MONTREAL—Stade Saputo means everything to the Montreal Impact. It is their true home and central to growing the soccer culture in the region. And while archrival Toronto FC spoiled the sold-out 2016 Stade Saputo opener on Saturday, the Impact expect good times to return.
Stade Saputo is becoming a cathedral for the beautiful game. It is now the only soccer-specific stadium for Canadian MLS teams since BMO Field will now be shared between TFC and the Toronto Argonauts. And it has a natural grass pitch—what soccer is supposed to be played on.
When the Impact speak about Stade Saputo, one word always comes up— intimacy.
“At 20,800, there’s really a feeling of intimacy because the last row here is not very high. It’s like half-way at the Bell Centre,” Impact executive vice-president Richard Legendre told Epoch Times.
To create that intimacy, fans are relatively close to the players on the pitch, can feel their emotions, and can better support them.
“This is home. This is home. This is home,” said Montreal’s Patrice Bernier emphatically. “This is a place where, when you play, there is a closeness with the fans. It’s intimate and we have a tendency to play very well here at home.”
