View Full Version : Interesting bit about Montreal
JYDA
09 Jan 2008, 08:03 PM
It's been rumoured before that Saputo and George Gillett were considering working together to get MLS but this seems to add more fuel to the fire.
rocker
09 Jan 2008, 08:54 PM
gerry dobson is pretty reputable. so this is probably on the way.. :)
montreal would be a plug and play franchise... none of the concerns of Philly and St.L.
Daniel from Montréal
09 Jan 2008, 11:28 PM
It would be interesting to see how Seattle and Montreal would do with a pack of former-USLers.
JYDA
09 Jan 2008, 11:45 PM
Everything seems to be falling into place.
1) Deep Pockets: One thing the Seattle deal proved is that Garber has a hard time saying no to deep pockets. The Saputo family fortune is about 8 billion. Combine with this George Gillett and you've got solid ownership
2) Stadium: COMPLETED with plans in place for a quick 5,000 seat increase
3) Toronto willing to budge with the exclusivity clause.
krudmonk
10 Jan 2008, 12:09 AM
I'd like to see it happen, even with that stupid '90s roller hockey name.
RedzFan31
10 Jan 2008, 02:26 AM
That would be a great addition, especially if it's as quick and painless as they make it sound.
Bryan76
10 Jan 2008, 09:53 AM
Wow, if the league makes this move and snubs progress in American cities. :eek:
hogmesh
10 Jan 2008, 11:43 AM
this would be fantastic. stupid question, but is gerry dobson a reputable source?
JYDA
10 Jan 2008, 12:10 PM
Gerry Dobson is very reputable. He knows Saputo well and has interviewed him many times.
Chowda
10 Jan 2008, 05:45 PM
The other big roadblock is their non-profit status. I read somewhere that they receive tax breaks on the stadium construction (and other operating costs) due to their status.
However, I would love to make road trips to Montreal and pass out in a St. Catherine's Street gutter.
CACuzcatlan
10 Jan 2008, 05:49 PM
THey're gonna need more than 18,000 seats
NF-FC
10 Jan 2008, 06:04 PM
THey're gonna need more than 18,000 seats
why? St. louis proposed 18,000, and Colorado has 18,500.
18,000 in an 18,000 seat stadium is better than 14,000 in a 22,000 seater
CACuzcatlan
10 Jan 2008, 06:56 PM
why? St. louis proposed 18,000, and Colorado has 18,500.
18,000 in an 18,000 seat stadium is better than 14,000 in a 22,000 seater
But not as good as 22,000 in a 22,000
rocker
10 Jan 2008, 08:01 PM
I think the 18000 number would be a really quick expansion... that's filling in the corners and adding a one-level stand on the empty end.
If they want to go further, during the first offseason, they could easily nuke the little current stand that they have at the south (or is it north?) end which currently seats 2000. Make that bigger @ 4000 seats and you have 20000.
the problem for Saputo stadium is infrastructure. It's not designed to support 18000 people eating, drinking, and relieving themselves.
They also don't have enough private boxes (10) I think. So my assumption is that when they expand it, they won't set up those metal beam stands like they have now. They'll go hardcore and put up a real building at one or both ends, with more boxes, concessions, and washrooms. Perhaps Gillett can chip in for that. I'm also curious as to whether they have the room behind the east stand to perhaps toss up a small building with private boxes there. I don't think there's enough depth behind there to add a second deck tho (there's a road into the underground parking right behind it).
TopDogg
10 Jan 2008, 08:14 PM
Wow, if the league makes this move and snubs progress in American cities. :eek:
I don't see how one correlates with the other.
You need to have 'progress' in order to 'snub'.
JYDA
10 Jan 2008, 09:13 PM
I'm sure Gillett's Liverpool connection would come in handy in many ways. Montreal could probably get a ton of loan deals for young Liverpool players or reserves
crazypete13
11 Jan 2008, 09:01 AM
Wow, if the league makes this move and snubs progress in American cities. :eek:
One would hope they are not so shortsighted to snub any city that has it's act together and would include Philly, St. Louis and Montreal to take MLS to 18 in 2009-10 timeframe.
NYFC
11 Jan 2008, 09:12 AM
I'd like to see it happen, even with that stupid '90s roller hockey name.
I'd like to see them change it to Olympique Montreal or Montreal Olympique.
crazypete13
11 Jan 2008, 09:30 AM
I'd like to see them change it to Olympique Montreal or Montreal Olympique.
The IOC likely wouldn't allow them to use the Olympic name. IIRC the Impact name was chosen because it is meaning and spelling are identical in English and French - a major consideration in Montreal.
studzup
11 Jan 2008, 10:07 AM
The IOC likely wouldn't allow them to use the Olympic name. IIRC the Impact name was chosen because it is meaning and spelling are identical in English and French - a major consideration in Montreal.
Great. First, the owners of Houston are forced to change the teams name to placate the local Hispanic politicians.
Salt Lake adopts a name that is both Spanish and monarchist.
Now we have to worry about not offending Francophones or Anglophones in Montreal.