Knight: A vote for Saputo !

[denime]

Knight: A vote for Saputo


Interesting little game Joey Saputo is playing.
As rumoured and expected, the Montreal Impact owner summoned the press to his sweet little stadium just off the Green Line Metro yesterday, to ...

Read more (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081125.WBsoccerblog20081125115033/WBStory/WBsoccerblog/)

[ensco]

First off, I like Ben and am rooting for him. OK having said that....

Ben Knight, Gerry Dobson, Jason DeVos, they've all said versions of the same thing, the journos seem more worried about angering a source than thinking this through.

If Joey is right and MLS is overcharging, then Saputo could/should get a shot in the future at purchasing/relocating an existing franchise (Chivas? Columbus?) at some point, at his price. A sensible businessman would conduct himself with that potential outcome in mind. But for that to occur, Joey would have to be perceived as a helpful pal to MLS, a saviour, a constructive partner who can keep his own counsel when he disagrees, as opposed to a an immature rich kid, a smarmy know-it-all who calls out the MLS brass like a child when he doesn't get what he wants.

The Saputo/Gillett strategy was moronic. Getting sent home is what happens when you lowball in an auction. The public statements on Monday were even worse. Ben, there is no "other side" to the story, this is totally separate from the issue of whether MLS is using the right criteria to assess bids.

Saputo totally blew it as it relates to managing the future of soccer in Montreal, even if he turns out to be right on MLS' pricing strategy.

Montreal soccer fans have every right to be extremely angry. You need to find/be the voice of that anger.

[Oldtimer]

Montreal supporters are quite upset about not getting into MLS.

Grizzly, on their board, had this to say:


This is one of the prices we are paying for 15 years of a bad marketing strategy, ie. family and discount tickets (also known as putting bums in seats without creating a fan base). He is right that the families won't be there at MLS ticket prices which is why they should have been marketing to soccer fans and the 20 to 40 demographic especially males in that age group. And among other things they should have been promoting not trying to suppress the supporters groups. As much as we hate TFC and the Maple Leafs they realized this right from the beginning and that is why they have been such a success (except on the field). I think the Impact are starting to see the light on this and the rejection of their bid by MLS will hopefully let them realize this even more but unfortunately we are now paying the price for this erroneous strategy.

[Beach_Red]

Montreal supporters are quite upset about not getting into MLS.




Montreal gambled that MLS wouldn't grow as fast as it is and they lost. It's really too bad for the fans and for soccerin all of Quebec because it could be a great market but it seems it needs better leadership.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Joey Saputo has done a lot for the sport there where not many others would have. Sure this is a full class debacle for those Impact supporters that lead and are continulally, mysteriously, getting resistance from the Impact FO but I think we're touching on the fact that if Saputo wants to turn his marketing around to supporters instead of freebies than it may take another year in USL. At 40 mil with the economy as it is isn't a stretch to say he may make more this year after the team's success, another year of champions league and the chance the expansion price to go down.

I pity those Montreal supporters but Saputo has got lots of time to reapply.

[Beach_Red]

I pity those Montreal supporters but Saputo has got lots of time to reapply.

Or someone else. It really looks like the "real supporters" aren't being served in Montreal. The Impact look a lot more like one of those ethnically-based teams in Toronto and what they really need is their version of TFC.

That Balsillie guy or someone should start up another team in Montreal, let the Impact go the way of the Lynx. Don't worry, we'll hate the new team just as much.

[C.Ronaldo]

i wouldnt pay 40 mill for this shit league....no matter how much extra money I had.

40 mill?

2 teams are making money. Thats not enough incentive for anyone.

The salary cap is .075% of the Fee........what type of team can you put together that would make any "impact" in the Soccer world for 40 mill (plus the demanded renos)

[rocker]

i wouldnt pay 40 mill for this shit league....no matter how much extra money I had.

40 mill?

2 teams are making money. Thats not enough incentive for anyone.

The salary cap is .075% of the Fee........what type of team can you put together that would make any "impact" in the Soccer world for 40 mill (plus the demanded renos)

if i was a big playa I sure wouldn't buy a team in the USL.

If 2 teams are making money in MLS (which isn't proven, by the way) then how many teams are making money in the USL?

[Technorgasm]

Saputo totally blew it as it relates to managing the future of soccer in Montreal, even if he turns out to be right on MLS' pricing strategy.

Montreal soccer fans have every right to be extremely angry. You need to find/be the voice of that anger.


FINALLY!!!

someone dots the I's and crosses the T's and
TELLS IT HOW IT REALLY IS!

Well done Ensco.

It can also be said that folks in the Impact organization, want to remain big fish in the USL, as opposed to a starting positon in th eMLS (which In my opinion would only take 3-5 years to turn completely around.

what are the profit differencs between the leagues?
I would assume its close in some markets, and vast in others - whats the median?

ps.

GILLETE is a FUCKING TWAT!
GET OUT OF MY CLUB!

[Beach_Red]

if i was a big playa I sure wouldn't buy a team in the USL.

If 2 teams are making money in MLS (which isn't proven, by the way) then how many teams are making money in the USL?

It's a gamble on the future of soccer in North America. If soccer makes it into the bigtime - like I think it will - every MLS team will be worth more than every NHL team and will catch up to a lot of basketball teams. Well over a hundred million bucks, closer to two.

It's a question of how long will that take.

Look, Montreal may just not be that big a market. They lost the Expos and no one ever talks seriously about an NBA team or even having one NFL game there. This was their chance to get in on a league before it's priced out of their reach.

It's really too bad, because a soccer team in Montreal would have so little competition for the sports dollars - it's not even like Columbus with Ohio State - there's nothing in the summer in Montreal but the Als.

[billyfly]

Ha Ha. I'm glad they hate Toronto cuz I hate them.

[Azerban]

i'm so glad that not only did montreal not get an mls franchise, but they didn't because they fucked up. if mls just denied them, their few supporters would have just bitched and whined about it (in french) and that would be annoying, but now they're still in a league under us and they have only themselves to blame. fuck it, we still play them twice a year, as long as they don't fold they can rot in usl1 until the end of time. fuck'em.

[rocker]

the thing is, I wanted them in MLS so we could kick their asses some more (remember, they haven't beat us yet and we scored the first goal ever at Saputo Stade).
I also thought they were the best bid on paper. I wanted it. And then Joey fucks it all up. now it's more reason to hate them.

I laughed at the whole Ottawa bid, but now I want Vanny and Ottawa in. I wanted at least three canadian sides in MLS. And I want Ottawa in so we can laugh at Saputo some more.

[nfitz]

the thing is, I wanted them in MLS so we could kick their asses some more (remember, they haven't beat us yet and we scored the first goal ever at Saputo Stade).TFC didn't look particularly good at that game in Montreal, despite winning. At that point Montreal was just about dead-last in their league. I don't think the Montreal team of the second-half of the season, and the Champions League is comparable to that game.

Kick their asses, yes. But more? Debatable.

[Beach_Red]

TFC didn't look particularly good at that game in Montreal, despite winning. At that point Montreal was just about dead-last in their league. I don't think the Montreal team of the second-half of the season, and the Champions League is comparable to that game.

Kick their asses, yes. But more? Debatable.

TFC changed a lot after that game in Montreal, too. The TFC that went into New York and won 3-1 (the last game NY lost until the Cup) with the two or three additions that are coming will crush Montreal next year.