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Montreal plans on making MLS impact sooner rather than later

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By AVI CREDITOR

The question isn't "If?" for Montreal Impact president Joey Saputo. It's "When?"

The Vancouver Sun reported Monday that Saputo plans on having his team join Major League Soccer as soon as 2011, with realistic hopes set at 2012.

Saputo has met with MLS league officials, including commissioner Don Garber, in each of the last two months, and he's as optimistic as ever that the Impact will make the leap from USSF Division 2 to MLS within two years.

"We are closer now than ever before in making an announcement," Saputo told the Sun. "MLS was satisfied with the meetings and received the assurances it needed. Our bid has now proceeded to the next level."

With Vancouver and Portland set to join the league in 2011, Montreal will likely have to wait another year before making the leap. But Saputo appears to be more eager, and in the event of a snag with either the Whitecaps or Timbers, the Impact president has "advised the MLS that if need be we can ready for 2011."

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Would you like to see Montreal join MLS? What would a potential third Canadian team do for the league? Do you like that MLS continues to expand, or does it dilute the talent pool too much?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. This is potentially dangerous. Names aren’t that big of a deal. The identity is. And there are ten’s of thousands of Montreal residents that identify with the Impact. Just because us “foolish Yanks” don’t identify with it doesn’t matter to the fans we should be concerned with.

    I like the Impact name, specifically because 55,000 people went and saw them. The Sounders taught me that.

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  2. The “put a team in the Southeast” argument is naive. The consensus pick seems to be Atlanta, as it is central in that region and has a wealthy potential owner. But to assume that fans in Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, or South Carolina are going to support a team in Atlanta is just silly.

    MLS was correct not to force a team into a so-so situation in Miami. There are a lot of big cities in the area, and most have unsavory reputations among professional sports. In all reality, unless MLS goes to 25+ teams, only one might ever go in the Southeast. Don’t plunk it down in Atlanta just because it has a big population and is “central” to the region.

    Really, due to NHL expansion, many of those cities are already overloaded with teams (especially when you factor in the popularity of college sports). If MLS is to expand in the area, they would probably be smart to find a city that doesn’t already have three or four pro sports teams. And given that, there’s still really not a good candidate in the region.

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  3. I totally agree. I hope more Canadian teams join MLS (think there was one more city trying to get in) I don’t care were the new teams are from as long as they ad something to the league.

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  4. How a team from Canada can be in the “USSF Division 2” is mind-boggling? What does the Canadian Soccer Association say about that?

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  5. If it’s the team’s priority, then why has Garber said he will move the team if they can’t get a stadium? Because he cares about the face of the league. If he’s willing to lose a foundation of his league, then good for him. I’ll become a eurosnob.

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  6. I’d say the furthest south MLS should go is ACC country… And the Biggest City in ACC country is Charlotte…. It would still allow for a rivalry with DC….. and lord knows that They would follow the games because there is no MLB team around to compete with in the summer…. CHARLOTTE is the way to go

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  7. I think promotion-relegation is a great idea for North America. And if you keep the single entity thing going you would avoid clubs folding (atleast that is what I thought was the whole point of the structure MlS has now). Yes it might be true you loose allot of fans when you relegate but at the same time it will give more areas in the US the opportunity to have a top level pro team were now there is no chance for places like Atlanta to compete with bigger markets such as Montreal.

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  8. i disagree, Chivas USA is an American club, playing in the USA. It is owned by Mexicans, but the team is located in the US. So I don’t think you can compare…

    as for Canada, I think this can only help them. I don’t see a Canadian league coming up anytime soon, so the best way to help their talent pool is to join MLS. I think Americans who play on a Canadian team take up a foreign spot on their roster…right?

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  9. Open the door to the Canadiens. A team with established roots and exisiting solid fan base is nothing but positive. If they have the stadium expansion deal in place as well even better. MLS needs more teams that it doesn’t have to baby and prod along to be productive.

    MLS doesn’t have the money or the talent base for massive expansion to go to the tiered relegation and promotion system. Maybe 15-20 years down the line but it’s not gonna happen any time soon.

    RFK is an abysmal stadium and is practically a health hazard just to be in. With the floundering of the Nats there is little to no chance of a stadium in the DC city limits any time soon. Prepare for the Baltimore United or perhaps the Mid Atlantic United.

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  10. dude, Dan Snyder?!?! the reason why areas in MD right around DC shot down this stadium was because of the Redskins! they promised to pay back FedEx and they have yet to even come close. Almost every politician I emailed asking them to support it said that DCU is just making the same empty promises as the Redskins. And they won’t be fooled twice.

    They need to raise the money and then there won’t be a problem. Hell, even if they raised half of the money they would probably get the okay.

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  11. IF MLS doesn’t get to 25+ teams under Garber, I will be shocked. They need to grow smart however. In a single entity ( if that holds up in court ), a bad money team brings down the average and, well, free loads in a way.

    Montreal looks to be a great addition. Vancouver will be, Portland should be.

    Where next ?

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  12. I feel sorry for those team’s fans, loyal fans for many years.

    They are being left in the dust by the new teams.

    Seattle capping attendance at 36k,

    Toronto drawing 20k, but could draw close to Seattle with a ‘better’ stadium ( don’t

    flame me, I like big stadiums )

    Philly, says this will sell out at 18,500, again should have gone bigger…maybe.

    Vancouver is a layup, Portland will probably do well too.

    I don’t know what the solution is, but MLS needs to expand to get the money, to get the talent, to get the money.

    Get your neighbors to come to games.

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  13. The Sounders drew 10k in a first division that was seen as inferior. Imagine them in the second division. bye bye. This is a team that is limiting ticket sales to 36,000 this year.

    Not sure how many teams you are going to send down, but they finished 2 points from best regular season but not that far from relegation. You really want that money gone ?

    Pro-rel is the single dumbest financial thing in sports and there are some dumb ones out there.

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  14. I say bring them in asap. It is already a strong franchise with a loyal following and lots of publicity from the city of Montreal. They should be in the league in 2011.

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  15. That shouldn’t be up to MLS. That should be up to the ownership. If DC can’t get a stadium get out. Dallas should promote themselves and hold events. Dallas isn’t a team that is that committed to being known in the community down there. My family down there says that Dallas doesn’t help themselves at all.

    DC at this point needs to consider moving a priority. Somethings just aren’t going to happen like wanting to get a team in the middle of the city or in the city. Or around it. Land in the east isn’t like land in the midwest. Especially, when the league and Football isn’t respected in this country yet.

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  16. You two are so far off base about the southeast and Atlanta that I won’t even respond. These points have been rehashed over and over.

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  17. There is no correlation between USL and MLS attendance. Furthermore, MLS doesn’t care that much — they want a deep-pocketed owner who can build a stadium.

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  18. I doubt MLS will sit at 19 teams, there’s bound to be one more to bring it to the equal 20 and dare we say, single tabled action. I am not sure where you will find a huge base in South East – maybe Georgia? But it’s US Football territory and from my brief experiences down there, I can’t see crowds of 16k+ every game. World Cup games are different, I know soccer hating sports fans who would love to see a World Cup game.

    I’d open my arms wide to any team capable of pulling the 55k I think they pulled at one point. MLS needs to grow as a league and if our little brothers in Canada want more action, all the merrier!

    The league needs profits at this time and although there are other markets in the US, MLS needs a quick penny – fast and if they can keep the momentum started with Toronto and exploded with Seattle, we’ll see a league emerging as one of quality.

    However, the more teams Canada brings into the league, the more watchful FIFA will be of wanting to separate the two countries…

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  19. I would be all in favor of Montreal entering the league in 2011, but I think there needs to be some tweaks to the Byzantine style rules of MLS. 1. Increase roster size. 2. address player dev. either reserve league or some other systen 3. Unleash the Academy system and put no limits on it, if teams don’t invest, their problem.

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  20. I think you’re absolutely right. It may not be MLS’ job but it is certainly in their best interest to make sure their established teams do well. When DC has to play in an inadequate stadium and Dallas struggles with attendance it reflects poorly on the league as a whole.

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  21. As long as all existing teams in the MLS aren’t comprimised, bring in the Impact. Too many teams are struggling right now: Dallas with attendance, New England and DC with stadium issues, etc. I know it isn’t the job of MLS to help these teams out financially, but since MLS owns their players, they should help them out in any other way possible. It’s selfish to own the contracts of the team’s players, yet turn your backs on the teams when they need MLS the most.

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  22. I think Blank is still working on an soccer specific stadium project behind the scenes, and Atlanta will reapply to MLS when they have some better plans. Montreal shows that MLS doesn’t really need a formal expansion to award teams, and that if an investor group in the Southeast comes along then MLS will expand there.
    I believe that Blank and MLS have a handshake to get a team in ATL when the conditions are met.

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  23. people who are whining about canadian teams need to stop. so far they show support (toronto FC) and good crowds (under 20 world cup) which can only be good for the league. Also the other major leagues, NHL, NBA, MLB, except the NFL(maybe bills go to toronto), there are canadian teams in the main leagues.

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  24. Yes, MLS can handle the Impact by 2012. And there should not be a significant dilution of world’s talent pool, as MLS teams can recruit worldwide. This is not like the NFL where players come from a limited number of large University football factories.

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  25. Huh. I just made the same comment below before I saw yours. If they move into the bigger stadium, or even if they don’t, that name would be great. It carries some history in the soccer world, and pays an homage to the city’s history. That would be great.

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  26. Well then nobody should move anywhere near you as you seem to be the least cultured and ignorant person to post on this blog today. Congrats on that distinction.

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  27. Wouldn’t seeing Impact de Montreal in the league as long as they allow supporters to be supporters. Some backlash a few years ago between the FO and the supporters group there. They would a nice addition though as they have done will in USL-1 recently. I believe they made a run play-off run at Seattle’s expense in 08 and a Championship run last year if I’m not mistaken. Also be nice to have the Canadian Championship be held between 3 MLS teams

    Nice stadium as well
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Close_tifo.jpg

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  28. As a transplanted Metros season ticket holder living in VT, I’d love to have a team in Montreal (less than 2 hours away). It would be pretty easy to drop NYRB from my cache of fav teams and pull on a Montreal jersey.

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  29. Saputo looks like he cares about his team too…that will be another extra vote to offset the Kronkes and Krafts in MLS ownership meetings

    Their stadium is built,brand new, and ready to go. If they get into MLS then i’d imaigne they’ll do some simple upgrades to the place.

    its going to happen

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  30. I’m with you on this one, I still don’t understand why more and more Canadian teams are being added. Well I do understand, it’s all about $$$ and big crowds. So let’s see, we could possibly have 3 Canadian teams, there’s already 1 Mexican team (Chivas USA…for all intents and purposes, it’s a Mexican club, a “reserve” team for Guadalajara that serves Guadalajar’s interests when needed), what’s next? I thought this was USA’s domestic league? I guess I was wrong.

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  31. dude. get a clue. atlanta is universally and almost unanimously considered the worst professional sports town in the entire united states by professional sports writers. it is also always the top entry on every ‘worst sports town’ list. and in case your homerific sensibilities are offended here are some cold hard facts:

    Atlanta Pro Sports Attendance:

    MLB: 15th out of 30 teams
    NFL: 17th out of 32 teams
    NBA: 21st out of 30 teams
    NHL: 28th out of 30 teams

    Atlanta Metro Area Population:

    8th largest in the United States.

    That is what we call in the business pathetic underachievement!!

    Yeah, you keep dreaming that you don’t suck as a pro sports town and that you will be getting an MLS franchise.

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  32. Garber took notice long before that, and the two parties were already trying to reach agreement to get Montreal in the league ASAP.

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  33. Actually, DC has had a lot of “hiccups” with the Nationals. It’s been a pretty miserable experience — one that has made it politically impossible for any politician in the District or even in surrounding areas to champion a new soccer stadium. Hiccups? Cost overruns; a dead zone around the park, the team forcing the city to build above-ground garages; even though the city was desperate to take more time to build the garages underground and use the land above them; outrageous ticket prices; the team withholding rent the entire first year and a team that was unwatchably bad, playing before many tiny crowds.

    However, you’re right about the misery that is RFK. DCU’s deal is pretty bad there, thoughhte cit did make certain concessions to them last season — and, when I sa “concessions”, I mean $$, because there are hardly an concessions there to speak of, except some beer.

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  34. This Olympic name is now grandfathered for the old team but un-available to new ones. So unfortunately it won’t be available unless the IOC is cut a fat sum they can subsequently squander.

    It ticks all the boxes, they have existing fan support, a SSS (which they have a deal to expand to 20k now apparently), owner with money, and location on the metro line (even though it’s not central) in the city of montreal.

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