MLS commissioner gives ominous update about Whitecaps' future in Vancouver during FIFA World Cup
BC Place is currently taking centre stage for the globe to see during the FIFA World Cup.
But will they see the Vancouver Whitecaps as tenants beyond this season?
The Whitecaps relocation drama has taken a slight backseat in the market as World Cup pandemonium has taken over Vancouver. However, that hasn’t stopped two powerful figures in the sport from talking about it.
Earlier this week, MLS Commissioner Don Garber commented on the ongoing relocation talks.
While Garber did let some optimism seep from his words, much of what he said was rather ominous.
“I’m a little more hopeful,” Garber told reporters in Seattle, as per AFTN.
“I think [the Whitecaps] want to find a solution. I think the politicians there need to have the political will. This requires somebody that’s going to step up and say, ‘I’m going to do this.’”
Garber then pointed to the Columbus situation as a blueprint of what needs to happen in Vancouver.
“That’s what happened in Columbus. The club, the mayor, the economic development folks, and even with a strong hand, the Governor. They all said we want to keep the Crew. And then we did our job.
“We found an owner, we put in capital, and that team just raised money of $900 million. That team wasn’t sustainable, so we could solve every problem if we have willing partners.”
The Whitecaps relocation debacle has extended beyond the timeline of what happened in Columbus. In October 2017, Crew owner Anthony Precourt threatened to explore relocation to Austin, Texas, if a new stadium deal wasn’t reached.
A year later, the Haslam Group emerged as a buyer. They purchased the team in December, 2018, about 14 months after the initial relocation threats.
Vancouver’s ownership group has had the team for sale since December 2024. Although some buyers have reportedly been interested, this saga has now dragged on for a year and a half.
“Time is an enemy to any deal,” Garber said. “We haven’t put a line in the sand and said it has to get done the day after tomorrow. But the longer it waits, like any deal, people just get distracted, they lose interest, or people move on.”
The MLS commissioner also had nice things to say about the prospective ownership group in Vegas.
“We have a great, passionate, well-heeled owner that has an option on an unbelievably attractive piece of land,” Garber told reporters. “He represents a young, new era of MLS team ownership. I’d like to see us be able to make a deal, get a deal done there, and we’ve got a lot of work to do to try and figure out how to do that, but the pieces are in place in Las Vegas.”
Despite the bleak comments from Garber, FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani struck a much different tone.
“[The Whitecaps] are not going anywhere,” Vancouver native Montagliani said on Sekeres and Price. “I’ll do everything I can to help in that process.
“It would be a crime [if they left].”
Having one of the most powerful people in soccer advocate for Vancouver is clearly a benefit, and Montagliani mentioned he’s seen some positive progress over the last couple of months.
“I’ve had enough meetings over the last couple of months… because it means so much to me and it means so much to a lot of people that I care about.”
“I’m very positive that we’ll get this done.”