Saputo Signals End of Era With CF Montréal Sale
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The decision to put the MLS club on the block follows a historic low on the pitch and raises questions about the future of the franchise's local ties.
The landscape of Major League Soccer in Canada is shifting as Joey Saputo, the founder and owner of CF Montréal, announced Monday that he is initiating the sale process for the club, as Sportsnet first reported.
Saputo, who established the franchise in 1992 as the Montreal Impact and navigated its entry into MLS in 2012, stated that after more than 30 years of commitment, the time is right to identify new ownership. While Saputo expressed a desire for the team to remain under Montreal-based ownership, he explicitly noted that he will not sell the club at a discount to ensure it stays in the city. Furthermore, Saputo confirmed he will not include a clause in the sale agreement requiring the team to remain in Montreal.
**Sasha Petrov's Take:** In my view, Saputo putting CF Montréal on the block isn't just a simple transaction; it's a signal that the current ownership model for MLS in Canada is hitting a ceiling. When a founder is willing to forgo guarantees that a team stays in its home city to secure the right buyer, it suggests a realization that the resources required to compete at the next level may exceed what the current local structure can provide.
The timing of the sale follows what Sportsnet describes as the worst season in the history of the club. CF Montréal finished last in the Eastern Conference, posting a record of six wins, eight draws, and 20 losses. The team's struggles extended to the Canadian Championship final, where they suffered a loss to Canadian Premier League side Forge FC. These on-field failures led to a late-season boycott by frustrated supporters.
Despite the sale, Saputo indicated the move was not driven by urgency. He noted that his family intends to stay involved in efforts to bring a national soccer training centre to Montreal, a facility that could potentially serve as a future home for the club.
As for immediate operations, CF Montréal stated that team management and staff will remain in their current roles throughout the transition to new ownership, as reported by Sportsnet.