Montreal opens on road, TFC heads to Vancouver for First Kick By Steven Sandor Posted on December 18, 2012 Comments Off on Montreal opens on road, TFC heads to Vancouver for First Kick 0 667 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter The Montreal Impact will have to brave the elements when it opens the 2013 MLS season in Seattle, while Toronto FC will likely be indoors for both its road and home openers. MLS released the First Kick 2013 schedule in Tuesday — which shows off the home openers for all 19 teams in the league. To make room for World Cup qualifying dates and a reduced schedule during this summer’s Gold Cup, the league is kicking off the 2013 season with three weeks (officially) still left in winter. Montreal, which has the option of playing indoors at Olympic Stadium, will kick off on the road. The Impact travels to Seattle for a March 2 opener. On March 2, 2012, Seattle experienced a high of 7 C and a low of 3 C. Toronto FC will begin the season March 2 against the Whitecaps at BC Place, a tidy match-up between two Canadian clubs which is sure to make TSN happy. But this is where it gets interesting. According to the information provided by MLS, the venue for Toronto FC’s March 9 home opener is “to be decided.” But according to the MLS schedule posted in French on the Montreal Impact website, the venue is confirmed as Rogers Centre. The First Kick schedule as it appears on the Impact’s website. Rogers Centre is confirmed as TFC home-opener venue. This would fit with hints dropped by new TFC president Kevin Payne that the team would be moving indoors for the start of the season. Sporting Kansas City will be the opposition. Montreal then opens at home March 16 at Olympic Stadium against Toronto FC. So, even though Montreal can play indoors in a climate-controlled environment, the team starts on the road and doesn’t play at home until week three of the MLS season. The other interesting scheduling decision? Philadelphia will open at home on March 2, outdoors.
