to a sell-out crowd with fans

[Maybo]

I have difficulty understanding the underlined sentence structure.

Many in Hong Kong were dismayed on Sunday when the 36-year-old Argentinian player did not come on to the field during a much-hyped Inter Miami fixture to a sell-out crowd with fans demanding answers and a refund.

Source: Lionel Messi: outcry in China and Hong Kong after star returns from injury in time for Japan match by Guardian sport and agencies

 

[SoothingDave]

Fans paid money to see Messi. The game was sold out. He didn't play. They're mad and demanding to know why and to get their money back.

 

[Maybo]

Fans paid money to see Messi. The game was sold out. He didn't play. They're mad and demanding to know why and to get their money back.

I get that meaning but I don't understand the structure. What to a sell-out crowd with fans?

 

[Skrej]

The 'fixture'. See definition #4. I believe the term may be more common in BrE, as this definition was new to me.

 

[SoothingDave]

He did not come on the field to the crowd.

 

[SoothingDave]

Yes, I assumed "fixture" was some soccer term. Totally unfamiliar to me.

 

[Tarheel]

I get that meaning but I don't understand the structure. What to a sell-out crowd with fans?

You left out something important. One, they played to a sell-out crowd. Two, fans have been demanding that they get their money back for their tickets.

There's always a possibility that somebody can't play because of injury. Those kinds of things aren't planned.

 

[emsr2d2]

In football terms, "fixture" simply means "match".

This Saturday's fixtures include Aston Villa v Liverpool, Chelsea v Man Utd and Brighton v Crystal Palace.
Have you seen this month's fixture list? I can't believe we've got just one home game, and the three away matches are all over 200 miles away.

(Note that in football (soccer), the name of the team playing at home comes first. In football (American football/gridiron), the name of the team playing away from their own ground comes first.)

 

[SoothingDave]

Unless it is a neutral site game, we Americans typically use an "at" instead of a "vs."

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