Joey Saputo announces sale of CF Montreal
The owner didn’t rule out the club’s possible relocation outside Montreal
On Nov. 9, CF Montréal owner Joey Saputo announced his decision to sell the club after more than 30 years of family ownership.
“After more than three decades of family ownership and leadership, the decision was taken to initiate a structured sale process,” Saputo said in a news conference.
The Saputo family founded the team in 1992, which was then called Montreal Impact. The team entered Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest level of soccer in North America, in 2012.
“After 33 years, I believe it’s simply time to pass the torch,” the owner said.
Saputo maintained that the decision was neither urgent nor driven by external circumstances, but that it reflected his belief that it was the right time to find new ownership.
“It’s the result of a careful and deliberate reflection on where we stand today, and more importantly, on the opportunities that lie ahead for the club,” Saputo said.
The CF Montréal chairman said the day he announced the sale of the club was one of the most difficult days of his life.
“Throughout the past 30 years, we have experienced unforgettable moments of triumph, from winning championships to making deep runs in CONCACAF competitions,” he said.
The announcement came after the conclusion of the worst season in the club’s history, as it recorded just six wins in 34 matches and finished last in the Eastern Conference.
CF Montreal made the playoffs four times over its 15 seasons in MLS, with its last appearance in 2022.
Longtime fan Matthew Lipari said the announcement came with mixed feelings, but it was the right time to make a change.
“It was needed because I felt like, along with a majority of fans, that there wasn’t a lot of support coming from his family in terms of financially providing for the team, such as getting the players that we needed,” Lipari said.
He credited Saputo for bringing the team into the MLS but said more should’ve been done to build on the club’s successful runs, particularly after it reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2016 and recorded the most points in CF Montréal’s history in 2022.
In his announcement, Saputo said he preferred to keep the club in the city and build on its foundations.
“Our clear preference is to find a buyer who shares our commitment to Montreal and ensures that the club remains in the city for many years to come,” he said.
However, he did not rule out the possibility of relocating the club outside of the city.
“If the club doesn’t find a local buyer, and I get an offer and the club needs to be relocated, then I have no choice, and that’s the decision I will take,” Saputo said.
Fans like Lipari say the focus should be on keeping and growing the club in Montreal.
“If it’s some global investor or American buyer, they’re moving the team immediately, which is very concerning, and that would kill the sport here,” Lipari said.
Justine Longpré, the coordinator of 1642 MTL, one of the club’s supporter groups, echoed the sentiment.
“Like all of you, we hope to see the club remain in Montreal for years to come,” Longpré said.
On Nov. 10, CBC reported that Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said the province wouldn’t bail out the club. However, the newly elected premier said he would be open to studying investors’ proposals on potential participation to save the club.
Saputo said the club’s operations will continue as usual throughout the sale process.
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