MONTREAL — The Montreal Impact and the Quebecor Media Group announced a five-year partnership on Thursday as the team prepares to join Major League Soccer in 2012, and TVA Sports has been named the official broadcaster of the club.
TVA Sports will present 24 of the Impact’s games next season, all in high definition.
“The entire Impact organization is very excited about the partnership we have formed with Quebecor Media and its subsidiaries,” Impact president Joey Saputo said in a press conference Thursday. “With this announcement, we can confirm today that all Impact games will be broadcast on television in high definition starting [in] 2012.
"The relationship with TVA Sports is a logical fit with our drive to expand our presence in the marketplace. This is definitely the most important broadcasting partnership in the Impact’s history.”
Pierre Dion, president and CEO of TVA Sports, explained the company wants to offer a complete coverage of the team.
“We want to offer rich, varied coverage that gives viewers full information about the Impact and the game of soccer through interview with players, behind-the-scene reports and interviews with the team’s owners and with experts," Dion said.
The remaining games will be broadcasted on Réseau des Sports.
Videotron has also been confirmed as a founding partner of the club as of 2012, and will provide a high-tech experience to the fans at Saputo Stadium.
“We have two goals in mind: giving fans in the stands the best possible experience during Impact games and helping the team reach its supporters across Quebec by virtual means,” explained Videotron president and CEO Robert Dépatie.
Dépatie also confirmed that Videotron will be working on mobile applications, online clinics for young players and other interactive solutions to engage fans of the team.
Quebecor Media is a subsidiary of Quebecor Inc, one of Canada’s largest telecommunications and media holding companies.
