Thought I'd make a thread to compile people's thoughts and any news about the stadium situation for L'Impact come their 2012 migration to MLS. Personally this is the part I'm most excited about because while the level of play may be marginally better, and the prospect of seeing former world class players as MLS DPs is nice, being able to enjoy club soccer in Montréal in a beautiful stadium definitely is what I am paying the extra money for! Not to mention taxes.... So just as background from the montrealmls2012.com website: SAPUTO STADIUM: To meet MLS criteria, an additional public investment of 23 million dollars from the government of Quebec will be injected in the stadium in order to increase capacity to more than 20,000 seats by 2012. Capacity: Currently 13,034 but will be increased to more than 20,000 by 2012 Corporate boxes: Corporate suites: Currently 16, and 12 corporate marquees, but 50 suites in 2012 OLYMPIC STADIUM: If need be, the Olympic Stadium could be a viable and exciting alternative for important soccer events, including the Impact’s MLS home opener, the MLS All-Star game, playoff matches or international matches in the fall or winter. My thoughts: It's awesome to hear the Olympic Stadium, which I don't think is a bad venue at all as long as you can pack it, will be used by the Impact. I definitely think a MLS opening match with Toronto could sell out the big O. And would be a great way to show Montreal residents that there is football just like in Europe in their backyard. However more intriguing is the plans for the Saputo Stadium since it seems there are still some missing details, like the exact number of seats, do you think we'll get something bigger than BMO (at 21.8k)? Obviously filling in the corners and adding a Western stand will give us much of the extra seats but is it enough to muster 20k? Will we get a new Southern stand to fit over 20k? Also of interest is the increase in corporate boxes, from 12 to 50. That is a huge jump especially when the northern stand is not supposedly being touched. Where will these come from? Another level on the North? Some on the south, leading credence to a new stand? While we have the animated movie to show the supposedly new stadium, there are no new boxes and it seems small for 20k, which makes me thing it is of an outdated design. Especially since the design has changed every 6 months, so... let the speculation begin! Your thoughts?
I've watched that "flythrough" of the new stadium expansion like 100 times, and I can't figure out where the 34 extra suites are going. Everything else seems pretty straight forward about it. Also, I wish the roof-tarp thing was bigger. Kind of seems more ornamental than functional. Other than that, I think this will be a good stadium. Yeah, it's no Red Bull arena, but not much is. I've been to a few smaller first and second division stadiums in Europe, and it feels very similar.
I think the uncovered stand, I can't get my geography right but i think it is the east one, was built in such a way that it would be easy to tear down and build something new on that side. That's just my imagination and not based in reality though.
I think the suites will go all around the field, and the fabric roof covers the seats in front of the boxes.
Corona, East Side is behind the goal, supporter's section. The large uncovered stand is on the south. Yeah those are just some temporary bleachers so I know they are going but in the flyover there are no suites there, just seats and it seems pretty similar. But I guess that's the most likely solution, a nicer Southern stand with boxes and maybe even a 2nd layer. What do you mean Daniel? Like just at field level all around? Beneath the stands I guess?
I have not seen the fly over, but I always imagined they would just take all but the covered area down and build some huge wrap around stand with more seats.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAHIOVOOcCU&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube- Expansion du Stade Saputo 2012- Expansion of Saputo Stadium for the MLS - 2012(HD)[/ame]
GUYS I WANT TO POINT OUT 2 THINGS IN THE VIDEO: I'm not sure but watching it a few times, I think they solved the players entrance problem. Look at the begining of the video, there seems to be a BLUE ENTRANCE coming out of the ground UNDERNEATH the NEW Stand beside de goal. Watch closely it really looks like en entrance from an underground passage. The location also makes sense its near the current entrance. Seconde thing like an other user said before me, I can't see the additionnal suites, i watched it 15 times to try to find them, but i think the part where they are right now, maybe they will elevate the roof and add a second floor. Because in the video they are nowhere to be found, we don't see too well that part of the stadium I cant see if the roof has been elevated.
There are no additional suites in those videos. I have a feeling that video is not the be all end all.
Yeah, I don't think the suites are in the video. It's been confirmed that there will be a player's tunnel.
i'm wondering where they are going to put those suites after all! Those who have been to saputo stadium know that there isn't an awful lot of space around the current stands to build structures to support suites! I am eager to see some final renderings as we get closer to 2012!
Well you could always build more corporate boxes on top of where the current ones are... All you'd have to do is take out the current roof temporarily, build 2 more floors of corporate box to triple the total number of boxes and then re-attach the roof to the top of the 3rd floor of corporate box. That would definitively make the stadium look different that most MLS stadia.
are any Impact fans worried or concerned that simply trying to cobble together an "expansion" of Saputo Stadium is selling the team short? i could be wrong but i really don't see why the Impact couldn't draw just as many fans as Seattle, or at least 30K. every time there is a friendly they draw big, every time they are in an important non D2 game they draw big (like CCL). and even in D2 you guys draw 12.5K almost every game. i know ther is no mathematical formulae to translate D2 attendance to MLS but so far portland and vancouver have sold enough season tickets even 8 months out that they look sure to average 18K and 20K respectively at a minimum. how wouldn't Montreal, which can already outdraw these teams in equal circumstances not do the same in MLS? and Montreal is THE cosmopolitan city in North America (with NYC). there is no more cultured and international city in North America. it is the perfect hotbed for soccer. i just worry that you are getting the shaft when it comes to stadiums. i know Saputo spent a pretty penny on that stadium for D2 and that is to be commended but from what i have heard it is a less than stellar venue. i don't see how 23M is going to turn it into the sort of stadium that a club like Montreal deserves or a stadium large enough and quality enough to really maximize the attendance potential of the Impact. i would be interested in impact fans thoughts. are my impressions of an MLS team being able to draw 30k regularly and building a SSFC like fan base in Montreal inaccurate? does the less than excellent stadium situation (as it is currently proposed) a worry to impact fans?
We see what we've built with $15m, and we know that we'll get something special with an extra $25m. It won't be the most luxurious (but that's not Montreal's style), but I can guarantee it'll be one of the stadiums with the supporters very close to the pitch there might be two feet between the back of the net and the first seats. 20k is fine, as the target demographic will be changing, and to keep scarcity up (like the CFL Alouettes have done for the last 90+ home dates in 20k Molson Stadium). For big games (35k+), the Big O's right next door. The Impact has, over the last 18 years, built a recognition in this city, but by 2012, they'll have to build a buzz. Once they do that, and they sell out consistently, then they might look at something else (buying back the Big O, reshaping and exploiting it?). FWIW, one club official said the renders were not representative of the final design.
the other stadium the suggested they might play "big" games in, Olympic Stadium. it is all indoors? does it have natural grass? what is the capacity? and what is the atmosphere like for soccer? if the Impact turns out to be wildly popular (which i think they will) and can sell way more than 20K a game would you as a fan rather have the games at Olympic stadium? and who owns that stadium? is it the impact or can they buy it or get into a lease situation where they get the same revenue control and schedule control as they do at Saputo?
You'll have to Google it. Basically, unless the Impact can manage to attract 40k consistently in a renovated Big O outdoors (which is beyond fantasy for so many reasons), everyone would rather stay at SS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Stadium_(Montreal)
Big O is an amazing place to be, for big events. It's the tomb that held the expos as they died, because of the dead atmosphere. Anything under 20k is terrible. Anything 35,000+ is amazing. ACmilan was great Santos Laguna was AMAZING. It's unlike anything I can explain.
Not at the Big O in its current condition, and that's how it'll be for the forseable future. I doubt SSFC would average 28k at the Kingdome, which is comaprable to Olympic Stadium. Let's start by selling out SS 2.0, and then we'll see what can be done.
I had to mute it in my room b/c I was worried that's what my roommate would think it was. Nice stadium tho!
I looked at the Kingdome and that's the perfect example of the Big O. We might be able to do well the first few years, like the Expos, but without a winning product constantly, it wont work. Besides, Montreal IS stade Saputo. I dont care we wont have 50,000 people, or a 300 million dollar stadium. Thats not us.
Here's my take. The difference between a 21k stadium and 30k is really just scarcity. The atmosphere won't be hugely different, infrastructure isn't even that different. If you build a 2nd floor on the north and south sides, it could go to 30k I think. The difference between 13k and 21k is much bigger than 21k and 30k in my opinion. And really in the beginning, you rather just have safe sellouts than empty seats. Thus it makes sense the current direction that is going for. I would say that Montreal is easily capable of selling 30k tickets on average for probably the 2nd if not 1st most popular sport in Mtl (I play hockey but I know participation is down while soccer is going up; granted I still think hockey is king but it's only a matter of time on this trajectory). However there are large caveats. The Als only sell out 20k cause they have less than 10 home games. You rather have demand than have to sell cheap tickets. Even for those who points to the Habs sellout record of 5 yrs of 20k, an interesting point I found in the Red Fischer birthday interview on the Gazette (a man who's been covering Hockey locker than most of us have been alive). He said he thought the recent surge of support for the Habs was unnatural. That the past 10 yrs of blind support was odd. It used to be that they only sold out when they were doing well which luckily was very often. But now even though they've practically been horrible for almost 15 yrs (barring the past couple years) the fans stick around. Imagine it took the Habs nearly 80 years and 24 championships to become solidified enough that they could sell out 20k easily. And they play in the winter when there is nothing to do in Montreal! Even as the Impact celebrate their ascension to MLS and their 20th anniversary the year after, they are not going to be anywhere as closed as ingrained as the Als or Habs. I mean I had a gf who lived 3km from the stadium and didn't know they existed until I took her to a game. I know she's not exactly the target demographic for selling tickets but there is still a lot of market penetration that needs to be done before we get to the point we can sell 30k. Don't forget, even a lot of soccer teams in Europe don't average that, so let's not get ahead of ourselves. If we sell out for 3/4 years than I say in time for the 25th anniversary we deserve a 25k stadium which Saputo can be. Beyond that, we'll need a new place but if we get the financial/political support for a new place then we know we can start talking in the 30s.
I'll be glad we aren't caught up in some pissing contest where it's "which expansion team can sell the most tickets". We can focus on getting a good, loyal, PROACTIVELY VOCAL crowd in our own cozy stadium. It's really a tough thing to break Montreal out of their quiet-except-for-some-lame-hockey-oles-when-up-5-0 molds. I don't expect big things for atmosphere in Montréal outside of organised supporters groups. Every few games, we see flashes of potential from the crowd, like people singing non-habs songs vs santos laguna, following simple chants in Stade Saputo or the most recent singing and jumping along with a somewhat demanding chant: [ame="http://vimeo.com/14501555"]Chemie chant 03 - Tout le monde sont Ultras! on Vimeo[/ame] Maybe it'll grow so all the casual fans end up like that. Maybe not, too.