Is Vancouver moving to Las Vegas

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by superdave, Apr 30, 2026.

  1. Rahbiefowlah

    Rahbiefowlah Member+

    Oct 22, 2001
    Las Vegas
    You couldn’t get odds on that bet here in the desert because it’s so obvious.
     
  2. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
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  3. wantmlsphilly

    wantmlsphilly Member+

    Aug 2, 2006
    Philadelphia, Pa.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Although quite entertaining, the For Sale Derby didn't deliver a winner last night.
     
  4. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    The Quakes are spent from playing too many games in a short amount of time.

    Their bench isn't that strong but getting a draw was good for them.
     
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  5. wantmlsphilly

    wantmlsphilly Member+

    Aug 2, 2006
    Philadelphia, Pa.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Pollymarket has it 46% going to Las Vegas right now.
     
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  6. Rahbiefowlah

    Rahbiefowlah Member+

    Oct 22, 2001
    Las Vegas
    Never heard of it. Must be how Canadians are forced to make legal bets.
     
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  7. AZUL GALAXY

    AZUL GALAXY Member+

    Aug 28, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    CDSC Cruz Azul
    It would not work, I will use the example of my Cruz Azul, when they play at Puebla city against Puebla once a year there are more Cruz Azul fans than Puebla fans why, because all the Azul fans from Puebla city and state travel to support the team is like the circus not often, but when they move their home games there the novelty wears of and you see the results the same thing would be applied if they move to LA, let’s say to the Rosebowl, against the popular teams like Chivas or America they would average like 50k but against not popular Liga MX teams probably like 5k.
     
  8. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
    I was going to point out that some recent court decisions in the US and Europe have weakened the power of governing bodies. But YMMV in Canada, I don't know their laws.

    I think it would be more accurate to say here that if the CSA objected, FIFA would back them. I'm not sure if they would or would not, though. FIFA's position on this matter is really more to leave it to the domestic FAs. It is possible that CSA would conclude that MLS coming back in would really kill some real growth potential in the CPL. But I kinda doubt it?

    You've got this wrong, this is a point against your case. USSF tried to prevent those clubs from playing here, and FIFA backed them. USSF was then sued and settled (basically lost on this point). This is a case of clubs beating the regulatory body, one of the cases I just referred to. It isn't about look-down-the-nose judgements about what league is worthy enough of deference.

    Right, this is also a point against the idea that the governing bodies are really doing the governing. it is not at all in CONCACAF's interest to cede international play to Leagues Cup, but they did it because the clubs involved have a chunk of the power. So instead, they defensively reformed the CCL to make sure it emphasized what they wanted to a greater degree, much like the UEFA Champions League did, also defensively.

    All of these things are behind the scenes negotiations between clubs and regulatory bodies where the clubs have at least equal power, if not a little more.
     
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  9. sportie1

    sportie1 Member+

    Sep 4, 2008
    a new BC Place Stadium deal could dramatically change the bottom line and make the Caps profitable - it would have to be the Whitecap ownership (present and new) would manage the Stadium, at least for the next 5 years

    Don Garber isnt wasting his time coming to Vancouver this week to meet the BC Government leaders/Whitecap organization/maybe even new investors unless something concrete is a distinct possibility

    and we need to remember that MLS owns 51% of the Whitecaps franchise so they will be involved in the sale to new investors and whatever stadium deal transpires

    i am expecting positive progress- how much us supporters get to know is unknown- deals like this happen behind the scenes of the media and supporters- the devil will be in the details

    and MLS would make expansion money by awarding LV a new franchise that will cost well over $500 mill, so why would they support a franchise move?? that pragmatic solution is what happened in Columbus

    THE WHITECAPS WILL STAY IN VANCOUVER
     
  10. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
    Yeah, at no point yet did I think the Caps were over 50% to move. A better deal to stay was always the intended result. This was all meant to stir the government officials to action, and it was only if they really, truly wouldn't move that there's real trouble.
     
  11. STR1

    STR1 Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    May 29, 2010
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Try a new team. Liga MX is already putting up franchises for sale ala MLS. Sell a Liga MX franchise in the US just like MLS did in Canada. One in LA and another in Houston or San Antonio or Phoenix. They'll be the most profitable teams in Liga MX. More if they start winning and gain fans like Tigres did once CEMEX took over and invested millions of dls into an irrelevant team and now made them one of the best teams in the Americas.

    But....we know that that doesn't work that way. Liga MX can't have teams in US because US already has a D1 league. Just like MLS can't start adding more Canadian teams or go back into Canada "if" they leave any of the current MLS teams because Canada now has CPL.
     
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  12. Rahbiefowlah

    Rahbiefowlah Member+

    Oct 22, 2001
    Las Vegas
    If they do move this is good optics from the league and Garber to show up and hear it out.



    Vancouver people, in what ways is the following summation inaccurate?

    There needs to be 3 things that happen in Vancouver for the Whitecaps to stay.


    -Build a new stadium

    -Agree to a maneageable deal at BC Place until new stadium is built

    -Find new ownership group willing to purchase and see the first two things through with help from the League and Provincial Government.
     
  13. song219

    song219 BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 5, 2004
    La Norte
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Vanuatu
    I'm guessing that the BC Lions are still the primary tenants at BC Place. Why should the provincial government rollover for the Whitecaps?
     
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  14. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Yes it could but this would represent a direct subsidy from the BC government to the Whitecaps. How is that fair to the BC Lions who have a higher average attendance than the Whitecaps? Is it realistic to make such a deal with the Caps and not the Lions?

    You're asking the Province to deny itself from revenues to help billionaires who never contributed a dime to BC Place capital projects and renovations - that a massive ask. At least Toronto FC financed the work on BMO Field.

    The Province will find ways to help but not to the point of giving the Caps whatever they want

    Maybe but from a PR perspective, the league is incentivize to not being seen as a bigger antagonist than it already is. If the Caps can't stay, they'd still want BC fans to support Seattle or Portland south of the border.

    The league is unlikely to allow the club to sell at a lower price than the latest expansion fee - this is the biggest roadblock for keeping the club in Vancouver since the numbers doesn't add up for a local investor.

    People wants Ryan Reynolds to save the club but it makes more sense to buy an English Club and invest to get it promoted than overpay to keep the Caps in Vancouver.Hell, it makes more sense for Reynolds to expand into CPL and buy the Whitecaps IP from MLS.

    The province doesn't mind to help - but I can totally understand the reticence to help if the owners already made up their minds to sell. The Caps aren't doing a very good PR job and you could see the minister's annoyance when he said that he wish they'd just be honest with their intention.

    We'll see
     
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  15. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    The USSF would never accept new Liga MX clubs in its 3 biggest markets when MLS exists. I find it comical that some assume that the CSA would act any differently than the USSF...just because...
     
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  16. wantmlsphilly

    wantmlsphilly Member+

    Aug 2, 2006
    Philadelphia, Pa.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm not too sure about this. What fan of a team who moves to another city city would support their biggest rival? If Vancouver moves on I would think most fans would move onto European teams or CPL teams. Some would follow the team the Caps become but after time that would fade.
     
  17. wantmlsphilly

    wantmlsphilly Member+

    Aug 2, 2006
    Philadelphia, Pa.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree and I would think more American fans would be upset if an expansion team in Canada was picked over a US city.
     
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  18. JasonMa

    JasonMa Member+

    Mar 20, 2000
    Arvada, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There have been times over the last couple of weeks where I feel like the odds have moved to about 60/40 in favor of moving, but never higher than that. And they've also slid the other way to 60/40 (or better) on staying. Right now I'd put it at more likely to stay than go but that's no guarantee yet.
     
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  19. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    #169 Robert Borden, May 11, 2026
    Last edited: May 11, 2026
    I agree but always found MLS not reading the Canadian market all that well/ They assumed that Canada would "behave" like it does with the other top 4 leagues where there's a national following despite having limited clubs

    Problem with this is simple
    • NHL is the best hockey league in the world and our national sport
    • NBA is the best basketball league in the world
    • MLB is the best baseball league in the world
    • NFL is the best football league in the world and not overlapping with CFL
    MLS is not the best league in the world nor in this region - its following is considered niche. Over 2/3 of Canadians live outside the 3 metro areas thus limited to no engagement with the league. This was a case where you needed more clubs in Canada to make it stick and somewhat match the other league. For me, that was the miscalculation - assuming that with different context, we'd behave the same as the other top 4
     
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  20. Rahbiefowlah

    Rahbiefowlah Member+

    Oct 22, 2001
    Las Vegas

    Siding for the government against billionaires isn’t exactly a proven way to keep a team
    In town.
     
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  21. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Helping struggling people matters more than rescuing billionaires' failed business model
     
  22. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    Raleigh NC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If the price was right, I’ll bet the USSF would agree. It’s just that because of the financial clout of MLS, it’s impossible to imagine Liga MX being able to afford what the USSF would want. Especially because any city LMX might want to expand into already has a team, or 2, so America isn’t going to benefit from expanded player development.

    In relation to MLS and the CSA, the math is different by at least an order of magnitude. So, in contrast to your hypothetical, it IS possible to imagine a phoenix Whitecaps being able to afford the CSA ask. The CSA is going to get better player development from an MLS Whitecaps than a CPL Whitecaps.

    I’m not saying this will happen or anything, just pointing out why the analogy fails.
     
  23. Rahbiefowlah

    Rahbiefowlah Member+

    Oct 22, 2001
    Las Vegas
    Absolutely. Sociologically I agree with you.

    On behalf of a depraved Las Vegas, I will accept your team’s relocation from the bottom of my soulless wallet.
     
  24. wantmlsphilly

    wantmlsphilly Member+

    Aug 2, 2006
    Philadelphia, Pa.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yea, I don't understand the point you are trying to make here. The reason most neutral fans follow another league/team is because of players/ team success. I don't even believe MLS thinks they capture every soccer fan in the US. Canada. I don't believe the Canadian market is the main goal for MLS but becoming a league of choice in the world and that's the long game.
     
  25. wantmlsphilly

    wantmlsphilly Member+

    Aug 2, 2006
    Philadelphia, Pa.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's funny. Where does that happen?
     

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