Could the Vancouver Whitecaps actually buy BC Place? | Daily Hive

Bob Frid/Vancouver Whitecaps FC

The Vancouver Whitecaps just got a little cash boost.

However, it won’t be enough to get a recently floated proposal across the finish line.

On Thursday, the Whitecaps sold their 2025 team MVP, Sebastian Berhalter, to Middlesbrough FC in England’s Championship League. By doing so, they reportedly netted US$2 million.

While they got richer in the process, US$2 million won’t move the needle for this suggested idea to solve their financial woes.

B.C. MLA Ravi Kahlon spoke to Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston earlier this week, where the minister dropped another idea for the Whitecaps staying in Vancouver.

“Maybe lease, maybe purchase,” Kahlon told Johnston when asked about discussions regarding the Whitecaps and their future at BC Place.

Last week, a report surfaced that the Whitecaps had pitched a plan to take over BC Place operations.

However, buying BC Place is a whole different beast.

So, is this actually feasible for the Whitecaps?

In short, probably not.

According to the last published fiscal report from PavCo, BC Place is worth roughly $300 million in terms of the building, based on the value of the capital asset minus the expenses. The assessed land value was around $70 million as of early 2025. Of course, the actual sale value, if the Whitecaps were to purchase, could differ drastically from those numbers.

Back in 2011, the new retractable roof at BC Place cost over $500 million, something that would likely factor into any sale of the stadium.

Considering the Whitecaps actually lost money last year, it doesn’t seem like they’re in a position to accomplish this, especially without a new owner at the helm.

Axel Schuster and the Whitecaps have been working for months to find a tenable solution at BC Place. (Simon Fearn/Imagn Images)

Owning the stadium would give the Whitecaps more control over dates, and they would collect more revenue. However, the PavCo financial statements from 2025 show that the stadium actually netted just $474,000 in revenue. The fiscal year prior, BC Place actually lost money.

Basically, it could take the Whitecaps a long, long time to reap the benefits of buying the stadium.

Although Kahlon’s idea floated to Postmedia was certainly surprising, buying BC Place doesn’t seem like a feasible solution for the Whitecaps.

However, the idea of them running BC Place operations does have legs.

There’s a blueprint for the Whitecaps to follow with Toronto FC. The MLS club effectively controls the business (through their owners, Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment). That allows the club to have much more control over operations, concessions, event scheduling, and stadium revenue.

The major difference with the Whitecaps, of course, is that PavCo both has ownership and operational control of BC Place.

Taking control of the stadium would also allow the Whitecaps to boost revenue through naming rights, something that could net them an extra few million annually. In 2023, Los Angeles FC secured a 10-year, US$100 million naming rights deal with BMO. Based on the size of Vancouver’s market, a naming rights deal would likely net them less revenue than the monstrosity of revenue that LAFC received. However, it would represent a much-needed cash boost for the club.

With the Whitecaps being one of the poorest teams in MLS, buying BC Place seems like a pipe dream. But giving the Whitecaps more control over the stadium, while flowing some revenues back to PavCo, could be a solution that works for both parties.

You might also like: