Canada (MLS Expansion or Canadian League)

[zidja]

in today's Gazette (the main English daily), there was a full page ad in the sports section. Mondays have a full page dedicated to the European leagues, so this is probably wise placement.
http://cdn.travidia.com/rop-ad/5333907.gif (http://cdn.travidia.com/rop-ad/5333907.gif)

[Trident]

Nice ad, Mauro looks as ugly as ever.

[zidja]

Nice ad, Mauro looks as ugly as ever.
Indeed! But the real story here is that they are taking out big ads for subscriptions 6 months before the season starts... and in the "manly" part of the paper, not "Arts and Leisure" or "Family" or whatever. MLS and USL sides take note of how to do business! (Except Toronto. You guys seem to have figured that part out)

[pc4th]

The two favorite candidates (Philly and St. Louis) won't have their stadiums ready until 2010. Meanwhile, Montreal has a 13,000 seats stadium expandable to 18,000 by adding a 5,000 stand (depicted below).

Why should Saputo want MLS in 2009 instead later?

1. Expansion fee will increase. MLS went from $10 mil with Toronto, to $20 mil with SJ and now $30 mil with Seattle. So it is better to pay $30 mil now instead of $40-50 mil a few years later.
2. Getting expansion fee. If Montreal is the 16th team, it will get expansion fee from the 17th, 18th team etc...
3. USL is not getting better with Seattle and possibly Portland/Vancouver moving to MLS.
4. Saputo is rich (around $2-3 billion).
5. If he delays, another investor might get Montreal MLS team and his USL team will have to move. Liverpool owner Gillette who own the Montreal NHL team has expressed interest in MLS.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c141/PhJD/saputoexpansion.jpg

So don't be surprised if it is Montreal 2009 along with Seattle.

[SMUPlayer]

Interesting theory. If Saputo puts up the money, I am sure that they will vote him in. However, the bid must have been REALLY under the table because we haven't heard anything solid from Montreal in terms of a bid. In other words, just because they have a MLS regulation stadium doesn't mean that they will get a team. It does mean that if Suputo wants to speed this thing up that he can. Remember, money doesn't make you happy, but it does give you options.

[kuhnscoot]

doesn't Toronto have territory rights for all of Canada until 2010? Or something like that? I thought there couldn't be another Canadian team til 2010 due to some part of the deal with Toronto.

[pc4th]

Interesting theory. If Saputo puts up the money, I am sure that they will vote him in. However, the bid must have been REALLY under the table because we haven't heard anything solid from Montreal in terms of a bid. In other words, just because they have a MLS regulation stadium doesn't mean that they will get a team. It does mean that if Suputo wants to speed this thing up that he can. Remember, money doesn't make you happy, but it does give you options.

All Saputo has to do is:

1) expand the stadium to 18,000
2) write a $30 mil check to MLS

and he is in.

Or he could wait until 2010/2011/2012/2013/2014 and

1) expand the stadium to 18,000
2) write a $40/$45/$50/$55 mil check to MLS

or do nothing and see his USL team fold because another investor (Gillette) just brought MLS to Montreal.

Easy choice in my opinion. That's why I believe Montreal could be a darkhorse for 2009 if Philly and St. Louis are not ready.

[pc4th]

doesn't Toronto have territory rights for all of Canada until 2010? Or something like that? I thought there couldn't be another Canadian team til 2010 due to some part of the deal with Toronto.

That is true. The territory rights end on December 31,2009.

However, I am sure an agreement can be reached if Montreal wants in in 2009. $$$ talks.
MLS could allow Canadian + American players as domestic players which Toronto wants.

[jokeefe80]

doesn't Toronto have territory rights for all of Canada until 2010? Or something like that? I thought there couldn't be another Canadian team til 2010 due to some part of the deal with Toronto.Le Quebecois might secede before then;)

[torfchamilton]

Let's hope they get in 2009/10, as someone said $$$ talks. Also hopefully Vancouver gets in as well.

It's not that often that saomeone says here's $70 mill out of my pocket to build a stadium!!

[Foousic]

A thread like this is just frustrating. I love the idea, the stadium looks like it COULD be amazing, but we don't have any solid evidence. Even MLSRumors hasn't tried this one yet. I think it'd be great to see another solid franchise (with a stadium) enter the league. I just don't see this happening, we would have heard something by now.

[pc4th]

A thread like this is just frustrating. I love the idea, the stadium looks like it COULD be amazing, but we don't have any solid evidence. Even MLSRumors hasn't tried this one yet. I think it'd be great to see another solid franchise (with a stadium) enter the league. I just don't see this happening, we would have heard something by now.

In the news article a few months back, Saputo stated that he was interested in MLS.

[SMUPlayer]

I fully beleive that they will be in the running for 2010. It's just a matter of time before they are getting into this full force. It's still 2+ yrs away.

[Scorpion26]

doesn't Toronto have territory rights for all of Canada until 2010? Or something like that? I thought there couldn't be another Canadian team til 2010 due to some part of the deal with Toronto.
Yes its true, but do they need hold on to this now, I mean I think its be a good time for them to allow another Canadian team into the MLS. I do think Toronto, and Montreal both in will create this rivalry that has been there for quite sometime, but this time in the MLS which I think will be big games for both clubs. Though also I do think Philly also deserve a shot too they have fans who are just waiting for there chance to have a club for them to cheer for.

[napolisoccer]

I am sure that MLS puts Philly, NYC 2 and Montreal it will be a great league.

[ElJefe]

The main problem I see with this thesis is the cost factor.

Yes, it might cost Saputo $30 million now for 2009, as opposed to $40-50 million later, but if they were to come into the league in 2009, they'd have to pay off MLSE who own Canadian exclusivity until 2010. How much would MLSE want to waive their exclusivity a year early?

For a point of comparison, AEG got $10 million out of Jorge Vergara for sharing the HDC and the LA market back in 2004. I could see MLSE wanting more (after all, Saputo would want to break their exclusivity on an entire nation), but on the other hand, Montreal and Toronto are two completely separate markets more than 300 miles apart. Moreover, Montreal wouldn't even have to butt in on TFC's national and regional media partnerships, since they're on Anglophone stations (CBC, for instance), while the Montreal team could go with Francophone stations (Radio-Canada, for instance).

I think a far more likely scenario is that Saputo pays in the near future, but doesn't move the Impact to MLS until 2010. The only way I see a Montreal expansion any earlier is if MLSE decides to waive national exclusivity a year early for relatively low cost.

[NYFC]

The two favorite candidates (Philly and St. Louis) won't have their stadiums ready until 2010. Meanwhile, Montreal has a 13,000 seats stadium expandable to 18,000 by adding a 5,000 stand

Their plans are to expand to 17,000. Not 18. And if they were to expand, doing it like you depicted here...

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c141/PhJD/saputoexpansion.jpg

..would be a bad move because you're killing the beautiful sightline of the Olympic stadium and tower. Putting 2 levels there would be stupid. And honestly, even if they were to expand to 18,000 - that's not enough. The stadium needs to be bigger - a lot bigger. 21,000 at least. In addition, the stadium's just not nice enough.

[uclacarlos]

A thread like this is just frustrating. I love the idea, the stadium looks like it COULD be amazing, but we don't have any solid evidence. Even MLSRumors hasn't tried this one yet.
When Jade pipes in and throws her support behind it, then we'll know that this has no chance. ;)


Does the stadium not have luxury boxes????

[euromut]

If I were Saputo the recent happenings in Seattle would put a lot of worry into my mind. A relatively successful USL team (more-or-less) moving to MLS would encourage me to protect my substantial investment. The Seattle move is one less big market competitor for the Impact. The USL with one less established team, etc. The evidence is compelling to push to MLS.

[krudmonk]

that horse is blacker than black