The MLS team needs a new facility.
Vancouver, British Columbia political leaders have decided to go after a Major League Baseball expansion franchise. There is no stadium plan, there is no funding plan and no one has stepped forward from the business community with a few billion dollars either in American or Canadian money to led the effort to woo MLB owners and convince them that western Canada is a good spot to place a team. Vancouver does have major league sports, the National Hockey League’s Canucks franchise, the Canadian Football League’s B. C. Lions franchise, a Professional Women’s Hockey League team along with a number of junior hockey league franchises located within the market. There is also a Major League Soccer franchise, the Whitecaps, and that business may be leaving town because of a bad stadium lease and no prospect to build a small soccer stadium in the city.
The Whitecaps’ ownership claims it is missing out on revenues from the sale of food and beverages at the Vancouver venue. There are also days that are unavailable to the team because of other activities in the building. In 2024, an MLS playoff game that was scheduled in the venue could not be played because of a conflict. “There are interested parties that would like to buy the Whitecaps,” said Vancouver mayor Ken Sim who would like to see an agreement worked out whereby Whitecaps’ ownership could built a stadium in the city. “There are interested parties who want to take the Whitecaps out of the city of Vancouver if we do not create an environment, or if there’s no opportunity to have your own stadium.” Meanwhile, the 42-year-old existing venue has undergone another renovation as it will host seven FIFA Men’s World Cup games. The question in Vancouver is phantom MLB franchise more important than an existing MLS franchise.
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