Vancouver Expansion Thread - News, articles, discussion

I'll try, even though I agree that it looks like MLS in Vancouver is going to happen. At the very least, Kerfoot/Lenarduzzi are hedging their stadium bets and securing an MLS (over)sized venue until their new stadium eventually gets built.

USL Whitecaps playing in BC Place does not mean the Whitecaps will die. Granted, even playing in a half empty venue sucks, much less a 90% empty BC Place. But we're talking about around 18 dates a year, for 5 years at $25,000 per date. $2,250,000 total, probably with a discount for committing to 90 dates in advance.

If Kerfoot is willing to spend north of $100 million for an MLS franchise and a stadium, I think he'll swallow an extra $2.25 million in expenses if it doesn't all go according to plan. If the 90% empty stadium sucks so bad that everybody stops going to Whitecaps games, Kerfoot could move them back to Swangard and just pay for BC Place to satisfy the lease.

But since the Whitecaps ticket sales at Swangard are limited by the size of the venue, another 1,600 tix at $15 a ticket will pay for the costs of BC Place. The old NASL Whitecaps drew 15,000 to BC Place in 1984 when the handwriting was on the wall for the NASL and BC Place had less "new car smell". Kerfoot probably expects 20,000+ in BC Place for MLS Whitecaps. And in 2011, BC Place will have the new retractable roof and a dose of new car smell. I think 7,000 in BC Place for the USL Whitecaps is reasonable. It'll suck, but it'll work.

 

I'm not sure I understand. Is your only confirmation the fact that key decision makers will be in Toronto at the allstar game? Of course they probably would be there if there were to be an announcement, but also if they were still courting MLS. For example, Merritt Paulson sat with Garber in the booth during last year's allstar game.

I just hope you have more than evidence of their presence in Toronto during the game if you are going to use ALL CAPS for "confirmed".

 

OK, Kerfoot, Lenarduzzi & Steve Nash being there make sense... but why is BC Premier Gordon Campbell going? (FYI premier = governor)

Someone raised the question as to whether Campbell may just be in Toronto to drum up support for Vancouver 2010 Olympics... but Campbell has done no such lobbying in other parts of Canada to date. Even if this was his reason for attending, it seems odd that he's going at the same time as the MLS All Star weekend, of all things.

Either the expansion announcement is going forward... or Campbell is there to give MLS a commitment that the Whitecaps have the backing of the provincial government to facilitate stadium construction somewhere. Both are great news for Vancouver, but I think this is the biggie. There is no reason for Campbell to be there otherwise.

 

It's not at all a far stretch to imagine he is going there for something MLS related. But as you mention there is other MLS business he might be attending to besides an announcement.

I hope Shelts can come on here with something more to back up his 'confirmation'. Otherwise we'll just have to wait two more weeks for anything definite. That's also when Portland seems to be planning some announcement so it should be an interesting week.

 

Why not just ignore people that do this.

With USL Tampa Bay club bringing back the Rowdies, one day that former NASL name might carry over to MLS. But you're right, it is interesting all other current and potential markets for MLS with NASL names are in the northwest.

 

And then, there are those who don't get how people could sit through 90 minutes of soccer. I can do both. I'm happy.

 

I always thought team names of the NASL were most relevant and creative. I especially liked the NY Cosmos, Chicago Sting, TB Rowdies, LA Aztex, California Surf etc... I'm ok with TFC or even NYFC but what's with "Real" Salt Lake. That is hokey. It would be cool to see more NASL teams resurface as it adds heritage and familiarity.

 

How do you feel about Vancouver Whitecaps?

- Paul

 

It's cool to see two NASL teams like Sounders and Whitecaps in MLS. What is a bit unique about Vancouver is that its president Lenarduzi played his entire pro career (midfielder) for Whitecaps. Just like other sport leagues, I hope more former NASL players get involved with MLS...Pele, Chignala, Beckenbaur.

The Vancouver Whitecaps is synomous with 1979 NASL Soccer Bowl Champs....it would be sacrelidge to even think about name change. I love the name but I wish they'd go back to the original vintage logo.

 

The current logo is kind of an update of the old logo, but it is a little cartoonish. I like the old logo, maybe with some subtle updating.

Old:

Current:

- Paul

 

this is the original.......

 

Incredible how MLS (Logan, Rothenberg) was anti NASL in the nineties

All the beautifull memories, all the well known names, all the etc... were not used

 

It is a bit cartooney, but I really like it, the current one. It's kind of a shield like crest but it's not, if you get me. I don't know, I hope it stays. I hope it's Vancouver next. Figuring out your MLS crest and name a la Seattle would be a great problem to have.

 

I just hope MLS doesn't try to make them change the name to Vancouver Lozenges FC, or some other stupid crap (Alliance, Republic, etc.,).

 

Well, there were some rights issues with a lot of those things you're talking about. Plus, they wanted a fresh start. Can you blame them for avoiding references to a league that failed only a dozen years prior?

 

On one hand you are totally right of course,

On the other hand it would have been traditional names in MLS (with salary cap system) and not in NASL 2

 

Vancouver is in the southwest of Canada, though, right?

 

I hope that MLS doesn't make the new teams require their front offices to be Buddhists.

There, are we done ascribing motives to the league that don't actually exist....?

 

Wrong. It is in the northern part of the Republic of Cascadia.

 

I was making a comparison with what happened with Seattle, where Sounders wasn't a choice until the people stood up.