Vancouver Whitecaps pitch plan to take over BC Place operations: report
Will they stay, or will they go?
That’s a question we’ve been asking ever since the Vancouver Whitecaps were first put up for sale 19 months ago. We’re still not sure of the answer.
The Las Vegas threat seems as real as ever. I speak to some people who believe the team is as good as gone. Then you hear guys like Victor Montagliani, the East Vancouver native and FIFA vice president, who told Sekeres and Price recently: “They’re not going anywhere.”
"They're not going anywhere.
-Victor Montagliani, FIFA vice president.@mattsekeres | @justBlakePrice | @WhitecapsFC
Presented by @MovemberCA pic.twitter.com/j7O98RFaMr
— Sekeres and Price (@sekeresandprice) June 20, 2026
It’s hard to know what to believe.
What we do know is, they are talking. Discussions are ongoing between the Whitecaps, PavCo, and multiple levels of government, Daily Hive can confirm.
The Whitecaps are looking to increase match-day revenues, which currently rank near the bottom of Major League Soccer, despite excellent attendance figures. Over 30,000 seats have already been sold for the Whitecaps’ return to BC Place on Aug. 1, for instance.
Fan support isn’t the problem.
One idea that has been kicked around for months is the possibility of the Whitecaps taking over control of BC Place. They wouldn’t own the stadium, but they could control it in an effort to become more profitable. It’s a model used by some other pro sports franchises in North America, including Toronto FC.
AFTN’s Michael McColl, a longtime Whitecaps reporter, dropped a nugget of information regarding this topic on his most recent podcast. His report, which has since been confirmed by Patrick Johnston of Postmedia, states that the Whitecaps have submitted an offer to PavCo.
“My understanding is that on Friday, the Whitecaps submitted an offer to PavCo in concerning the running of BC Place,” said McColl. “They’ll take on the running of the stadium and PavCo will get a share of the revenue. The Whitecaps will control the dates.”
Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images
MLS Commissioner Don Garber spoke about some of the ways the Whitecaps could increase revenues at BC Place during a visit to Vancouver last November. When speaking with reporters, he wondered aloud why the naming rights to BC Place were never sold to a sponsor.
“We’ll take that over in a heartbeat. We’re good at that,” he said. “We’ll take over the commercial operations and sell sponsorships if we’re given the opportunity. I think the club would be great at that.”