View Full Version : Montreal Expansion Thread - News, articles, discussion
Daniel from Montréal
09 Apr 2008, 06:56 PM
This is for posting articles and discussing expansion news and points.
For people interested in name, colors, logo/kit design, please post to this other thread: http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=679572
camilos
09 Apr 2008, 07:10 PM
I'd like to discuss something. If Montreal ever gets an expansion team. What do you believe our attendance would be like?
Can we reach Toronto FC's attendance? Or only the Impact's attendance? Should we take the 40 000 average attendance of the Fifa-U20 tournament into consideration?
I personally think our attendance would be around 16 000 per game. But that's my lowest estimate.
Any thoughts?
91TFC
09 Apr 2008, 07:44 PM
How is the stadium coming along?
Daniel from Montréal
09 Apr 2008, 09:24 PM
I'd like to discuss something. If Montreal ever gets an expansion team. What do you believe our attendance would be like?
Can we reach Toronto FC's attendance? Or only the Impact's attendance? Should we take the 40 000 average attendance of the Fifa-U20 tournament into consideration?
I personally think our attendance would be around 16 000 per game. But that's my lowest estimate.
Any thoughts?
I have trouble with someone listing TFC as favourite club talking about "our" team. :confused:
I think that if the prices are like what was annonced when the story was leaked, we can expect at least 10k season tickets. The thing is that, like Toronto in the beginning, we don't know how the "real" soccer fan is going to react. Will they embrace the team or say "hey, it's just MLS"?
If Montreal is to get a team, it will be with some competent owners who know how to run a club in this town, and I hope (and believe) we can match TFC for attendance (sold out) and passion.
The 40k people that showed up on average for the U20's were mostly soccer fans, which isn't necessarilly the case with the Impact today. The current club ironically probably has a pretty low percentage of "real" soccer fans (ie people ready to invest in season tickets, pay 30$ a ticket and go to many games), but there is a huge number of them in this city.
At this point, it's all speculation, though.
Daniel from Montréal
09 Apr 2008, 09:26 PM
How is the stadium coming along?
See for yourself. (http://www.boutiquemeteo.com/saputo/stadesaputo.htm) :D
http://www.boutiquemeteo.com/saputo/semaine50/semaine50_7.jpg
http://www.boutiquemeteo.com/saputo/semaine31/semaine31_4.jpg
It opens in 40 days!
camilos
09 Apr 2008, 11:56 PM
I have trouble with someone listing TFC as favourite club talking about "our" team. :confused:
Nothing wrong with liking a football team no matter where they're from. Same goes for any sport. I like the Jays and used to love the Expos. Of course I used to cheer for the Expos whenever they met. Remember when Jeff Juden out pitched Clemens on Canada day? Those were the days.
we can expect at least 10k season tickets.
10K would be amazing. Only Toronto would have more season ticket holders. Like you said, its all speculation at this point, but i certainly hope we can eventually reach those numbers.
loben52
10 Apr 2008, 01:20 AM
See for yourself. (http://www.boutiquemeteo.com/saputo/stadesaputo.htm) :D
http://www.boutiquemeteo.com/saputo/semaine50/semaine50_7.jpg
http://www.boutiquemeteo.com/saputo/semaine31/semaine31_4.jpg
It opens in 40 days!
ooooh man that looks sweet.....congrats to you guys...hope you guys pack the place and cheer so hard that MLS has to hear you....
Bryan76
10 Apr 2008, 10:11 AM
10K would be amazing. Only Toronto would have more season ticket holders. Like you said, its all speculation at this point, but i certainly hope we can eventually reach those numbers.
Actually Seattle already has more than 10k, and Philadelphia will by this time next year.
Trident
16 Apr 2008, 09:28 PM
Remember when Jeff Juden out pitched Clemens on Canada day? Those were the days.
I was there.
Making trips to Toronto, seeing at least 2 games a week in Montreal, it was good fun.
brentgoulet
17 Apr 2008, 11:53 AM
If having Montreal in MLS is positive for the league, I hope the Impact gets the expansion franchise right away so they can already start in 2009
camilos
18 Apr 2008, 09:48 PM
I was there.
Making trips to Toronto, seeing at least 2 games a week in Montreal, it was good fun.
I was one of the fans who bought a 500$ brick for the new stadium. I was a student with no money, but i saved like crazy for that brick. One of my saddest days was when Loria returned my money.
Haven't followed a sports team in MTL since my Expos left. Many years later, I am now ready to spend my money on my Olympique Montreal soccer team.
devioustrevor
19 Apr 2008, 11:31 AM
BS shrunk the photo, the original was much bigger and clearer, but it's an almost panoramic view from one of the stands.
As everyone can see, it has a lot of room for expansion by adding stands on the Olympic Stadium side and by replacing the stands opposite the Big O.
You can see the full-sized image here:
http://www.boutiquemeteo.com/saputo/semaine53/panosection120top.jpg
http://www.boutiquemeteo.com/saputo/semaine53/panosection120top.jpg
Nerroth
20 Apr 2008, 03:45 PM
Nice!
Oh, and I have to ask - is that pitch real grass, or FieldTurf?
devioustrevor
20 Apr 2008, 04:16 PM
Nice!
Oh, and I have to ask - is that pitch real grass, or FieldTurf?
The real stuff, can't you see the brown spots where the grass has yet to re-grow after winter?
bianconeri10
20 Apr 2008, 04:33 PM
Actually Seattle already has more than 10k, and Philadelphia will by this time next year.
actually they both have 0 season tickets.. only deposits sold.. deposits are far from a sold season ticket.. and please lets not assume the number philly will have or else we can just do the same for mtl
edwardgr
20 Apr 2008, 05:03 PM
I think that if the prices are like what was annonced when the story was leaked, we can expect at least 10k season tickets. The thing is that, like Toronto in the beginning, we don't know how the "real" soccer fan is going to react. Will they embrace the team or say "hey, it's just MLS"?
10K would be amazing. Only Toronto would have more season ticket holders. Like you said, its all speculation at this point, but i certainly hope we can eventually reach those numbers.
Actually Seattle already has more than 10k, and Philadelphia will by this time next year.
actually they both have 0 season tickets.. only deposits sold.. deposits are far from a sold season ticket.. and please lets not assume the number philly will have or else we can just do the same for mtl
So as you can see speculation is that Montreal will be not less than 10k. Now for some facts Seattle has sold 15k deposits. Even if only 50% convert that will still be 7.5k season tickets sold and that is with almost a year to kickoff so you can bet those numbers will go up. Now while it is true that we are in an economic downturn it is still likely that at least 75% will convert.
I can imagine based on Philadelphia's early numbers and two year lead time and a healthier economy in Pennsylvania that anything less than 10k in Philadelphia will be a major shock.
Daniel from Montréal
20 Apr 2008, 05:41 PM
Awesome, now check out the thread title.
Nerroth
20 Apr 2008, 07:14 PM
The real stuff, can't you see the brown spots where the grass has yet to re-grow after winter?
I'm not too familiar with FieldTurf, to be honest - I've not had the chance to visit BMO Field yet, and I've not seen many places in Ireland which use any kind of artificial surface.
(They do exist in Ireland, apparently, but I can't recall seeing one.)
canammj
20 Apr 2008, 10:51 PM
Can see quite a few good things about considering Montreal to MLS=
1/ Solid owner
2/ Nice stadium, grass and expandable
3/ Transit access to stadium
4/ Decent existing fan base
5/ Euro- feel to the city- kind of balances with the Hispanic feel of other teams
6/ NO MLB in summer now to compete, also no NFL< NBA . Some CFL conflicts
7/ Natural rivals to Toronto, and I would think also NY and NE
8/ Team could go tomorrow- would have to work out some kind of deal for expansion fees...This team could jump or do you do like Seattle and create another team and basically run over the existing USL team?
9/ Would add some support to the Canadian National team by allowing more players to play at home should they chose.
10/ LARGE metro area, probably won't help US TV , but should help TV accross Canada
11/ I know St Louis has done alot, but I would take Montreal over St Louis and then either a second NY team or Portland as the last teams for the next round of expansion..
zidja
20 Apr 2008, 10:55 PM
It's the real stuff! Even though the climate is probably a little more hostile than some teams' in North America, (and I think FieldTurf Inc is actually headquartered in montreal), they are really going out of their way to preserve the quality of play.
I was passing by this weekend on my bike so I leaned over the fence and took this:
http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/9986/saputopan2de6.th.jpg (http://img373.imageshack.us/my.php?image=saputopan2de6.jpg)
The seats are SO CLOSE to the field. It sounds a little hokey, but one of the things I'm looking forward to is out-of-bounds balls and missed shots going into the crowd. At the old stadium they usually just rolled down the track and some little kid would chase it down. (when it wouldn't get trapped in the long jump pit, of course). We're going to be on top of the action!