Daniel Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 http://www.radio-canada.ca/sports/soccer/2008/02/06/001-impact-mercredi.shtml MLS - Impact On oublie 2009 Un texte de Jean-François Tremblay La MLS est catégorique: la 16e équipe sera logée soit à Philadelphie, soit à St. Louis. C'est ce que le porte-parole de la ligue, Will Kuhns, a révélé à Radio-Canada Sports, mercredi. Ça laisse bien peu de place pour Montréal en 2009... Mais l'Impact refuse de baisser les bras. « Nous sommes conscients des discussions et des possibilités de St. Louis et de Philadelphie, mais de notre côté, nous poursuivons nos discussions et nos démarches », a expliqué l'Impact par courriel. Il est vrai que l'Impact n'a jamais publiquement visé l'expansion de l'an prochain, celle de 2010 lui semblant plus favorable. Mais les pions se plaçaient un à un sur l'échiquier pour une entrée plus rapide. Le onze montréalais a ses équipes de développement, l'Attak de Trois-Rivières et le collège Lionel-Groulx (niveau AAA). Les joueurs sont maintenant actifs 10 mois par année, comme dans la MLS, grâce à des camps d'entraînement hivernaux. Et il y a le fameux stade spécifique au soccer, avec 13 000 places, une condition sine qua non à l'obtention d'une franchise de la MLS. La deuxième phase (18 000 places) devrait d'ailleurs s'enclencher « en temps et lieux », afin de répondre à tous les critères de la MLS. De toute façon, la plus grande ligue de soccer en Amérique du Nord ne s'en formalise pas. « Nous voulons que l'équipe possède le stade. Il n'est pas hors de question qu'une équipe joue dans un stade en pleine expansion », précise M. Kuhns. Parler avec Toronto D'autre part, il restait un point critique à régler pour entrer dans la MLS en 2009: l'exclusivité canadienne accordée au Toronto FC jusqu'en 2010. C'est assez épineux et cela aurait coûté une compensation en argent. Le Toronto FC a intégré la MLS l'an dernier. Joint à Toronto, le vice-président opérations du Toronto FC, Paul Beird, a admis avoir tenu des « conversations amicales » avec Joey Saputo pour que « Montréal entre le plus vite possible dans la MLS ». En revanche, il a précisé qu'ils n'avaient parlé d'argent « d'aucune façon (by no stretch of the mind) ». Voilà qui plombe l'idée d'entrer dans la MLS un an plus tôt, mais qui prouve les intentions de l'Impact. Philadelphie et St. Louis Pour l'instant, Philadelphie est seule en tête pour l'obtention de la prochaine expansion. C'est un gros marché de télévision et la plus grosse ville des États-Unis sans équipe de soccer. De plus, l'État de Pennsylvanie a approuvé la semaine dernière un financement de 25 millions pour la construction d'un stade de 115 millions à Chester. Tous les obstacles sont maintenant derrière et la MLS pourrait confirmer son choix d'ici quelques semaines. Du côté de St. Louis, le gros problème est l'investisseur principal, l'avocat Jeff Cooper, dont les poches ne sont pas très profondes. Le stade aussi pose problème, puisqu'il ne serait pas érigé avant la saison 2010, le plan venant tout juste d'être mis au monde. L'année 2010 semble bien plus réaliste pour que l'Impact joigne la MLS, mais là encore, la partie n'est pas gagnée d'avance. New York, Miami et sans doute St. Louis se battront aussi pour les deux concessions disponibles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipeg Fury Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 What does it say ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury What does it say ? MLS - Impact Lets forget 2009 Un texte de Jean-François Tremblay The MLS is categorical: the 16th team will be in either Philadelphia or St Louis. Thats is according to what league spokesman, Will Kuhns, revealed to Radio Canada on Wednesday. Thats leaves little room for Montreal in 2009... But the Impact will not give up. The Impact position, as revealed in a recent email, is : "We are well aware of the possibilities of St Louis and Philadelphia but from our end, we are still pursuing on going discussion and continuing our efforts". The Impact has never publicly targeted for for expansion next year, they are more favourable to 2010. But the pawns are quickly falling into place to allow a quick acceptance. The club has its development teams in place, the Trois Rivieres Attak and Lionel Groulx College ( AAA ). The players are now active 10 months a year ( just like the MLS ) as a result of some winter camps Then there is that soccer specific stadium, with 13K seats, an absolute requirement for acquiring an MLS franchise. The second phase ( 18K seats ) is slated to start in due course in order to meet all the MLS requirements. None the less, Kuhn stated that MLS does not want a team playing in a facility that is in the process of being expanded Speaking with Toronto In addition, There remained one critical point to settle for an MLS entry in 2009: The Canadian exclusivity given to Toronto FC up until 2010. Its a rather thorny issue and would have resulted in Financial compensation from the Impact. TFC entered the MLS last year Joined in Toronto, Toronto FC's Vice president of operations, Paul Beirne, admitted to having held cordial talks with Joey Saputo to help get the Impact into MLS as soon as possible. Bierne stated that by no stretch of the mind did they discuss $$$. hence why the team isn't entering a year earlier. But thsi proves the Impact's intentions Philadelphia and St. Louis For the moment, Philly is all alone in front of the pack to acquire a team for the next expansion. Its a large TV market and the largest city in the US without a soccer team. Furthermore, the state of Pennsylvania approved last week 25 million dollars of financing to build a stadium in Chester that will cost 115 Million dollars. Hence they have cleared all the obstacles and the MLS could confirm its choice in the following weeks. As far as St Louis, the big problem is the principle investor, Lawyer Jeff Cooper, who doesn't have deep pockets. The stadium also posed a problem in that it wont be completed before 2010. The plans having just been finalized. 2010 seems more realistic for the Impact to join the MLS, but even then, nothing can be taken for granted. New York, Miami and St Lous will also mount challenges for the two remaining spots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MM2 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 ^great translation, I had just finished a version when yours went up:D Nous voulons que l'équipe possède le stade. Il n'est pas hors de question qu'une équipe joue dans un stade en pleine expansion », précise M. Kuhns. (None the less, Kuhn stated that MLS does not want a team playing in a facility that is in the process of being expanded) My translation of this would be: It is not out of the question that the team could play in the stadium while it is being expanded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mpenza Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 MM2 wins the pot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSwede Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 The sooner the better. I really want the Impact in the MLS. Hope that i don't get let down as i just did with Jonathan DeFector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 quote:Originally posted by MM2 ^great translation, I had just finished a version when yours went up:D Nous voulons que l'équipe possède le stade. Il n'est pas hors de question qu'une équipe joue dans un stade en pleine expansion », précise M. Kuhns. (None the less, Kuhn stated that MLS does not want a team playing in a facility that is in the process of being expanded) My translation of this would be: It is not out of the question that the team could play in the stadium while it is being expanded. Good catch! Your right. I missed that one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cashcleaner Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 ^ Good read. I'm not really all that shocked though. MLS has made it clear that viable American markets are it's priority at the moment. But the good part is that we've got very clear and public indication that the Impact's entry into the Major League Soccer is merely a matter of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipeg Fury Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 THANKS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mpenza Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 quote:But the good part is that we've got very clear and public indication that the Impact's entry into the Major League Soccer is merely a matter of time. And that has been the case for a few weeks already. [] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cashcleaner Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 ^ My internets (all of them) have been down lately. Not surprisingly, the television media has been grossly under-reporting on this matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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