Luis_Rancagua Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 This is directly from MLS Rumors. What do you think? Should MLS have accepted the offer of $45 million Canadian ($36.5 million US by today's exchange rate) or was MLS right in refusing an expansion group which seemed to believe it could get in without upgrading its stadium to MLS standards? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, November 24, 2008 EXPANSION: Montreal Says, "Not At Any Price" It seems Montreal thought they could haggle with MLS over the expansion fee. That's according to what came out of today's press conference in Montreal and this article in the Toronto Globe and Mail. Here is an excerpt: MONTREAL — The Montreal Impact are still interested in joining Major League Soccer, but “not at any price,” team president Joey Saputo said Monday. The United Soccer Leagues club had its bid for a 2011 expansion franchise in MLS rejected last week for reasons still unclear to Saputo. It especially irked the Impact that MLS commissioner Don Garber announced on Friday that Montreal had withdrawn its bid because it was having trouble raising the money, although Saputo said he later revised that statement to say the bid had not been retained by the league. “I'm disappointed — the bid was taken out without explanation,” said Saputo. “Does MLS really want Montreal? I don't know.” MLS was demanding a $40-million (U.S.) expansion fee, a fourfold increase from what Toronto FC paid to get in three years ago, plus an expansion of Saputo Stadium, which currently seats about 13,000. Seattle is to join MLS in 2009 and Philadelphia in 2010, followed by two more teams in 2011. Saputo said the Impact's bid was $45-million for the expansion fee plus the cost of adding a new grandstand. He said the club's proven record of drawing fans and putting a strong team on the field should have made the bid acceptable. “We were OK with that (amount), without hurting where we are today and without hurting our plans for the future,” said Saputo, whose team has been an attendance leader in the USL and its predecessor, the A-League, for 15 years. “We thought we had a sound bid.” He said paying the fee MLS demanded and enlarging the stadium would drive ticket prices past the point of being affordable for families. And he questioned whether the six other cities still in the bidding for 2011 — Ottawa, Vancouver, St. Louis, Miami, Atlanta and Portland, Ore. — are really ready to pay $40-million (U.S.). He said some did not include a fee in their bids. “Maybe the mistake I made was to put in a price,” he added. http://www.mls-rumors.net/2008/11/expansion-montreal-says-not-at-any.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Massive Attack Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Luis, why are you such a whore for MLS Rumours? There are tons of other reputable sources you could have gotten this story from. Plus we already have about 20 threads open on this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis_Rancagua Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share Posted November 25, 2008 Joey Saputo questioned whether the six other cities still in the bidding for 2011 — Ottawa, Vancouver, St. Louis, Miami, Atlanta and Portland, Ore. — are really ready to pay $40-million (U.S.). He said some did not include a fee in their bids. This is what caught my eyes...Do you think the other bidders have th ca$h up front...It remains to be seen... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbailey62 Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Luis_Rancagua Joey Saputo questioned whether the six other cities still in the bidding for 2011 — Ottawa, Vancouver, St. Louis, Miami, Atlanta and Portland, Ore. — are really ready to pay $40-million (U.S.). He said some did not include a fee in their bids. This is what caught my eyes...Do you think the other bidders have th ca$h up front...It remains to be seen... Montreal admitted they didn't in their bid application. That is the problem. They did this to themselves! Joey assumed that he'd be able to play some games. He wasn't and was given the boot. He has now gone home in a pout. You blew it Joey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbailey62 Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack Luis, why are you such a whore for MLS Rumours? There are tons of other reputable sources you could have gotten this story from. Plus we already have about 20 threads open on this topic. Luis may have gotten it from MLS rumours but it is the Canadian Press story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis_Rancagua Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share Posted November 25, 2008 quote:Originally posted by dbailey62 Montreal admitted they didn't in their bid application. That is the problem. They did this to themselves! Joey assumed that he'd be able to play some games. He wasn't and was given the boot. He has now gone home in a pout. You blew it Joey! Ok!!! Based on your assumption, can we determined that Joey is a dumbass who decided to play hardball with the bureaucrats of MLS and he eventually got burned big time???? Because of his miscalculated error (including his arrogance as well), Montreal soccer suffered a huge blow...The consequences still remain to be seen... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Massive Attack Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 quote:Originally posted by dbailey62 Luis may have gotten it from MLS rumours but it is the Canadian Press story. My point is why help out a garbage website get hits when he could have posted the Canadian Press article instead. Luis is a whore for MLS Rumours. Its annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bxl Boy Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Very annoying And we already have plenty of threads about this subject I suggest the moderators close this one and link to one of the others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis_Rancagua Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share Posted November 25, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack My point is why help out a garbage website get hits when he could have posted the Canadian Press article instead. Luis is a whore for MLS Rumours. Its annoying. Massive Attack, get a life you big mouth jerk... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.