(http://www.burnabynow.com/102202/news/102202nn3.html) Can the Whitecaps be saved? By John Knox, Burnaby NOW reporter With the future of their beloved soccer teams very much in jeopardy, over 1,100 people have signed an online petition this week to save the Vancouver Whitecaps and Breakers. Supporters from as far away as England, Northern Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands have joined local efforts to land a new owner for what are generally considered to be two of North America's most prestigious soccer franchises. The men's and women's teams have been a source of countless entertaining evenings at Burnaby's Swangard stadium over the years, but they have been without an owner since Vancouver businessman David Stadnyk walked out on the clubs in May citing huge financial losses. The A-League division of the United Soccer Leagues stepped in to manage the clubs for the remainder of the 2002 season, but they have made it clear it is a favour which will not be repeated next year. Even worse, on Sept. 23 A-League president David Askinas announced that he was giving interim general manager and Canadian soccer legend Bobby Lenarduzzi a 30-day deadline to find owners for the clubs or they will be folded indefinitely. Enter the Swangard faithful... from the press box to the grandstand, from the cozy VIP lounge to the infamous Southside beer garden, fans of all stripes have decided that it's time to do their part and help land Canada's most prolific footy clubs a new owner. "Rather than sitting back and accepting fate in the search for a new owner for the clubs, supporters have taken it upon themselves to demonstrate their loyal following to potential new owners," said Devon Rowcliffe, a spokesman for the Whitecaps and Breakers Supporters Club. "We hope our unbridled level of passion for the clubs will alleviate any potential fears interested ownership groups might have about the financial investment necessary to save the clubs." Last week Rowcliffe started an online petition in the hopes of gathering support for better radio coverage of the Whitecaps matches at home and on the road. But when Askinas imposed the A-League's 30-day ultimatum, the petition's focus evolved into a "Save the Caps and Breakers" campaign, and it's gathered significant momentum in just a few days. In addition to the fans and international supporters, it has also been signed by Caps assistant coach Domenic Mobilio, who remains the all time leading goal-scorer with the Vancouver 86ers, the predecessor to the current club. Caps midfielder and Burnaby native Steve Kindel's name also appears on the petition, as doe the names of several players - past and present - from throughout the A-League division. This week Lenarduzzi told the media that he is in talks with one individual and two different groups who have expressed some interest in purchasing the clubs. A confidentiality agreement prohibits him from saying who these talks have been with, Lenarduzzi said, and he added it may still be two weeks before he knows if any of the parties will be opening their chequebooks. "We are encouraged by talks Mr. Lenarduzzi has had to secure a new owner, in light of the fact that at least three anonymous parties have already expressed interest," said supporters club president Claudio Arato. "Additionally, USL chief operating officer Dave Askinas' comment during his recent trip to Vancouver that the Whitecaps are 'one of the jewels of the league' has further instilled confidence among the Vancouver faithful." Should the clubs fold, the impact would be felt not just by soccer fans, but by Burnaby taxpayers as well. "They are Swangard stadium's biggest tenants, so to lose them would be unfortunate," said Burnaby finance director Rick Earle in an interview earlier this year. "When you add up the revenues coming to the city from the stadium, they make up just about half of what's coming in." Last year the city collected $49,583 from club owner David Stadnyk's StarSport Entertainment in stadium rental fees. The fees covered 13 regular season games for the Caps, and seven for the Breakers. Also included in the price are a handful of exhibition and playoff games for both clubs, Earle said, adding that the city also earned $64,824 in concession sales profits at the games last year. Those funds help reduce the taxpayer's share of the stadium's maintenance costs, Earle said. "It's not a tremendous amount of money, but it is significant in terms of what that Stadium generates," Earle said, explaining that txpayers would likely have to pick up the slack unless another tenant was found. "I don't imagine there's a long waiting list to use Swangard, so it's hard to say what will happen in the near future." Arato said the petition will be delivered to Lenarduzzi in the coming weeks as a means of showing potential buyers just how passionate BC fans are about Canada's number one men's and women's soccer clubs. "The petition is the first step, ultimately to be used towards an awareness and ticket buying campaign," Arato said. "But more than anything, it has to be positive. The new ownership will have to be directed and focussed and our efforts will only help keep the message on point." To sign the "Save the Whitecaps and Breakers" petition please visit www.petitiononline.com/whitecap