets scanned.

“Security lost control, very poor situation,” wrote IMCF Traveller.

“Security abandon their post as the worst of the weather came in,” wrote Magic City Soccer. “Supporters breached the gates and passed security with no one on hand. This may be a problem. #Messi.”

According to an Inter Miami spokesperson, security guards opened gates to let drenched fans in to seek shelter as a safety precaution.

Inter Miami had beefed up security in anticipation of Messi’s arrival, including adding barricades blocking some entrances, but there were long lines at all entry points.

Hundreds of cars waited in snaking traffic jams to get into the parking lots off Commercial Blvd. to the south and Cypress Creek Rd. to the north of the stadium. The rain had lightened to a drizzle by 7:15 p.m., but there was still lightning in the area and the scoreboards continued to flash the “Weather Delay” warnings.

A weather delay is issued before the start of Inter Miami’s The Unveil at DRV PNK Stadium on Sunday, July 16, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The event was held to officially welcome Argentine forward Lionel Messi and Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets to the team.