The Impact Of Fool's Gold

By Paul S. Hendren Can Sports

Montreal got it right.

With several wanabee owners lining up with wallets open to secure the next Major League Soccer franchise George Gilette and Joey Saputo knew that the financial commitments and economic realities ahead could never lead to matrimonial bliss.

Montreal, a city rich in hockey tradition, is at best a solid minor-pro soccer market. The Impact, who have consistently drawn over 10,000 to Stade Saputo, have been very comfortable in their market niche and a $40 million jump to the Major League Soccer’s circus could no longer be justified by Joey Saputo and his new sports philanthropist sidekick George Gilette.

It is not be out of the realm of possibilities that Saputo will try his luck at forming a new professional league in direct competition to Major League Soccer and displaced from the United Soccer League’s inconsistencies. In bygone days the Saputo family held the MLS formula in contempt so it was surprising that they even wanted a piece of the MLS pie. They would be hard pressed to relinquish their well -deserved autonomy to a single entity league.

It is time for MLS to redefine itself and sever its ties from communist-based methodology. With the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) now being uncovered as a questionable sports operator, due to its affiliation with the Nashville Predators’ fiasco, it is questionable whether Major League Soccer’s biggest shareholder and trailblazer, has professional soccer’s best interest at heart.

Montreal is better off without a major league headache. Let Ottawa and Vancouver discover the fool’s gold.