MONTREAL — Montreal Impact chief business officer Claude Pinard has the best-kept secret in town: the club’s logo.
The new crest, which the team will use for its 2012 inaugural season in Major League Soccer, will be unveiled officially on Saturday at Saputo Stadium at halftime of the Impact's NASL game against the NSC Minnesota Stars (8 pm ET). As expected, both Pinard and executive VP Richard Legendre had very few comments to make, but were able to give a very small two-word description: "new and traditional."
In the meantime, the club has begun a series of small activities leading up to the logo presentation. Academy players and freestylers have been seen across the city, handing out tickets for the game on Saturday.
Pinard has also confirmed that the official MLS promotion campaign will start Aug. 8 in which the logo will be featured in TV, radio and newspaper ads as well as on billboards. Produced by SidLee, these ads will showcase the intensity of MLS through teasers.
The Impact will undergo a pub crawl to engage into open discussions with the current and potential soccer fans. Dates have yet to be confirmed, but Pinard wants the club to get closer to its fans. He also wants to establish a stronger relationship with the supporters groups and wants them to be more involved in the club's activities.
“From each season ticket sold in those supporters sections, $15 will be given back to your group and will help you buy equipment like drums, flags, T-shirts," Pinard told MLSsoccer.com.
"We will also be working on a contest to have them design a scarf that will only be available to the supporters groups. As other clubs do, we’re also looking at having an annual meet-and-greet with the technical staff, and a BBQ to try out the different meals that we’ll be offering at Saputo Stadium.”
The Impact announced in June that BMO will be their official shirt sponsor for the 2012 season, the same as their Canadian rivals Toronto FC.
