MLS Impact de Montréal

[Ornello Mastrocola]

MLS or no MLS, let's upgrade the pitch to hold at least 25,000 seats. I think this is doable. There is interest in this city that's for sure. The 13,000 seat pitch we have now is somewhat embarrasing for a city like Montreal.

[boluda]

http://www.ruefrontenac.com/sports/38-soccer/5155-impact-mls

 

Exclusif: les ponts sont rétablis entre Montréal et la MLS

 

Écrit par Martin Smith

Lundi, 11 mai 2009 14:57

 

Les liens entre Montréal et la MLS se sont resserrés à tel point que Joey Saputo affirme maintenant: «... je serais très surpris (most shocked) si nous n’obtenions pas une prochaine concession.»

 

 

Ce point de vue est d’autant plus surprenant qu’un immense fossé s’était creusé entre Joey Saputo et Don Garber depuis novembre dernier alors que le commissaire de la MLS avait écarté cavalièrement la candidature de Montréal en vue de l’expansion de 2011.

Cependant, il faut se rendre à l’évidence: les relations sont redevenues très harmonieuses entre les deux hommes. Cette conclusion s’impose d’elle-même après la lecture des commentaires inclus par Don Garber dans son blogue officiel, baptisé «The Commissioner Speaks», qui est affiché depuis vendredi dernier sur le site Web de la MLS. Voici la traduction des deux paragraphes concernant une expansion éventuelle de la MLS à Montréal :

«Nous continuons d’être impressionnés par les efforts consacrés par la famille Saputo à la cause du soccer à Montréal. L’Impact est un club très populaire (plus de 55 000 fans ont assisté à leur affrontement de la Ligue des Champions contre Santos Laguna), qui dispute ses matchs dans un stade construit spécifiquement pour le soccer dans le centre-ville (sic) de Montréal.

«Joey Saputo travaille de concert avec divers paliers de gouvernement sur un plan visant à augmenter la capacité d’accueil du stade Saputo. Je crois que Montréal est un marché très viable pour la MLS et j’ai l’intention de rester en contact régulier avec les Saputo alors que nous élaborons nos plans pour la prochaine expansion.»

Entrevue exclusive avec RueFrontenac.com

Quelques heures avant de s’envoler à destination de Chicago pour assister à une réunion des propriétaires de la USL-1, Joey Saputo a accordé une entrevue exclusive à RueFrontenac.com, au cours de laquelle il affirme que tous les éléments d’une candidature gagnante pour une future concession de la MLS à Montréal sont en train de s’arrimer solidement et que tout baigne dans une atmosphère «très positive».

«Le commissaire sait maintenant que les gouvernements sont prêts à nous aider et il apprécie beaucoup ce changement majeur dans notre dossier, a-t-il indiqué. Nous poussons aussi beaucoup sur le fait que le marketing de la MLS serait bien plus efficace et bien plus rentable au Canada si elle pouvait compter à la fois sur Montréal en plus de Toronto et Vancouver.»

En examinant l’évolution récente de la MLS, il apparaît assez évident que les soucis sont causés par certaines des plus vieilles concessions (DC United, par exemple) plutôt que par les nouvelles concessions, où l’enthousiasme des fans a été franchement impressionnant que ce soit à Seattle, à Portland ou à Vancouver.

«Nous avons plein d’idées à suggérer à la MLS pour décongestionner le calendrier de compétition afin de mieux mettre en valeur la Ligue des Champions et afin de permettre la tenue de matchs internationaux, a raconté Saputo. On ne demande pas mieux que de devenir un partenaire actif et constructif de la MLS.»

La rivalité avec Toronto

Après sa réunion à Chicago, Joey Saputo se rendra directement dans la Ville reine pour le premier match de défense du titre de champion canadien par l’Impact, qui affrontera le FC Toronto au BMO Field, mercredi soir.

«C’est une bonne rivalité, note-t-il. J’espère qu’on pourra d’ici peu affronter également le FC Toronto dans le cadre du championnat régulier de la MLS. Pour moi, maintenant, l’entrée de Montréal dans ce circuit n’est même plus une question de “si”, mais est bel et bien devenue une question de “quand”… »

[Malek]

Très bonne nouvelle... j'ai bien hâte de voir ça!

[Habsfan]

Yes sir le Boss! Continue ton bon travail!!!

[Habsfan]

John Limniatis Congédié!!!

 

à lire sur cyberpresse!

 

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/sports/soccer/impact/200905/14/01-856624-john-limniatis-congedie.php

Hey!! Ça commence à être un pue pathétique notre affaire à Montréal avec les coachs. Limniatis à été le coach pour 11 mois et on le cogédie aussi rapidement. Après ce qu'il a fait l'année dernière, on le congédie après seulement 4 matches cette saison...il y a de quoi de croche dans cette histoire!

[ErickMontreal]

MLS : le dossier progresse bien

 

Vendredi 15 mai 2009

RDS.ca

 

Le 25 février dernier, 55 000 personnes s'étaient déplacées au Stade olympique. L’Impact pourrait faire son entrée en Major League Soccer dès 2011 ou 2012. Ces nouveaux développements font suite à une rencontre entre le président de l’Impact, Joey Saputo, et les dirigeants de la MLS, la semaine dernière, à New York.

 

Saputo estime que la possible aide des gouvernements et la foule de 55 000 personnes rassemblée au Stade olympique, le 25 février dernier dans le cadre du match quart de finale entre l’Impact et le Santos Laguna, ont grandement aidé à faire progresser le dossier.

 

Le président de l’Impact a également rencontré les architectes qui procèderaient à l’agrandissement du Stade Saputo. La première phase aurait lieu dès cet automne alors que les travaux d’agrandissement seraient achevés lors de la seconde phase en octobre et novembre 2010, pour que le stade soit prêt à temps pour la saison 2011 de la MLS.

 

L'Impact, qui souhaitait participer à l'expansion de 2011, s'est retiré des possibles candidatures, puisque la ligue exigeait des frais trop élevés pour entrer dans la MLS. Vancouver et Portland seront les deux équipes qui feront leur entrée en MLS en 2011.

[MTLskyline]

Expansion du Stade Saputo

 

[rosey12387]

From GOAL the NY Times Soccer Blog:

 

May 18, 2009, 11:18 am

Montreal Back in M.L.S. Expansion Picture

By Jack Bell

 

Montreal is again being considered for a Major League Soccer expansion team, possibly for the 2011 season when teams in Portland, Ore., and Vancouver are also scheduled to enter the league.

 

Joey Saputo, who runs the Montreal Impact of the United Soccer Leagues’ First Division, was in New York last week to discuss expansion with Commissioner Don Garber and the league president, Mark Abbott. Saputo told reporters Friday in Montreal that the league was seeking a $35 million expansion fee and that his 13,034-seat downtown soccer stadium could be expanded with a modest financial commitment from the provinicial government of Quebec and from his own money.

 

“We’ve had the first face-to-face meetings with the people at M.L.S. last Thursday, we went down to New York and we spoke about the potential of Montreal as a future franchise and the meeting went very well,” Saputo told reporters Friday, before the club’s match against visiting Charleston. “The fact that there’s an opportunity for the government to get involved by increasing the capacity of the stadium to 21,000 for $25 million has definitely helped with the potential for us to get a franchise. Whatever happened in the past, we kind of turned the page and it’s time to move forward.”

 

Montreal was among eight cities that applied for the two expansion slots for 2011. But during his state-of-the-league address in November, Garber said Saputo had withdrawn his bid. Saputo disputed that, but what actually happened has never been explained.

 

“One of the issues they have is bringing in four teams in the matter of two years,” Saputo said, referring also to the Philadelphia Union, which will begin play next season. “My point is I don’t look at Montreal as an expansion franchise. I don’t need to turn around and pick up 22 players. I think everyone is in the work mode to make this thing happen.”

 

In an e-mail message Monday morning, Dan Courtemanche, the league’s senior vice president for communications, confirmed that the meeting had taken place and also referred to Garber’s weekly blog on the league’s Web site in which he wrote: “Joey Saputo is working with a variety of local government entities on a plan to expand the capacity of Stade Saputo. I believe Montreal is a very viable M.L.S. market and I plan to keep in regular contact with the Saputos as we continue to develop our future expansion plans.”

 

Courtemanche added that league officials would discuss expansion on July 29, during the All-Star weekend in Utah. In addition, Courtemanche said the $35 million expansion fee Saputo mentioned was not accurate and that, although M.L.S. viewed the meeting as positive, it did not discuss a specific timetable for Montreal.

[ErickMontreal]

Impact makes another MLS bid

 

'Montreal dossier' on league's agenda, Joey Saputo says

 

By RANDY PHILLIPS, The GazetteJuly 22, 2009 9:43 AM

 

As poorly as things have gone for the Impact on the field this season and in recent days off it, the soccer franchise is still focused on a future in MLS.

 

Montreal joining MLS will be on the agenda when commissioner Don Garber heads meetings in Salt Lake City next week before the league's annual All-Star Game in Salt Lake City.

 

MLS all-stars face England's Everton FC on July 29 at Rio Tinto Stadium.

 

"My understanding is that expansion isn't on the agenda per se, but the Montreal dossier is," Impact president Joey Saputo told The Gazette. "We should hear from them again right after the all-star break to know what the next steps are."

 

The Impact is looking to join North America's premier professional soccer league by 2012, if not sooner.

 

An indication that Montreal will get serious consideration came last week when Garber told the New York Daily News that Montreal and St. Louis were high on the list as expansion possibilities.

 

Presently there are 15 teams in the MLS, including Toronto FC, which joined in 2007. Philadelphia will join the league next year, and 2011 will see the addition of Portland and Vancouver, both still in the United Soccer Leagues First Division with the Impact.

 

Saputo last met Garber and league officials at MLS headquarters two months ago and returned to say efforts to secure a franchise were back on track after the league rejected a bid by Saputo in partnership with then-Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett which fell short of the league's $40-million U.S. expansion fee and wasn't considered.

 

Saputo has taken on the task alone with the help of his family, which has already spent $15 million (Canadian) on the club's new home at Saputo Stadium. He's prepared to a pay a $35-million franchise fee, the same amount paid by Portland and Vancouver, and is confident the Quebec government will kick in another $25 million for a necessary expansion of the stadium from 13,000 to 21,000 for MLS purposes.

 

There have been no major developments on the subject since May, but Saputo knows no one has forgotten Montreal.

 

"Sometimes no news is good news. That's the approach I'm taking," he said. "Our talks with MLS on how to make things happen by 2011 or 2012 are still ongoing,

 

"From our standpoint, I don't think we're going to go through a bid process," Saputo added.

 

"They understand where we are. We understand where they are and it's just trying to make it happen."

 

Saputo is passing up an invitation to attend the MLS showcase game because it's the day after the Impact plays host to French Ligue 1 champion FC Girondins de Bordeaux in an international friendly.

 

Bordeaux meets French Cup winner En Avant de Guingamp at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Olympic Stadium for the 14th edition of the Champions Trophy, which won't be anything like a friendly, and for which more than 25,000 tickets have been sold.

 

"I have some people coming in from Argentina because we play (Club Atlético) River Plate on Aug. 4," Saputo said of another international friendly against one of the top clubs in the history of Argentine soccer. "I let (MLS) know it had nothing to do with not appreciating the invitation for their All-Star Game, because I would have loved to be there."

 

The Impact tries to snap a five-game winless streak when it plays host to the expansion Cleveland City Stars tonight (7:30 p.m., The Team 990 Radio, CKAC Sports, USLlive.com).

 

The game comes a little more than 48 hours after the team released veteran midfielder Sandro Grande for putting a choke hold on teammate and playing assistant-coach Mauro Biello during a heated verbal altercation during a 3-0 loss to the Thunder in Minnesota on July 11.

 

The incident was caught by a photographer and seen online around the world. Grande had been on indefinite suspension until Monday's decision.

 

Grande said he was shocked when told by Saputo Monday morning that he was no longer with the team after three consecutive seasons. He told soccer writer Martin Smith of ruefrontenac.com the punishment was "completely disproportionate" to his actions on the field.

 

"I'm paying dearly for a mistake I made for the first time in my life," Grande said. "I had never been suspended before this season and now, instead of seeing the person I am, you just look at the photo that was taken on the field in Minnesota."

 

rphillips@thegazette.canwest.com

© Copyright © Canwest News Service

[Habsfan]

des nouvelles de l'impact et la MLS.

 

http://www.rds.ca/impact/chroniques/279690.html