Vancouver Whitecaps preparing for big BC Place playoff crowd
The Vancouver Whitecaps are getting playoff-ready.
Fresh off their most successful regular season ever, expectations are high for the ‘Caps as they head into the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Vancouver finished atop the table in the MLS Western Conference this season with a 19-8-7 record. They’ll get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, unless they face Nashville in the MLS Cup Final.
Citing “strong demand,” the Whitecaps announced that they’ve opened the upper bowl for their first playoff match on Sunday, Nov. 22.
The Whitecaps hosted two playoff matches last year, drawing 32,066 fans in the first round against FC Dallas and 53,957 in the second round against LAFC.
Attendance is up for the Whitecaps this year, as they drew 25,226 fans per game for MLS regular season matches.
Vancouver will face the winner of the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake, with the wild-card play-in taking place three days earlier on Nov. 19. It’s a best-of-three series, with Game 2 scheduled as an away match on Nov. 27. Game 3, if necessary, will be played at BC Place on Dec. 2. All matches in the first round will be settled by penalties if the score is tied after 90 minutes.
The rest of the MLS Cup Playoffs is single-game elimination.
A giant scarf has been put up outside BC Place. (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
The Whitecaps unveiled their “Own the Summit” slogan this week, along with a giant scarf that now hangs off BC Place. The 40-metre-long scarf was installed on Monday and faces Terry Fox Plaza.
The ‘Caps also announced plans for a “take a free scarf” billboard coming to Arbutus Greenway at 12th Avenue and Arbutus Street. Ten scarves will be available at a time on a first-come, first-served basis, with the billboard being periodically restocked through the playoffs.