The roots of the Montreal Roses are slowly anchoring themselves in the soil of the metropolitan region. Their home base, at the Bois-de-Boulogne sports center in Laval, is under construction. And three Montreal arenas are being studied so that they can play their home games there under shared custody.
Published at 8:00 a.m.
“To be quite honest, there are four places in Montreal where we can play,” indicates the club’s president, Annie Larouche, in an interview with The Press. We are sitting in the stands of one of the synthetic fields at the Laval training center, around noon on Wednesday.
Sitting down for this fifteen-minute interview, right leg under left thigh, Larouche points out how odors, like the one emanating from the playing surface in front of us, can bring back certain memories. And certain desires. “It makes you want to jump on the field! “, says the woman who led the Alouettes cheerleading team for 25 years.
We list the Montreal stadiums for her who, until then, has been careful not to comment too openly on the issue in the media. There is obviously the Saputo stadium. The CEPSUM of the University of Montreal. The Claude-Robillard center. And Percival-Molson Stadium at McGill University.
“We spoke with everyone,” confirms the president of the Roses. McGill will not be an option. But the other three, we are still in discussions. »
Each venue has its qualities and its challenges for the new professional women’s soccer team, which will kick its first balls next April, that is to say in five months. There is the question of the schedules and calendars of the current occupants, such as CF Montreal at the Saputo stadium as well as the Carabins teams at CEPSUM. We also know that the Claude-Robillard center field is not in the best condition.
The Roses will have 12 matches to play in Montreal. Maybe one more if they advance to a semi-final match at home.
“We have a great Excel spreadsheet! says Annie Larouche laughing to explain the complexity of the thing. Even in Saputo, are we going with a 19,000-seat stadium or can we go with a smaller configuration? […] It’s about seeing what can be offered to us, what is possible, what becomes the best option for us. »
It has to be quality for our players. But it has to be an extraordinary experience for our fans, no matter where we play.
Annie Larouche, president of the Montreal Roses
They think about “everything, everything, everything, everything!” », assures Larouche. An example? We ask him if they have considered the possibility of offering a double program in the CF Montreal stadium, with a Roses match in the afternoon and a CFM meeting in the evening. By his response, we understand that they have obviously already thought about it.
“It becomes a question of maintaining the land, which is natural. Do we have the same broadcasters? Do we have the same suppliers, whether for food concessions or production? Do we have the same partners? Do we have time to do the disassembly and assembly? [de l’affichage] between the two matches? There are so many things to consider. »
Note that the Super League of the North (SLN) matches will be broadcast on RDS, TSN, - and CBC starting next April.
“It’s their turn”
This interview was also an opportunity to The Press to go see the state of play in Bois-de-Boulogne, where the Roses have promised to offer their representatives a “world-class” environment to train and, essentially, live as a group. “So that they just have to concentrate on their game, and we will take care of the rest,” submits Larouche.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
“The work is progressing well,” says Annie Larouche.
At lunchtime during which we briefly enter the premises, a few workers are working there. Some walls have been erected, but we are far from the finished product, the site is still complete. We are talking about a 10,000 square foot area, which will include a gymnasium, living spaces, a locker room, and offices.
“The work is progressing well here. We are on schedule. It’s exciting, it’s becoming our home,” says the president.
The SLN also made sure to establish certain contractual bases for its players. The minimum salary will be $50,000. There will be no exchange without their approval. They will have access to mental health support services and benefits in the areas of “maternity and fertility”, even aiming to “exceed FIFA standards”.
“That’s the very reason why we do this,” said Larouche when it was mentioned to him. We want to allow girls and women to practice their sport professionally. Without having to say: “I won’t be able to have children, because otherwise, my career is over”.
“We are the third largest pool of players in the world and we didn’t have a league here. It’s time to bring this home and take care of women, give them the opportunity to shine. It’s their turn. »
