SoccerTough pill, but right decision by Impact group

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You find yourself either picking people up when they feel sorry for themselves, or knocking them back down when they get too carried away with their success. It pays to keep an even keel in football, because one week you can be the villain and the next week you can be everyone’s hero.

But it works the other way, as well. You can go from hero to zero in the blink of an eye. It is a roller coaster of emotion, and it can all change in the space of seven days.

And that is how it has been for the Montreal Impact.

One week ago, Montreal was everyone’s favourite to be granted a Major League Soccer franchise for 2011. And why shouldn’t they have been? A brand new stadium, strong fan support, a solid history in the game and an ownership group with deep pockets.

They ticked all of the boxes that the MLS laid out as their criteria for expansion. Right?

Apparently not.

It seems that money is the only factor that really matters in the expansion process. About $40 million US to be precise. The fact that Montreal weren’t willing to part with $40 million means they are no longer in the running.

From Montreal’s perspective, it seems like a smart move. Why pay more for something than you think it is worth?

Six months ago, $40 million US was equivalent to around $40 million Canadian. Right now, $40 million greenbacks will cost you just under $50 million Canadian. I don’t know about you, but if I was considering buying something six months ago and didn’t get the opportunity until now, and I was told it was 25 percent more expensive, I would turn around, walk out the door and go find something else to spend my money on.

But surely, between the Saputo and Gillett families, an extra 10 million dollars is a drop in the ocean? Well, the thing about wealthy, successful people is that they don’t become wealthy and successful by being foolish, and ponying up that extra sum just because MLS Commissioner Don Garber asks for it would be just that.

I know that Montreal apparently never offered $40 million US in the first place, but that is just splitting hairs. Given that Montreal’s initial commitment, including stadium upgrades, was in excess of $43 million Canadian, you can be sure that the expansion fee thrown in there was fairly substantial. Having spoken with Joey Saputo, I can assure you that they put together a very thorough bid and they are very serious about bringing an MLS team to Montreal.

For any of the expansion hopefuls, joining MLS needs to make sense from a business perspective, because paying the franchise fee can’t be viewed as charity. It has to be viewed as an opportunity to join a growing league that has the potential to turn your franchise into a money-making organization. That is the only way a team is going to be successful in the long term. But first you have to get into the league and, in my opinion, a $40 million US expansion fee is ridiculously high.

Three years ago, it cost Toronto FC $10 million US to join the MLS. Two years later, it cost Seattle and Philadelphia $30 million US to join. Some would argue that it is logical to expect it to cost more to join now. It’s certainly not going to cost less, that’s for sure. But it doesn’t make it any easier to accept.

Whither Vancouver, Ottawa?

Mind you, MLS is in an enviable position. With so many groups looking to join the league, Don Garber can pretty much name his price and see who is willing to step up to the plate. He is, after all, following the law of supply and demand.

But selling yourself to the highest bidder is a dangerous game, and doesn’t necessarily guarantee success.

Just look at the NHL. Two of the more recent expansion teams, Nashville and Columbus, are both struggling to fill their arenas, despite the fact that they were happy to pay the NHL’s price of admission to join the league. There is no real passion for the game in those cities, and no amount of money can change that.

And what if the remaining groups get cold feet? Major League Soccer has drawn a line in the sand and made an example of Montreal. They have gambled on the other groups being willing to put up the expansion fee, but unless I’m mistaken, there is no money in the bank yet. What does MLS do if the other groups decide to follow Montreal’s suit and try to negotiate the fee? Kick them all out?

The exclusion of Montreal is certainly a bitter pill for Canadian football fans to swallow. Like everyone else, I was licking my lips in anticipation of an Impact-TFC derby. Two of my favourite teams going head to head - what could be better? Fans of both teams pretty much despise each other, and the ready-made rivalry was something that everyone saw as a huge mark in Montreal’s favour.

During the All-Star Game in Toronto in July, I was speaking with some colleagues from the U.S. These guys have been covering Major League Soccer from its inception, and there is virtually nothing that they don’t know about the ins and outs of the league. They were convinced that the two frontrunners in the expansion race were Montreal and Vancouver, and they were willing to bet that those were the two teams that would join MLS in 2011.

Now that Montreal is out of the running, I really don’t know what to think. Don Garber has been effusive in his praise for bids from both Vancouver and Ottawa, and I would love to think that at least one of them will get in.

Yet he has also said that, “We don’t have a lot of commercial businesses in Canada today. The more teams we add there, the more it takes away from growing our footprint and our television ratings in the United States.”

I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds like he’s not that interested in expansion into Canada. Unless, of course, there is money to be made.

I’m sure you are all as disappointed as I am that we won’t be seeing the Montreal Impact join the MLS in the near future. But don’t be too despondent, football fans. You never know what is around the corner. After all, a week is a long time in football.

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