A SOM-985FM survey has ranked the Montreal Impact third among professional sports team in Montreal. What makes this an uncomfortable ranking is that there are only 3 professional sports teams in Montréal.

19% is better than 0%

19% of Quebecers (survey participants) have expressed an interest toward the Impact. The historical and only team that really counts, the Habs, has 61% of the province's attention span and the CFL powerhouse, the Alouettes, have 29% of the pie. The survey clarifies the number as follows:

19%: The number means that 19% of the survey participants are "very or quite interested" in the Montreal Impact. If you want to round up, 20% of the province is interested in the club built by Joey Saputo





Au niveau de l'intérêt suscité chez les Québécois , Impact de Montréal est au 3ième rang...sur 3 Canadiens de Montréal Montreal Alouettes Sondage SOM - @985fm Posted by Kan Football Club on Thursday, June 11, 2015

Intentions

The survey presents more numbers that could potentially resolve the "empty seats" effect at Stade Saputo. 16% of the survey participants have the intention to go to one Impact game during the summer.

That [represents] 500,000 persons. It would fill Stade Saputo a few times. -- Richard Legendre on 985FM

Intention are as good as wanting to quit smoking, lose weight or be a better person in general : It needs to happen. And it's in the club's best interest to trigger the indecisive minds to come to Stade Saputo and consume their product at least once.

But beyond the punctual fan/supporter/consumer coming to Stade Saputo, the club's biggest challenge is to have a recurring revenue and have people come back to

Watch a game

Eat/drink at the Stadium

Buy Impact merchandise

Re/Discover the team

Enjoy the experience

And at the end of the day, Person X will be willing to renew the experience with another game-day ticket and/or season tickets, the club's ultimate goal. The Impact like any modern business model needs a big portion of its revenue to be guaranteed and recurring (season tickets, multiple single tickets), a bit like your Netflix subscription but with a commitment.

These numbers should not surprise anyone though there is a bigger base of people that play soccer-football than (american) football. But the typical mistake stands in that previous statement.

Whoever said and guaranteed that a soccer license with your local club/soccer association will translate into a Montreal Impact consumer?

Watching Juventus on Domenica Sportiva translates into MLS' Soccer Sunday?

19% of Quebec might be among that population and that's a stretch.