MONTREAL – Ahead of the Montreal Impact’s home opener, this Saturday at 7pm against Seattle Sounders FC (TICKETS – TVA Sports, 98,5fm & TSN Radio 690) – as well as for all upcoming spectator events –, Montreal’s Olympic Park, in collaboration with the Impact, is improving pedestrian traffic flow around the event by moving all access controls outside the stadium.
People arriving via the Pie-IX metro station will be invited to make their way outside and across the Esplanade to enter the stadium more quickly. The Rotunda will also be open and accessible to supporters after they have been searched. A team of logistics personnel will be deployed all over the Olympic Park site to help guide the public. This will help reduce waiting times: 128 search lanes will be spread over five control points on the Esplanade and in front of Jackie‑Robinson Place at 4545 Avenue Pierre‑De Coubertin. Fans who wish to pick up or buy tickets may do so via the entrance at the corner of Pierre-De Coubertin and Letourneux Avenues.
Doors open at 5pm
As always, the Montreal Impact encourages supporters to use public transit and to get to the stadium for this 2017 home opener, the climax of a full week of activities – and also to wear blue, of course!
How to enter the stadium for the March 11 game
For transit users: Metro stations Pie-IX and Viau serve the Olympic Stadium. As soon as you arrive at the Pie-IX metro station, you will be directed outside, where greeters will guide you to the Esplanade, accessible to pedestrians by means of four entry points: via Boulevard Pie-IX, and via ramps facing Desjardins, Letourneux and Bennett Avenues. Four search points will be set up on the Esplanade and an additional one at 4545 Avenue Pierre‑De Coubertin.
For motorists: All parking lots at the Olympic Park will be operational. Motorists are invited to use the P1 and P2 parking lots on Avenue Pierre‑De Coubertin, the P3 parking lot on Boulevard Pie‑IX and the P4 parking lot on Sherbrooke Street. Searches will be conducted prior to entering the Rotunda.
Please note that the MLS Bag Policy will be in effect. The Olympic Park does not offer a baggage check service, and entry into the stadium is final. Re-entry is not possible once the ticket holder has been admitted, as per the security protocols of North America’s large stadiums.
On Wednesday, March 8, the Montreal Impact Foundation will hold its annual “C’est mieux en bleu” evening to raise funds for children from underprivileged areas and their families. This year, the event will take place at the William Gray Hotel with the Bleu-blanc-noir players and technical staff. For more information and to attend the event, please visit fondation.impactmontreal.com.
Then, on Thursday, March 9, the Impact invites its supporters to a public training session, at Olympic Stadium, from 6pm, which will be followed by a celebrity game. This event will be accessible to everyone for free.
The Montreal Impact Soccer Schools (SoSc), presented by Nutrilait, are offering a special morning to young soccer players on March 11, with their traditional “Bleu-blanc-noir experience at Olympic Stadium”. Offered since 2012, this training session has allowed over 1,000 young soccer players to live an unforgettable and immersive experience by playing on the same surface as the IMFC professional first-team players, only a few hours before the MLS game. While this particular event is sold out, a variety of SoSc programs remain available at ecoles.impactmontreal.com.
After this, from 2pm to 5pm, the new U8 festival will be played at Olympic Stadium by teams coming from everywhere in Quebec. These young players will too get the chance to play on the same field as their idols in Bleu-blanc-noir, only a couple of hours before them.
Last but certainly not least, at 7pm, the Montreal Impact will host the Seattle Sounders FC. Excellent tickets are still available on impactmontreal.com or at 1-866-908-9090.
OPENING WEEK 2017
Wednesday, March 8
7pm: Montreal Impact Foundation “C’est mieux en bleu” event
Thursday, March 9
6pm: Public training session
7:30pm: Celebrity game
Saturday, March 11
10am: Bleu-blanc-noir experience at Olympic Stadium with the Soccer Schools
2pm: U8 festival
7pm: Montreal Impact v Seattle Sounders FC game
