Music: {allcanada} SAPUTO LAYS OUT MONTREAL'S MLS VISION

The Montreal Impact will take their Major League Soccer bow in just 33 short weeks. With the club providing critical analysis and a detailed backdrop to their MLS technical footprint earlier this week a delegation led by President Joey Saputo then travelled to New York for a series of meetings. Taking time out yesterday before attending the MLS All-Star game Saputo responded to a series of wide ranging queries as the club transitions over to a league that finally has even intrigued the highly skeptic UK media.

An economics graduate Saputo was at the helm when the Montreal Impact was founded in 1993. Amassing three playoff championships, a number of regular season titles and of course that fabled CONCACAF Champions League run the organization has also stared down serious adversity including sitting out the 1999 season in a dispute with the league and a mid season bankruptcy in July 2001 which occurred after Saputo had relinquished his holding. Asked by the then A-League to bring professional soccer back to Montreal for 2002 Saputo headed up a non profit organization that oversees the club today. Reflecting on this almost 2 decade period Saputo looks on it fondly, "A championship team, an organization that raised the bar both on and off the field. An overall solid organization that constantly wanted to improve the quality of the league that we played in."

With both Portland and Vancouver having made the transition this season Saputo is well aware of the football challenges they've faced. "This is where we see the difference between MLS and Division 2. On any given day, any team can beat any team, but doing it over the course of a grueling season is tougher. When we talk about limiting our mistakes, it includes not underestimating our competitors. We look at the difficulties that they are currently having on the pitch and we realize the amount of work that lies ahead of us." Adding praise for what they've accomplished with fan bases and the atmosphere generated at their stadiums, "Both teams have done a great job, the Portland Timbers have been able to successfully increase the Timbers Army to a point where they are part of the ambiance that today is part of the Timbers success."

The Impact will shortly be activating initiatives to grow their existing fan base paying a particular attention to the volume of soccer fans across Montreal who cheer for the likes of a Manchester United or a Barcelona but are not necessarily regular attendees of Saputo Stadium, "We will be launching an aggressive supporters program. Two hundred and fifty dollar season tickets, in which $15 will go back to the fan club, exclusive fan design (through contest) supporters scarf, an annual meet and greet with front office staff and technical team and an annual BBQ to test menu items. We will begin a series of pub crawls in the fall with technical staff. Our main objective is to promote the new league."

Carving out an identity that these fans can immediately connect with is at the fulcrum of these plans, "It's of uppermost importance. If you think about MLS, you instantly think fans and ambiance. We want to use the ambiance to make every game an event. This will be central to our marketing and selling strategies. Montreal is a city of festival and events, a Montreal Impact game will be something you'll not want to miss". Olympic Stadium back in February 2009 is testament to that ethos. Away from match attendance no better way for a fan to display an emotional connection to their favourite football club than be a consumer of club branded merchandise. Impact fans will not have much longer to wait for Impact MLS merchandise. Saputo disclosing, "Merchandise would become available at Saputo stadium in mid August and at retailers by early November."

Having recently announced significant long term partnerships with BMO and Quebecor Media the Impact's front office continues with the task of growing the business of football for the franchise, Saputo commenting, "The corporate response has been excellent. This is a sector that the Impact always has done well with. The corporate community in Montreal understands the importance of MLS. Now that we are the third Canadian MLS team, there is interest from existing Canadian MLS partners that are committed to developing the sport and want to be associated with the Montreal Impact." Of great value their MLS partner group will include current partners, "We are also in the process of converting most of our existing partners. We can expect more announcements within the following months."

As the Impact continue through this relationship building phase with both the league and their fellow franchises Saputo welcomes the open discourse that exists, "Both the MLS and various teams have been very generous and patient with the new franchises. All teams understand that it is in the best interest from the sport and the league to work together. Strength through unity, although we are competitors on the field, we are partners off the field." With the appointment of the head coach likely just weeks away, the expansion of Saputo Stadium scheduled to commence in September another priority Saputo indicated was, "Selling the MLS for what it is, the highest level of soccer in North America."

Pragmatically admitting during the club's technical presentation earlier in the week that they will make mistakes Saputo expanded on this admission with the ones they hope to avoid. Stating, "Those often made by expansion franchises (not only in soccer). Over promising and under delivering. We need to make sure that we follow the plan that will be put in place at the technical, administrative and marketing level." In doing so setting the scene for a successful MLS debut that the organization Saputo leads defines as, "Results on the field, a strong season ticket base, a strong partnership base, and the love that the city of Montreal would have for their club."

Raising the bar he concluded, "It is important to be relevant in your city and the rest of the province and that's what we strive to be."