On July 26, 2013 the Montreal Impact organized a press conference to introduce the team's newest signings, Argentine midfielder Hernan Bernardello and Spanish central defender Adrian Lopez.
Much to the dismay of many fans, the press conference was not presented live by the team’s TV broadcast partners. For a soccer aficionado like me, who has played and looked world soccer ever since I was a little boy, this was a major faux pas.
In Europe, when a team acquires a new player, it is a very big deal. A buzz is generated with the fan base, and teams use the presentation as a marketing tool to fuel enthusiasm and sell tickets. In fairness, soccer is the number one sport in Europe so the media creates this frenzy quite naturally. There are instances where players are presented on television via a press conference and other times where a marquee player is presented at the team’s home stadium. In either case, the presentation of the player to the fans is given paramount importance.
With all due respect, I know Bernardello and Lopez are not sexy names like Messi or Beckham. I will admit I have never heard of these players and never seen them play. However given the fact both are considered young and in their prime, have played in top leagues in Europe, and that one of them (Bernardello) was signed as a designated player (DP), this was significant news for the team and our city. In hockey terms, we are not talking about signing a 4th line player or a depth defenseman that nobody would really care about. We are talking about important players that are expected to play a vital role in the team’s success, now and in the future.
From conversations I had with friends, reactions I’ve read on social media and exchanges on twitter, fan reaction regarding the decision to not broadcast the press conference live was varied. Some fans were not bothered at all, others disappointed while many were upset.
I am one of those fans that was upset, and consider myself to be a hardcore Impact fan. I found it rather shocking that the press conference was not broadcast live. I am also upset with the team as I believe IMFC could have done a better job in organizing the event and properly promoting it. This was a fantastic opportunity to make this a BIG EVENT, to welcome our new players and at the same time, use this as a marketing opportunity to create some much needed buzz for the team.
Alas, the press conference was hastily announced just 24 hours before it took place without much fanfare. There was a rumour about another player being signed other than Bernardello and this news (about Lopez) was only announced the morning of the press conference. Despite all this, I was still very excited to meet our new players and wanted to see what they looked like on TV. I took it for granted I would be able to see them live.
The day of the press conference, I went on the IMFC website to get some info of the broadcast, and there was absolutely nothing! No mention whether or not this press conference can be seen on TV or heard on the radio. I was disappointed. Then I was figuring if not on TV or radio, at the very least the team website would carry a live inline of this event, but no!
At this point my excitement was replaced by frustration. Thankfully someone on twitter (apologies the name escapes me) was courteous enough to tell me a live inline was available from one of the non-sports networks. This was rather strange, but I figured it was better than nothing.
One can argue that thanks to today’s technology, not broadcasting a press conference live is not a big deal, since you can easily look it another time at your convenience via a video clip on the team’s website. Although this is true, it takes away from the excitement of looking an event as it takes place in Real Time.
When you give the fans an opportunity to enjoy a live broadcast, you provide them with a unique experience. When you look something live, there is a build up of emotions, of excitement, of anticipation. In fact, with social media it has become even more enriching to look something live. The fans become more engaged as they can instantly share their reactions in real time. This is not as fun to do when you look a video clip at a later time, because by then its old news and you are not likely to have someone to share their thoughts with you at that moment.
I started to wonder, if this press conference was not important enough to be broadcast live on TV, and the team didn’t even bother having a live inline on their own website, maybe I misunderstood the press conference’s significance? I was also telling myself, if it was not worth the TV network’s time and money to broadcast live, how are you supposed to convince the fans that our Montreal Impact team is worth their time and money?
I couldn’t let this go, I cared too much about the team to just shrug it off as another missed opportunity to do something special for the fans. I refused to let that bad feeling overcome me, where I have more proof that IMFC dropped the ball, yet again, and must do a better job when it comes to marketing and promoting the team.
While digging for an answer to understand who is responsible for broadcasting a live press conference, I thought it was best to ask people in the media who know about these things better than I do. I am just a fan with a big heart, what do I know about these things? I started to make contact with some sports media folks that not only cover the team for their work but also care very much about the team’s success on and off the field. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their time and responses.
The question I posed each of them was: Were you surprised the press conference was not broadcast live? Is it solely the fault of the team’s TV broadcast partners or was the Impact to be blamed as well?
Who better to start with than Brian Wilde, who has many years of experience in the business of sports reporting, particularly in television.
Brian Wilde, Sports Reporter for CTV @BWildeCTV
The Montreal Impact would love to have all their news conferences live on TV, but they don’t control it. The networks make the call on whether they want to spend the money (to broadcast live or not). Therefore you can conclude that when they decide not to, they must believe there is not enough interest (to justify the cost). So it is still a supply and demand issue despite 20,000 fans attending Impact games.
What Brian says makes sense, but then two other thoughts come to mind. Firstly, I firmly believe the TV networks have a vested interest to grow the game. More exposure leads to more ticket sales and more viewers on TV leads to more advertising revenues. Secondly, if the TV networks are unable to appreciate how important these player signings are for the team, could the Impact have exerted some pressure to help persuade them otherwise?
Alternatively, if the Impact felt the new players were not well known by the fans and the TV networks were going to be reluctant to go live, perhaps the Impact could have done something to make the signings even more newsworthy? I was thinking either by adding they have a major/special announcement or make an event out of it that would sway the opinion of the TV network sports directors. Of course by saying so, I assume the Impact knows their TV network broadcasters well enough to anticipate what they may or may not do. What we are seeing is this is not the case.
This leads me to another dilemma. I was trying to put myself in the shoes of Joey Saputo and wondering what he was thinking/feeling. My guess, he was probably upset and disappointed but never made his feelings known. If he wasn’t upset or hurt, that would be an even bigger concern! He must have been thinking “What the...? I sign two young players in their prime, with significant experience playing in Europe, one as a DP, and you don’t believe this is important enough to broadcast live?” Joey Saputo is passionate about soccer, but he still is a businessman who wants to grow the game. An argument can be made that this decision (to not broadcast live) is not in the interest of growing the game long-term.
Jeremy Filosa, Sports Journalist, 98.5 Sports FM @j_filosa
I think you are right; the press conference should have been presented live. The decision not to can be because some sports program directors don’t care about soccer. By not broadcasting live, you can say networks do not have a long term vision, but rather concentrate on the ratings they get NOW. Reality is, if program directors and reporters have an interest in the sport it will get exposure, if not, it won’t. When a story gets hot, everyone jumps on board. That’s the media for you. I don’t love all sports but I try to be open minded and stay informed about as many sports as possible. For me this is important, to most reporters it is not. Media don’t feel it is their responsibility to help a sport grow, but it would be in their interest to do so.
Jeremy’s point makes me think of all the media pressure we associate with playing for the Montreal Canadiens. Often the smallest bit of irrelevant news can be written and spoken about ad nauseum, even on a hot summer day. It proves that like any business, time and resources will always be allocated where there is a benefit. This further illustrates Jeremy’s point about the media deciding what they believe is news worth speaking or writing about because it is something they are interested in. Could it be that in Montreal we just do not have enough media interested in soccer to want to cover and grow the game?
Tony Marinaro, Radio Host, TSN690 @TonyMarinaro
When it comes to organizing a press conference for television, I do not know what the guidelines are, how it works with timelines, costs of airing an event live, etc... I have worked in radio my entire career and the radio business is totally different from TV. So from that perspective, without knowing the details of what transpired, I can't blame anyone on why the press conference was not broadcast live.
That aside, considering the team is doing well, has made it to Concacaf Champions League, signed two important players, one of whom is the second designated player in the team's history, yes, this event should have been televised live.
Let's face it; the team could always use the exposure. They will always be in the shadow of the Montreal Canadiens in this market. It’s only their second year in MLS and they could have used this opportunity for their benefit.
Tony’s response made me think a bit more of what I wrote earlier that the press conference was hastily announced. Perhaps there were mitigating factors that were beyond the control of the TV networks, for example if in fact guidelines and or timelines were not respected. I highly doubt it, but you never know. You have to believe IMFC did everything in their power to get this special announcement broadcast live.
I am not in the media and do not know how to organize a press conference, but I could imagine there is a lot of work involved. We only get to see the press conference on TV without appreciating what goes on in the background. Still, one has to wonder if mistakes were made and things were forgotten.
The best way to find out was to get the inside scoop from the Impact’s director of communications, Patrick Vallée, who is responsible to organize the press conferences and communicate with the media. I was hoping he could shed some light on this so we can have a full understanding of what transpired. From the little information that we have available, it seems like everyone involved in the media that covers the team was well informed. I do not know Patrick, but I am sure he did everything possible to convince the TV networks to be present and broadcast the event live. My attempts to reach him were unsuccesful. I would like to give him the opportunity to read this article and respond to it so we can get the team’s perspective on the issue. I am sure all IMFC fans would appreciate this as a gesture of goodwill.
Nick Sabetti, Sports Journalist @NickSabetti
TV can get a bit complicated. What didn't help was that Bernardello's presser was postponed and Lopez signing was announced the morning of so perhaps there just wasn't enough time to set things up. Still, yeah it's unfortunate, given that those are the biggest signings since Di Vaio/Nesta. The Impact could have asked for the presser to be aired, they probably did, but I really can't say for certain. Not that it makes much of a difference as its really up to the TV networks to decide whether they want to or not. And no, I'm not surprised. Impact are a bit of an afterthought to be honest, as far as TV goes anyway.
Nick brings up a valid point which can be interpreted in two ways. Was the cancellation of Bernardello’s original press conference, which was scheduled July 24th, a case of bad luck, or was it poor planning by IMFC, who should have known their new DP signing was ill? I find this rather bizarre since every player you sign or acquire via trade must always pass a medical exam.
Now the really interesting question that comes to mind is what would have happened if Bernardello did not get sick? Would the original press conference be broadcast live or not? Was Bernardello, on his own and the second DP signing of the Impact, worthy of a live broadcast by the TV networks?
Sean Campbell, Radio Host, TSN690 @seanrcampbell
It would have been nice to broadcast live at least on the Montreal Impact’s website, but (for the TV networks) it is more of the rights holder’s choice than the team’s if they want to carry it live. With the Habs I understand everything is live, with the ALS it’s not always live depending on other news of the day. Player signings/introductions are kind of 50/50, for broadcasters they kind of sit there and see if anyone knows these guys. The average Montrealer has no idea who Bernardello or Lopez is.
Sean brings up a good point about name recognition. We can see why this is important, just by looking at the sold out Big O when Beckham was in town with the LA Galaxy. I understand the logic behind this; however, even though the new players are not household names, it is important for the fans to get to know them!
From a reporter that wanted to remain anonymous:
Here are my thoughts: if the goal of the team is to build a rabid, long term fan base outside of the Ultras, then the press conference, to announce two new signings, no matter how significant, should have been televised live. It may have been broadcast , but use of all media is a smart business move. That includes their website, social media, print, TV, and anything else at their disposal.
The Impact will never be at the level of the Habs in terms of a following, but you know that if the Canadiens had signed someone, it would have carried live. I imagine the networks have a huge say in what goes live. But that also could be criticized: they have an interest in building up the fan base, too, because it increases ratings down the line. By the same token, if they had signed a big name, like on the level of a Henry or Beckham or something, you know it would have been carried live.
Giovanni Sardo @GioSardo
In Europe, when new players are signed, they are presented in front of a crowd of fans and media. It should be the same thing here. The passionate fans deserve to be a part of the announcement. Joey Saputo should demand it. It's simple marketing. It's how you generate excitement. It's not just the media that is to blame. The Impact need to do their part as well to make sure this happens.
The new signings were presented to the fans at half time when they played Sporting KC the next day on July 27th. A nice gesture that pales in comparison to the type of presentation Giovanni was referring to. In my opinion, the new signings lack the notoriety and prestige associated with a stadium presentation, but I wonder with some creativity if something else could have been done to create a buzz and some excitement for the fans.
Carlos Candido @514sports
It’s a sad state of affairs. The Montreal Impact have done a lot for the sport in this city and always seem to get the short end of the media stick. The press conference to introduce players, should be a big thing. Why no one deemed it necessary to broadcast, is beyond me. Joey Saputo and Richard Legendre can kick and scream all they want, but their media partners need to find it necessary to cover this event. I don't blame the management. The fact they (the networks) didn't, is discouraging to me. The fact the broadcasters describe road games from inside their studio is an insult to the team and the fans.
The eventual return of an NHL team to Quebec City should be worrisome for the upper management. There are only enough dollars to go around, and I'm not sure their current partner is convinced in the product, or is serious enough about the Impact. The Montreal Impact needs a new media partner who is serious about them and the MLS!
Carlos brings up a good point to question how serious the broadcast partners are in growing the game. As a fan, I do agree I am not very impressed to look IMFC road games with in studio commentary. It takes away from the quality of the broadcast. There is a lack of spontaneity and authenticity when the play-by-play announcers are making commentary by looking a TV screen instead of being at the stadium, looking the play develop live right in front of their own eyes. I also feel bad for the Ultras when they go on the road and the fans back home don’t even get to see them.
Giancarlo Aimone @AIMforONE_Sport
To be honest, it's the fault of everyone involved in and around the organization; there should be more press from local media and better marketing from the organization. They constantly drop the ball, planning a conference and then switch days which makes them lose credibility with media and the fan-base. But the biggest problem, in my honest opinion is who they signed up with as their main broadcaster.
In addition to the folks involved in the media, I also wanted to get different opinions from the IMFC fans that I interact with on twitter. Here are their reactions when asked the same question about how they felt when the broadcast was not carried live.
So here they are, in no particular order:
@Yannimal1981
It bothered me because it looks like an amateur move. The official carrier of the team can't bother to broadcast the event live?
@Garage_Brewer10
I think it should have been broadcasted. Fans want to feel connected with the team. Such decisions, interviews, should be showed to fans. Everything concerning the Habs and the Alouettes is always televised live or has a press conference; same should be done with IMFC.
@calcioevita10
It did bother me, especially since we didn't really know much about the both of them. I would have liked to have heard Nick's comments regarding their style of play, how we will use them etc. Definitely the TV networks are at fault there. Saputo announced the press conference - it is up to the TV networks to broadcast it.
Had we signed a high profile soccer star, like Totti for instance, and they did not broadcast the press conference live, it would have been a huge slap in the face to IMFC and Saputo. I think the fact that these guys (Bernardello and Lopez) are less known played a part in the TV network's decision to not broadcast live.
@Nikki_love_Habs
I'm a new soccer fan, bought tickets because my son wanted to go see the Impact, my first love is hockey, football second and let's just say soccer was not on my radar before this year. I would have loved to see the new players being presented to the media. I get that soccer is not yet main inline unless it’s about teams across the pond, but they need to make more noise.
This would have been a great stepping stone, the people that don't follow this team like I do now, never knew we signed 2 great players. They need to be more in the media and they are not, people don't know that Montreal has a team that's in the mix for the playoffs, that its one of the best in the league and they only have been in the league 2 years. They need to be more visible in media and I was disappointed it was not live.
@kazimodo99
Yes it did bother me a lot !! It should have been a sports channel to present it. Won't say I'm surprised though. I mostly blame the team broadcasters for IMFC games. They should have shown the press conf IMO.
The thing I'm mostly upset about IMFC is their lack of marketing. They should have used this opportunity to press the TV networks to show the press conf and market the next game. But they are bad at marketing .. it's hopeless!
@Alikizi
I wasn’t surprised nor upset. I was working that day. By the time I learned the whole story, I was confused. I would blame the club and the media, lack of communication. Fans deserve better!
@sabucci_
I wasn't that surprised cuz they always seem to make these poor decisions but I was pretty upset that I couldn't look it either live from work or later at night at home... Would have been nice to see who these two new faces are !
@TOEmastro
I was disappointed but it would have been worse if twitter didn't exist. IMFC's community is strong but it isn't enough to carry the team, there should be a much stronger television presence AT LEAST on par with the CFL. I was able to look the tape of it when it was available since I was working at the time but it should have been live.
@Draven1683
I'm not one for looking press conferences myself, but they way I see it, a big signing deserved airtime and due respect. However, soccer is still considered a second class sport in this town so until they treat MLS like the big leagues it won't change. That will only change with a championship. A respectable season or even a playoff run won't cut it.
@Haynszie
I was disappointed but NOT surprised, the links that the club has with the media seem weak. The club could be taken more seriously but the coverage it gets from various media outlets is very weak. :-(
@NTGBandit
Damn straight I was upset. I’ve always wondered why they don’t always show the press conf on TV. I always thought it was just me who didn’t know where to look it. What also upsets me is I want to see the post game conf. *sigh* Do they not show the press conf because it's a North American thing? Or station will not pick it up? God knows. As a diehard fan I want to be immersed in it fully.
@JohnCoirazza
I am quite indifferent to this situation, it didn't affect me in any way whatsoever, can't say I have an opinion on it, sorry
@LeoJL8
I wasn't upset but I guess I was annoyed that IMFC isn't getting the coverage they deserve, especially since they acquired two new players.
@joeyfazz
Upset no but disappointed. The coverage in general from major networks is disappointing; highlight reels from networks is at a minimum; show baseball b4 Canadian MLS teams
@pmaiolo
I wouldn't say bother.... I would say typical. In fairness Impact have done ok PR wise... But certain traditional aspects are lacking. Like player presentations, weekly TV recap specials, an English language feed, proper analysis from knowledgeable commentators ( all respect to Pat Leduc, Grant but other than that everyone stinks), using their stars to promote game outside of Pat Bernier and DiVaio... They have Nesta.... I haven't seen him on one ad.... Take a look how Inter or ManUtd.....or even a team like Norwich promote their product...completely different. So... Am I a fan....yes....do I hope they do well...yes.... Do I think they can do much better.... YES
CONCLUSION
I hope that Joey Saputo and the Montreal Impact will read my article, and use this as an opportunity to make things right the next time. The same message applies to the team’s broadcast partners. Generate some excitement! Use teasers/promos effectively. Get the fans more involved! When you have something important to share with the fans, communicate it well, and give us advanced notice! Create some hype! Remember they always say the best advertising is word of mouth, who better to sell your product than the fans that really care about the team?
It would not be fair to make a critique without offering some solutions. What I would suggest to Joey Saputo and the Montreal Impact, once the current TV broadcast deal is up for renewal, is to insert a special clause whereby whenever the team holds a press conference to introduce any new players (via signing or trade) the broadcast MUST BE PRESENTED LIVE. In addition, I would also add that other than player presentations, there may be other major events that IMFC needs their primary broadcaster to carry live. IMFC must not leave it up to the TV networks to decide when or when not to broadcast a live event. I don’t believe this is very difficult to do, all that is required is to come up with a mutually beneficial time and date. IMFC needs to insist that its primary broadcaster is a partner that must help grow the game, for their mutual benefit. This can work, one example that comes to mind is the impressive growth of the CFL.
Having a long term vision to grow the game requires some patience and risk, but I am convinced the investment will definitely generate a nice rate of return. It is rather petty to only look at short term ratings. Perhaps the TV networks are cautious and think that growing the game is a risky proposition. However, I am also convinced with the amount of interest there is in soccer and the growing number of kids playing the sport, the potential for growth is limitless. Increased fan interest and support drives all the major sources of income for the team. It is all linked together, growing the game leads to more ticket sales, higher TV ratings, higher broadcast fees and merchandise sales, as well as increased income from advertisements and sponsorships. I am sure they already know this.
It takes courage to have a plan and stick to it. The Montreal Impact is in a catch-22 situation. They need to grow fan interest with the media’s help, but the media will only fully jump on board when the fan interest is there!
The media and the Montreal Impact need to realize they need each other to develop and execute initiatives to strengthen the IMFC brand, fuel consumer demand, and strengthen its connection with the fan base (existing and new fans). There needs to be ways to engage the large pool of non-MLS fans of soccer, to become loyal supporters of their local team. Creativity is required to identify new & improved ways to serve the soccer communities. As the saying goes “the road to success comes through hard work, determination and personal sacrifice.”
The optimist in me believes that the vision to grow the game is alive and well, just with some bumps and bruises along the way. Montreal is first and foremost a city devoted to the Habs when it comes to sports, and will always be so. Nevertheless, I know there are many soccer fans of Serie A, La Liga, Premiership, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, etc.. that can also become supporters of the Montreal Impact as well. It won’t be easy, but there must be a will to not want to be ordinary, but extraordinary!
For the sake of the fans and the future of the beautiful game, I sincerely hope that both IMFC and their broadcast partners redeem themselves by learning from this mistake and work together to have future press conferences broadcast live, all while engaging the passion of the fans that love and support the team. #ForzaImpact #AllezMontreal