SoccerImpact set for battle with Santos

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I wonder if Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber is going to be one of those people on Wednesday night, when the Montreal Impact take on Santos Laguna in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League?

Garber unceremoniously booted out Montreal's bid to gain an MLS expansion franchise in November. At the time, other cities were lining up to pay the $40 million US expansion fee, so it didn't seem like such a risky move on Garber's part to refuse Montreal's lesser offer. In fact, many people applauded Garber for following the law of supply and demand. Some even questioned Montreal's reasoning for not upping their offer.

Back then, I thought $40 million for an expansion fee was too steep. Right now, with the economy gripped by recession, it seems absurd. Atlanta has dropped out of the running, there are question marks hovering over St. Louis, and Barcelona has intimated that it will be taking a good long look at the financial commitments that it would have to make if it were granted an expansion franchise in Miami. Philadelphia, due to start play in 2010, has long been rumoured to be struggling financially.

When the two expansion slots are finally announced, likely in early March, I'll be surprised if either of the two winners will be handing over a cheque for $40 million. It doesn't make financial sense, and with so many others running for the door, I think the two successful expansion groups will both be in a strong enough position to be able to negotiate that number to something a little more reasonable.

Which leads me back to Montreal.

Money aside, they have everything else that the MLS requires for expansion. A soccer-specific stadium that can be expanded to meet the league minimum; a proven track record as a successful organization; a well-funded ownership group with strong ties to the local community; and a ready-made rivalry with Toronto FC.

They've also got fans. Lots of fans.

As of last week, the Impact have sold over 42,000 tickets for their CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final against Santos. However you want to scrutinize that number, that is impressive.

Naysayers have been suggesting that the numbers are inaccurate, and they claim that many of the tickets have been sold at discounted prices to teams and groups. Even if they were all sold at the lowest price of $7 a ticket, which they weren't, that is still nearly $300,000 in ticket revenue from one game.

Critics also suggest that many of those 42,000 tickets are earmarked for young children who play the game but are not necessarily "real" Impact supporters. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that how you build a fan base? Don't we all get hooked supporting a team at a young age because our fathers, brothers or uncles took us along to a game? I hate to admit it, but when it comes to hockey I support the Leafs. Not because they've won anything in my lifetime, but because that's who I watched with my dad and brother as a kid.

Toronto FC supporters have been telling me that there will be more Mexican supporters in the Big "O" than Impact supporters, and 42,000 isn't a real reflection of the support in Montreal. That is a valid argument, if you consider that soccer supporting Montrealers were outnumbered and out sung by their Honduran counterparts when Canada took on the central Americans in a World Cup Qualifier at Stade Saputo last year.

I will certainly be casting a critical eye over the record breaking crowd on Wednesday night to gauge the level of hometown support. I'll be really disappointed if it's a repeat of the Canada-Honduras game, where it didn't really feel like a home game for Canada. Just like the men's national team, I think the Impact deserve better than that.

But I'm willing to give the supporters in Montreal the benefit of the doubt. I'm hopeful that when I look out over that crowd it will be a sea of blue. I hope the fans raise the roof on the Big "O" and make it an intimidating atmosphere for the Mexicans, because John Limniatis' men could do with a 12th man out on the pitch.

The Impact haven't played a meaningful match since Oct. 28th when they lost away to Atlante FC of Mexico. Despite an unbeaten pre-season campaign, they are likely to be a bit rusty when the whistle blows on Wednesday night.

Still, Montreal has shown tremendous resilience in this competition, and you can bet that the Mexicans won't be taking the Impact lightly. If Montreal can keep a clean sheet at home and avoid any early-season mistakes, anything can happen on the road.

Win, lose or draw, Montreal's CONCACAF Champions League campaign has been an incredible success. The opportunity to play in front of over 42,000 fans at home is the icing on the cake for the club. Those are the sort of numbers that most MLS clubs can only dream about, and you have to wonder if anyone in the MLS head offices will be having second thoughts about their decision to exclude Montreal.

Then again, hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

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