[djmk]

Ummm... no. Lenarduzzi was probably referring to the unbuilt soccer stadium. The Lions will continue to play at BC Place. So BC Place remains multi-purpose.

yes i realize that. but that is what he said about BC Place. He sounded excited about the renos

[Overground]

It's now on the front page at MLS and you can watch the news conference live at 10.15am - http://web.mlsnet.com/index.jsp

Here's the Caps page for live video again - http://www.whitecapsfc.com/announcement/


In regards to the BC Place not being a SSS. With the inner roof creating an intimate setting for 22k people. Lenarduzzi is right, it will become an SSS. The term is for a stadium with the main focus of hosting soccer matches in an intimate setting, but also hosting other sports like lacrosse or grid-iron. Some people have come to think the term means soccer only.

[mr.x]

^ don't forget that fancy new field, with that optic lighting thing amajizz.

[Overground]

Is that the thingamajig that creates the lines on the pitch without using the traditional methods?

Interesting note.....Soccer America was reporting that we will have grass installed instead of fake turf but I think they got their information mixed up. http://www.socceramerica.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=31516

[djmk]

its official. i'm sold

[Nite]

Welcome to MLS Vancouver.

[Distill3d]

i got goosebumps watching that video! Go Whitecaps Go!

[excel]

im pumped! ill be at that franchise opener!

[Locked In]

Nothing new here, but I thought this thread deserved an article confirming the official announcement. Can't wait to catch some games in the sunshine (hopefully) at BC Place!


It's official: Whitecaps joining MLS in 2011

By Ian Walker, Vancouver Sun - March 18, 2009 3:01 PM

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/www.vancouversun.com/soccer+official+whitecaps+joining+2011/1402528/1402788.bin
It's a good news Wednesday for Vancouver Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi, as he talks about the franchise joining Major League Soccer (MLS) for the 2011 season.
Photograph by: Jenelle Schneider, Vancouver Sun

The Vancouver Whitecaps will join Major League Soccer for the 2011 season, it was confirmed today, in what may be the worst-kept secret in Lower Mainland sports circles.

MLS commissioner Don Garber made the announcement at a posh and packed press conference at the Westin Bayshore. Garber praised the team's ownership group for convincing MLS that Vancouver was a viable market for its 17th franchise.

"It's a very passionate soccer market and an ownership group that gets the game," said Garber. "Our goal is to become one of the world's best soccer leagues. The addition of Vancouver will help us get to that point."

Current Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot is heading the Vancouver ownership group. Joining him are NBA star Steve Nash, San Francisco Giants co-owner Jeff Mallett and Boston Celtics co-owner Steve Luczo. The group paid US$35 million for the franchise, down from the $40 million price tag MLS was originally asking, but more than the $30 million the Seattle Sounders paid two years ago. Seattle makes its MLS debut on Thursday in the league's opener agianst the New York Red Bulls at Qwest Field.

Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi cautioned there is a chance the team name could change once it joins MLS, but not if he gets his way.

"The Whitecaps name has a lot of equity," said Lenarduzzi. "There is a lot of things we need to make decisions on. There may be people out there that think it may need to be something other than that."

Vancouver will have the second MLS team in Canada following the successful launch of Toronto FC in 2007. Toronto FC has sold out every home game, capped season tickets at 16,000, and has a season-ticket waiting list of over 14,000.

The Vancouver expansion team will play at a renovated BC Place Stadium., which is set to undergo $365 million worth of improvements, including a retractable roof.

Kerfoot is the owner of Vancouver Whitecaps FC and former CEO of Crystal Decisions Software. Luczo is president, CEO, and chairman of the board for Seagate Technology and part owner of the NBA's Boston Celtics. Mallett is part owner of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants and is the former president and COO of Yahoo! Nash — a guard for the NBAs Phoenix Suns — is a two-time NBA MVP, and along with Mallett, is an investor in women's professional soccer.

iwalker@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun


Source: Vancouver Sun (http://www.vancouversun.com/Sports/Soccer+official+Whitecaps+joining+2011/1402528/story.html)

[Vancity]

I heard that the Whitecaps may change their name when they enter into the league?

Vancouversun (http://www.vancouversun.com/Sports/official+Whitecaps+joining+2011/1402528/story.html)

that would suck. I would rather stick with the Whitecaps...but I would maybe tinker with the logo a bit (make it a bit meaner, aggressive looking), and change the uniforms (but keep it simple).

[Vancity]

that is crazy. toronto has a waiting list of 14,000!! wow. i wonder if the whitecaps when they start can get up to those standards and beyond. that would be totally amazing if we can achieve that type of support. toronto has that 'sea of red' where all the fans are wearing the toronto fc colors. we should have something like that here at bc place - get all the fans to wear all white or blue (or whatever the colors will be when they start play in 2011).

i'm really excited. what a wonderful day for vancouver sports =] NBA - COME BACK! and whatever happened to the NLL? i heard a report a while back ago that dave walters (former boxer) was going to bring back a NLL franchise to vancouver - is that still going on?

here's the article on Dave Walters: Vancouver Province (http://communities.canada.com/theprovince/blogs/quickstick/archive/2008/08/31/former-olympic-boxer-bids-on-backing-pro-boxla.aspx)

[djmk]

I heard that the Whitecaps may change their name when they enter into the league?


i think there will probably be a vote on the new name and its possible that "Whitecaps FC" will not make it. you also have to wonder what the Women's team will be called

the seattle sounders kept their name, toronto changed theirs.

maybe it will be VFC

[Stingray2004]

The Whitecaps name and branding has resulted in too much recognition and goodwill over the years, particularly the glory years from 1978 - 1984, to be dropped.

Remember the 100,000 who showed up downtown after their '79 NASL Championship?

Renaming the team would not be in the team's best interests.

BTW, congratulations Whitecaps!

[hollywoodnorth]

YOUTUBE CLIP >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLNBypM_vKc

GO GORDO GO!

[NetMapel]

If Vancouver Whitecaps are smart, they will not repeat the shameful Grizzlies' mistakes and include the huge Asian population in their marketing campaign. We Asians are crazy for soccer :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpdNL6Sv4tU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEsR7Guk294

Like I said in that NBA Grizzlies thread, the impact to Canucks will be minimal because hockey is still mostly a Caucasian sport than an Asian sport.

[djmk]

If Vancouver Whitecaps are smart, they will not repeat the shameful Grizzlies' mistakes and include the huge Asian population in their marketing campaign. We Asians are crazy for soccer :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpdNL6Sv4tU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEsR7Guk294

Like I said in that NBA Grizzlies thread, the impact to Canucks will be minimal because hockey is still mostly a Caucasian sport than an Asian sport.

you do realize that the majority of Russia is actually inside asia and hockey is quite popular in other asian countries like Kazakhstan. Even Turkey, Mongolia and South Korea has a national teams.

I have no idea what you mean by using terms like "caucasian"

[NetMapel]

you do realize that the majority of Russia is actually inside asia and hockey is quite popular in other asian countries like Kazakhstan. Even Turkey, Mongolia and South Korea has a national teams.

I have no idea what you mean by using terms like "caucasian"
Ok, I will be clearer. When I say Asians, I meant EAST ASIANS like Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese... etc. Also, you're telling me that hockey is bigger than soccer in Asia ? lol

and yes, hockey attracts more CAUCASIANS (as in white people). You don't think most of the hockey fans and players are all Caucasians ? Please don't make my comment sound like some racist statement :P

[Vancity]

If Vancouver Whitecaps are smart, they will not repeat the shameful Grizzlies' mistakes and include the huge Asian population in their marketing campaign. We Asians are crazy for soccer :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpdNL6Sv4tU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEsR7Guk294

Like I said in that NBA Grizzlies thread, the impact to Canucks will be minimal because hockey is still mostly a Caucasian sport than an Asian sport.

It's true. Asians are crazzy for soccer!! i'm sure the whitecaps will be smarter than the grizzlies regime, in reaching out to the asian population. IF the nba ever returns to vancouver, i can see them employing that strategy of reaching and advertising to the large asian (specifically chinese) population here in the lower mainland. lernarduzzi mentioned that season tickets cap at 16,000 approx. i am sure that we can reach that, and more! GO WHITECAPS GOO!!

[Distill3d]

soccer is the most popular sport in the world. you could successfully market it to ANYONE, and that what the Whitecaps should do.

and for the record, why would they want to change their name? the Whitecaps have a strong following and a strong history with the name Whitecaps.

[Locked In]

Ok, I will be clearer. When I say Asians, I meant EAST ASIANS like Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese... etc. Also, you're telling me that hockey is bigger than soccer in Asia ? lol

and yes, hockey attracts more CAUCASIANS (as in white people). You don't think most of the hockey fans and players are all Caucasians ? Please don't make my comment sound like some racist statement :P

What does 'race' have to do with it? Hockey tends to attract people who grow up or live in countries in which hockey is the predominant sport, regardless of whether those people are German, Japanese, Kenyan or Indian (just like soccer tends to attract people where it is the predominant sport - which is almost everywhere).

[twoNeurons]

What does 'race' have to do with it? Hockey tends to attract people who grow up or live in countries in which hockey is the predominant sport, regardless of whether those people are German, Japanese, Kenyan or Indian (just like soccer tends to attract people where it is the predominant sport - which is almost everywhere).

British people like soccer. Lots of Caucasians there.

I think one would have an easier time arguing in favor of climate than anything else. Hockey is more popular in the North, for reasons that should be obvious.

[LeftCoaster]

Regarding the name change, I caught Bob Lenarduzzi on Rock 101 this morning and he clarified the name change. Apparently all the Whitecaps are doing right now is seeing if anyone is interested in changing the name, as this would be the appropriate junction, but he admitted himself that there is almost no chance the name will change.


Like I said in that NBA Grizzlies thread, the impact to Canucks will be minimal because hockey is still mostly a Caucasian sport than an Asian sport.

And soccer isn't a Caucasian sport? When did I miss that one?

[Pinion]

What does 'race' have to do with it? Hockey tends to attract people who grow up or live in countries in which hockey is the predominant sport, regardless of whether those people are German, Japanese, Kenyan or Indian (just like soccer tends to attract people where it is the predominant sport - which is almost everywhere).

Yup, I was watching one of those Hindu religious shows filmed in Vancouver and they were using the Canucks in analogies to answer questions from callers about the religion. It was great.

I grew up in Australia and was a big rugby fan. Then I moved to Canada and became a big hockey fan. If you're a sports fan in general, you're going to gravitate to whatever gets the most coverage where you live.

[djmk]

Ok, I will be clearer. When I say Asians, I meant EAST ASIANS like Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese... etc. Also, you're telling me that hockey is bigger than soccer in Asia ? lol

and yes, hockey attracts more CAUCASIANS (as in white people). You don't think most of the hockey fans and players are all Caucasians ? Please don't make my comment sound like some racist statement :P


you must forgive me. it is just that i hate the word "caucasian". i have no idea what it means because absolutely no person (lets say person from european decent) uses it to describe themselves.

are italian, portuguese, turkish, argentinian, brazialian, spanish caucasians? all great soccer nations. none of them refer to themseles as caucasians.

[Vancity]

I was just wondering about the MLS. It's great, wonderful news that Vancouver got an MLS franchise. I just heard on the TEAM1040, that Portland is getting the 18th franchise. I read somewhere (I forget where - maybe Vancouversun, or Province) that in 2012, that MLS wants to add 2 more teams. That would bring the league to 20 teams. I'm not so certain that the MLS should expand so quickly. If they continue expanding at this rate, wouldn't there be an eventual demise of the MLS? I don't know why the NASL fell apart in 1983, but could the same happen to MLS if they're not careful? That would suck horribly.

[cornholio]

Ok, I will be clearer. When I say Asians, I meant EAST ASIANS like Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese... etc. Also, you're telling me that hockey is bigger than soccer in Asia ? lol

and yes, hockey attracts more CAUCASIANS (as in white people). You don't think most of the hockey fans and players are all Caucasians ? Please don't make my comment sound like some racist statement :P

There is only one country in the world where hockey is the number 1 sport. Thats Canada, and Canada also just happens to be one of the most multicultural countries in the world. Soccer is the number one sport in Europe, the "caucasian" home base, its the number one sport in Czech republic, Sweeden, Russia, Slovakia and Finland, all the countries where hockey is also a important sport(but second tier to Soccer).

[djmk]

I was just wondering about the MLS. It's great, wonderful news that Vancouver got an MLS franchise. I just heard on the TEAM1040, that Portland is getting the 18th franchise. I read somewhere (I forget where - maybe Vancouversun, or Province) that in 2012, that MLS wants to add 2 more teams. That would bring the league to 20 teams. I'm not so certain that the MLS should expand so quickly. If they continue expanding at this rate, wouldn't there be an eventual demise of the MLS? I don't know why the NASL fell apart in 1983, but could the same happen to MLS if they're not careful? That would suck horribly.

this is true.

there are a few things that are very similar to the NASL and MLS. one, both were/are going through periods of expansion, and two, both spent big money on aging non-american stars (pele, beckham)

however, soccer was very new to american audiences in the 1980's. yes, NASL changed this but it was a little too late. i think now there is more acceptance of soccer south of the border after their World Cup, all the Mexicans and now tons of kids playing the sport.

but in the end, i think its management that will make or break this league.

[rather_draconian]

I'm sorry if everyone else knows this, but does the Whitecaps playing in BC Place mean the proposed WhiteCaps stadium on the waterfront is dead?

[jlousa]

Officially they are still pursuing the waterfront stadium...

[LeftCoaster]

Thanks for the ellipses at the end there :rolleyes:

[Rusty Gull]

Unofficially...

...well, they are probably in no rush to move forward. Afterall, they are committed to BC Place until 2015. And they have met brutal resistance from The Port Authority in terms of making a deal for the land.

Let's not kid ourselves. The waterfront stadium, for all intensive purposes, is dead. It will have little support from the province (due to their investment in BCP); it has marginal support from The City (though Robertson seems to be bigger advocate for the stadium than Sammy was), and it has the Nimbies working against in Gastown. Meanwhile, Kerfoot and company have bigger fish to fry. They have to find a way to make their MLS team a success after having forked over $35 million to the league.

[Stingray2004]

From a financial and business perspective, with the BC Place upgrades, the Whitecaps will continue to have their new home at BC Place thereafter.

I strongly doubt that Kerfoot's original waterfront stadium idea has any more traction with both him and the city/port. It's obviously a dead duck.

[Vancity]

:previous: this is true. I think the waterfront stadium, is dead, even though Lenarduzzi continues to say the right things in that they are continuing talks with the Port - what else is he going to say?

If the whitecaps stadium does get built. it will probably be built after 2015, as the above poster stated that the agreement with BC Place is until that time. that's a good 5-10 years down the road. i really am annoyed with the politics of this city. when something good comes along, it almost seems like the city doesn't want the gift that's being given to them for free. is there something with that mentality, or is it just me?

[LeftCoaster]

It's just you, the city had nothing to do with this not going through...

[Distill3d]

CBC has a poll up on whether the Whitecaps should keep their name. so far 84% of those polled have said yes..

here is the link to cast your vote (http://www.cbc.ca/bc/news/yourstory/features/v-090318-whitecaps.html)

[djmk]

:previous:

that link lead me to

"Do you feel safe with Bacons on the loose?"

and i voted for sausage.

Regarding the Waterfront Stadium... I think it will be resurrected. i really think BC Place is a temporary gig

[LeftCoaster]

A stadium will eventually be built, it just probably wont be built on the current site.

[leftside]

And soccer isn't a Caucasian sport? When did I miss that one?

Those small continents, Asia, South America and Africa tend to play a little soccer as well... or football as the rest of the world likes to call it.

[Distill3d]

:previous:

that link lead me to

"Do you feel safe with Bacons on the loose?"

and i voted for sausage.

Regarding the Waterfront Stadium... I think it will be resurrected. i really think BC Place is a temporary gig

heh i guess they updated the link...oops. :haha:

[LeftCoaster]

Those small continents, Asia, South America and Africa tend to play a little soccer as well... or football as the rest of the world likes to call it.

Yes, but your post implied that Caucasians wouldn't leave the ice rink to go watch a soccer game because ice hockey is a Caucasian sport, implying that soccer is not.

FYI South America is primarily a Caucasian continent.

[djmk]

i think all of you need a study in the definition on the word "caucasian"

as it is used today, it means white american.

however, before that it meant "relating to a broad division of humankind covering peoples from Europe, western Asia, and parts of India and North Africa"

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/caucasian?view=uk


but i regress, lets get back on topic.... Whitecaps rule

[LeftCoaster]

So today, as a white Canadian, I am not a Caucasian? Odd.

Caucasian means your genetic make up is traceable back to the area of the Caucasus mountains, and whatever incorrect context it is used in today is inconsequential. I am a Caucasian, an Arab is a Caucasian, a Russian is a Caucasian, A Persian is Caucasian, an Argentinian of Portuguese descent is a Caucasian... I think you get the point. Pretty much if you are not black, Asian or Aboriginal you are of Caucasian descent.

[djmk]

a definition is so broad its meaningless


back to topic, Portland was named the 18th team today. The Pacific Northwest is going to be a soccer heaven!

[vanlaw]

So today, as a white Canadian, I am not a Caucasian? Odd.

Caucasian means your genetic make up is traceable back to the area of the Caucasus mountains, and whatever incorrect context it is used in today is inconsequential. I am a Caucasian, an Arab is a Caucasian, a Russian is a Caucasian, A Persian is Caucasian, an Argentinian of Portuguese descent is a Caucasian... I think you get the point. Pretty much if you are not black, Asian or Aboriginal you are of Caucasian descent.

That pretty much describes it. From an anthropology perspective, the human skeleton falls into three cataegories:

Caucasoid - self explanatory
Negroid - Self explanatory
Mongoloid - this covers what would commonly be referred to as "Asian" and interestingly, North American Aboriginal.

[Pinion]

nm

[Rusty Gull]

i think all of you need a study in the definition on the word "caucasian"

as it is used today, it means white american.

however, before that it meant "relating to a broad division of humankind covering peoples from Europe, western Asia, and parts of India and North Africa"

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/caucasian?view=uk


but i regress, lets get back on topic.... Whitecaps rule

I have never heard anyone use the word caucasian interchangably with "white American."

Left Coaster's description is on the mark.

I'm excited about Portland's admission to the league. It gives Vancouver three natural rivals: Toronto, Seattle, and Portland. The Whitecaps will have a much more forgiving travel schedule than the Canucks, interestingly enough.

[twoNeurons]

you must forgive me. it is just that i hate the word "caucasian". i have no idea what it means because absolutely no person (lets say person from european decent) uses it to describe themselves.

are italian, portuguese, turkish, argentinian, brazialian, spanish caucasians? all great soccer nations. none of them refer to themseles as caucasians.

Well, if you'd prefer, we could go by the older terms: Hamitic, Japhetic, and Semetic. :D

I remember reading that anthropologists feel that you can pretty accurately classify humans origins into 3 classes... with a few that don't seem to fit, like the aboriginals in Australia.

edit: Yeah answered by vanlaw.

And yeah... Whitecaps rule. If they ever changed the name, it would probably just change to Vancouver FC. Soccer tends to do that. I'd like a less comic-looking logo, personally.
I like Toronto's
http://tosportsreport.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/toronto-fc.jpg

[flight_from_kamakura]

^ this is a pretty bad point to interject, but depending on what you mean by caucasian, latin america has very few caucasian people.

[djmk]

I have never heard anyone use the word caucasian interchangably with "white American."

Left Coaster's description is on the mark.

i guess i spent my childhood watching too much COPS. trust me when i say nowhere else but in north american is this term used. i just wiki'd (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucasian_race#Usage_in_the_United_States) it. but nevermind my rant, it's just a word that got underneath my skin.

I'm excited about Portland's admission to the league. It gives Vancouver three natural rivals: Toronto, Seattle, and Portland. The Whitecaps will have a much more forgiving travel schedule than the Canucks, interestingly enough.

i am excited!!!!!!!!!!!! i'm thinking about dropping the $50 to reserve my place in line. however, i kinda want to know how much these season tickets are going to cost

[raggedy13]

I'd like to add that I was at the Canucks game last night and I had this thread in mind at the time. The crowd at the game was as diverse as the streets of the city. Proportionally the crowd was maybe slightly less East Asian and slightly more South Asian, but still lots of East Asians (just probably not ~40% of the arena). Nobody at a Canucks game could claim hockey is a white person's sport, at least not in terms of spectators. Wait another generation and I bet Canadian players of Chinese, Indian, etc descent will be more common as well.

Now let's try to get back on topic. Feel free to continue this discussion in a separate thread though.

Obviously not surprised that Portland won their MLS bid. Will certainly make things more interesting in this part of the continent.

[agrant]

It's now on the front page at MLS and you can watch the news conference live at 10.15am - http://web.mlsnet.com/index.jsp

Here's the Caps page for live video again - http://www.whitecapsfc.com/announcement/


In regards to the BC Place not being a SSS. With the inner roof creating an intimate setting for 22k people. Lenarduzzi is right, it will become an SSS. The term is for a stadium with the main focus of hosting soccer matches in an intimate setting, but also hosting other sports like lacrosse or grid-iron. Some people have come to think the term means soccer only.So it can also become a tractor pull specific stadium, gridiron specific stadium, trade show..., concert... know what I'm sayin? Seems multi-purpose to me. BC Place was designed from the beginning to allow for all kinds of things. Putting a new roof on doesn't change anything. Anyway, call it what you will.

[giallo]

That pretty much describes it. From an anthropology perspective, the human skeleton falls into three cataegories:

Caucasoid - self explanatory
Negroid - Self explanatory
Mongoloid - this covers what would commonly be referred to as "Asian" and interestingly, North American Aboriginal.

You missed the fourth category which are the Australian aboriginals. They are completely different from any other race on the planet in their skeletal make up.

Sorry. OT. Just wanted to add that.

[Stingray2004]

You missed the fourth category which are the Australian aboriginals. They are completely different from any other race on the planet in their skeletal make up.

But more importantly, posters here have forgotten about the fifth category of human species. And from my own UBC Anthropological 101 class, same would be classified as the Aleusus Bundycus... a very distinct species... and the following pic should be self-explanatory:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o7IBO3FsbsY/RzhhMCB3EuI/AAAAAAAAAIw/MxCetDODSE8/s400/Al+BundyLongHair+-+MWC.bmp

Source: An anthropological blogspot



PS. My lineage is German... of the non-"sauerkraut" kind. :D

[Metro-One]

Thats what i find funny, here white people and latinos/other South Americans like to think we are very different from each other, but when you travel to Africa, to the people there, all the people in the Americas are the same; Westerners/Caucasians. But just like culture, with all of the current and historical mixing there really are no "true" races, just broad terms that have very grey edges. In a way (because they have been isolated so long) the aboriginals of Australia are the closest to being a truly separate race, but i am sure they have had lots of mixing now in current history with European/world expansion onto the continent.

[Vancity]

how well is ticket registration coming along for the mls 'caps? i know they opened the doors for sales this morning at 10 am. sell out already? haven't heard any news about it...anyone know how they're doing selling their tickets?

[Innersoul1]

Congrats Van-City!! This is a huge accomplishment for your city and the game of soccer in this country! WELL DONE!

[Denscity]

how well is ticket registration coming along for the mls 'caps? i know they opened the doors for sales this morning at 10 am. sell out already? haven't heard any news about it...anyone know how they're doing selling their tickets?

Global noon news/sports is reporting 3000 out of 5000 deposits have already been taken in as of 12:25pm. Not bad for less than 2.5 hours of sales.

[Denscity]

Congrats Van-City!! This is a huge accomplishment for your city and the game of soccer in this country! WELL DONE!

Thanks dude!

[vansky]

If Vancouver Whitecaps are smart, they will not repeat the shameful Grizzlies' mistakes and include the huge Asian population in their marketing campaign. We Asians are crazy for soccer :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpdNL6Sv4tU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEsR7Guk294

Like I said in that NBA Grizzlies thread, the impact to Canucks will be minimal because hockey is still mostly a Caucasian sport than an Asian sport.

agree, more asians enjoy soccer, but what level is north american soccer, i hope it's worth a watch.

i watched almost every game of the griz, they were hopeless and loserish, eventually i gave up.

[vansky]

If Vancouver Whitecaps are smart, they will not repeat the shameful Grizzlies' mistakes and include the huge Asian population in their marketing campaign. We Asians are crazy for soccer :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpdNL6Sv4tU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEsR7Guk294

Like I said in that NBA Grizzlies thread, the impact to Canucks will be minimal because hockey is still mostly a Caucasian sport than an Asian sport.

agree, more asians enjoy soccer, but what level is north american soccer, i hope it's worth a watch.

i watched almost every game of the griz, they were hopeless and loserish, eventually i gave up.

[Vancity]

Global noon news/sports is reporting 3000 out of 5000 deposits have already been taken in as of 12:25pm. Not bad for less than 2.5 hours of sales.

wow. that's not bad. we'll sell out for sure ;) nice, very nice.

i wonder if the whitecaps will tinker with their uniforms a bit. keep the name, but change the uniforms a little? i like to keep the name "whitecaps", but i also like our logo to be a bit aggressive, a bit more intimidating, a bit more serious looking.

[Vancity]

agree, more asians enjoy soccer, but what level is north american soccer, i hope it's worth a watch.

i watched almost every game of the griz, they were hopeless and loserish, eventually i gave up.

vansky - i know what you mean. i was a huge basketball fan, but ever since watching and appreciating the sport of hockey - well, i've become a fan of both sports. i was sad to see the grizzlies go, always hoping that the incompetent stu jackson would do something to improve the grizz - never happened, obviously, and that's partially why they left. the market for basketball, i personally think, is here in this town. the support would be there. but even toronto could not put up with that type of losing. no fan should (well, maybe except for the clips, they are hopeless). i watch almost every game as well, and cheered for them as long as they were here....maybe one day down down down the road, we'll get another expansion franchise, and a more competent, qualified GM. i hope stu jackson isn't ever hired again by any NBA team. no city, or no team should have to go through such stupid, ridiculous decision making by a GM, such as that of Stu Jackson. his reputation as a GM tarnished forever. good riddance.

on the other hand, i'd welcome the NCAA to town. can't imagine what the atmosphere would be like for march madness. ah, one can only dream.

[vansky]

ha, vancity, you probably had more hopes in the griz than I did. I didn't even care if the team was around or not. I gave up the griz mainly because they were too hopeless. If anyone remembers how hopeless was the canucks when the grizzlies was around,then you know what I mean. I started to watch the nucks after they went to fight the avs during that playoff year. 4-0, but there was so much hope inside this team. I hope they put up a strong team for mls, or else there's no pt to watch for people like me. In terms of marketing, I dont know too much about asian and soccer, one thing is that none of my asian friends watch any soccer, but all of them are more or less into hockey.

A north american soccer league just doesn't sound nvery comfortable to me, it feels like europeans playing basketball ( or even worse, asian countries playing basketball ) hahaha...no offense. but it's a great addition to entertainment in this city. Not only would the asian community be mroe devoted, probably the recent european immigrants will too.

[agrant]

A north american soccer league just doesn't sound nvery comfortable to me, it feels like europeans playing basketball ( or even worse, asian countries playing basketball ) hahaha...no offense. but it's a great addition to entertainment in this city. Not only would the asian community be mroe devoted, probably the recent european immigrants will too.I take it you aren't really in the soccer loop. Well, it should feel very comfortable to enough people to support the team. I agree, it is a great thing for the city. But I don't understand the notion that it's only liked by certain ethnic groups here. I've played the game for 25 years in Vancouver and I know that idea is bs.

[crazyjoeda]

I think the MLS will do really well here. I went to Grizzlies games when I was a kid and we had a team. The Vancouver market will only support a team if it can win at least half the time. Fans turn on the Canucks if they don't win and in the 90's we came close to losing the NHL.

That said I think that MLS will do well in Vancouver; I know a lot of people here love watching soccer. Im sure that Vancouver's MLS games will be at least as popular if not more popular than BC Lions games.

[vansky]

I take it you aren't really in the soccer loop. Well, it should feel very comfortable to enough people to support the team. I agree, it is a great thing for the city. But I don't understand the notion that it's only liked by certain ethnic groups here. I've played the game for 25 years in Vancouver and I know that idea is bs.

soccer is hot in asia and europe, but not so much in na, that's why i said asians and europeans like it more. i didn't say it's only liked by certain ethnicities, but likely to be liked more by ....

[Vancity]

ha, vancity, you probably had more hopes in the griz than I did. I didn't even care if the team was around or not. I gave up the griz mainly because they were too hopeless. If anyone remembers how hopeless was the canucks when the grizzlies was around,then you know what I mean. I started to watch the nucks after they went to fight the avs during that playoff year. 4-0, but there was so much hope inside this team. I hope they put up a strong team for mls, or else there's no pt to watch for people like me. In terms of marketing, I dont know too much about asian and soccer, one thing is that none of my asian friends watch any soccer, but all of them are more or less into hockey.

A north american soccer league just doesn't sound nvery comfortable to me, it feels like europeans playing basketball ( or even worse, asian countries playing basketball ) hahaha...no offense. but it's a great addition to entertainment in this city. Not only would the asian community be mroe devoted, probably the recent european immigrants will too.

i was a huge supporter of the grizz. i had hopes that they would eventually turn things around, to of course, my frustration, they did not. oh well. the NBA is gone here in the lower mainland, but i'm hoping too that the MLS Whitecaps do well and at the very least compete in games. i'm hopeful that this city is going to be HUGE supporters of the 'caps. in fact, i'd even dare say that the whitecaps, given 2-4 years (if the team is managed well, and they become more and more competitive each passing year), they might be the city's 2nd team. The NHL and the MLS are the best leagues here in North America - so I can see people getting excited about that.

yes, yes, the soccer of MLS is not at the caliber of the European leagues, but then again, nothing can or ever will compare to the leagues in Europe. Soccer (or football as they call it) in Europe is what hockey is to Canadians. King. nothing will come close.

[Vancity]

I think the MLS will do really well here. I went to Grizzlies games when I was a kid and we had a team. The Vancouver market will only support a team if it can win at least half the time. Fans turn on the Canucks if they don't win and in the 90's we came close to losing the NHL.

That said I think that MLS will do well in Vancouver; I know a lot of people here love watching soccer. Im sure that Vancouver's MLS games will be at least as popular if not more popular than BC Lions games.

i couldn't have agreed with you more. the vancouver market will only support a team that will win. it's a tough market. the NBA and the grizz...well, they didn't...sorry, couldn't, even win half their games. in 6 years of pathetic, sorry basketball, i think the grizzlies only managed to have 1 season where they supassed 20 games. does my memory serve me correct? or have they never won more than 20 games in a season while they were here?

i wonder if the NLL ravens are going to come back to this city? lacrosse is another sport, i think, this city would support as well.

[agrant]

soccer is hot in asia and europe, but not so much in na, that's why i said asians and europeans like it more. i didn't say it's only liked by certain ethnicities, but likely to be liked more by ....Soccer is hot in Vancouver, it always has been. Problem is that we've never had a decent league to put a team in. If we were to have the same calibre teams/talent, and same system as the EPL (English Premier League btw) for instance, I can guarantee you that people all over NA would take to it like a duck to water. MLS is comparable to English Div 1 - that's two levels below Premier btw. It's not the same. Teams in the lower divisions get about the same number of fans to their games as MLS teams do. Thousands of people play and follow it here already. The added people from Asia and "recent" immigrants you refer to aren't a magic bullet that we have to have, but they certainly won't hurt.

[Denscity]

CBC sports in Vancouver has just reported that all 5000 chances to put a deposit on season tickets have now been sold out!! Gone in 48 hours!

[Kodii]

:previous: Yup!

Whitecaps’ first wave of MLS tickets sold out

The Vancouver Whitecaps announced today that the first block of 5,000 season-ticket deposits are sold out for the team’s inaugural 2011 season in Major League Soccer.

"The response we have received from the community has been phenomenal," Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi said in a statement of the $50 deposits. "We sold 5,000 deposits in less than 48 hours and our season tickets for the upcoming season continue to sell at an unprecedented pace."

Currently, the only way to immediately secure a season ticket for 2011 is through 2009 Whitecaps ticket packages. Whitecaps ticket pack holders are automatically placed at the front of the line for seats in 2011, and do not need to pay the $50 deposit.

Alternatively, fans can place their name on a Vancouver MLS 2011 wait-list by visiting vancouverMLS2011.com. When a second phase of deposit spots are opened, wait-listed supporters will be contacted to put down their deposits before the general public.

Only 16,500 season tickets will be made available for Vancouver's inaugural season in MLS.

Last Wednesday, Vancouver was awarded the 17th franchise in MLS. The next night, the Seattle Sounders — an age-old rival of the Whitecaps — played their first game in the MLS.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
Source: The Vancouver Sun -- http://www.vancouversun.com/Whitecaps+first+wave+tickets+sold/1419346/story.html

[Vancity]

:previous: Yup!


Source: The Vancouver Sun -- http://www.vancouversun.com/Whitecaps+first+wave+tickets+sold/1419346/story.html

:previous: that is impressive! so when is the next wave of tickets going to be on sale? season tickets are capped at 16,500. toronto fc have theirs capped at 16,000 with a waiting list of 14,000. i thought i had read that wrong. waiting list of 14,000. wow.

MLS is going to be a hit here in this town. WOOHOO! =D

[twoNeurons]

Not to be a pessimist, but they sold out BC Place a few times when they were in the NASL. Attendance petered out after a few years.

Of course, these times are different, but still, don't overestimate the "hype" impact in Vancouver.

People here tend to hop on whatever bandwagon seems the most popular.

[WarrenC12]

Not to be a pessimist, but they sold out BC Place a few times when they were in the NASL. Attendance petered out after a few years.

Of course, these times are different, but still, don't overestimate the "hype" impact in Vancouver.

People here tend to hop on whatever bandwagon seems the most popular.

I think there will be some hype for a few years, but it may die down after that. It would be good timing if there's a new soccer stadium on the water by 2013-2014 though.

[SFUVancouver]

I think when the hype dies down the team will live and die by its marketing and the average ticket price.

If they can keep the price low and entrech the idea that going to see soccer once or twice a year is part of life in Vancouver then the team should be able to pull in large numbers of casual fans and tourists and that will help keep the stands full.

Here's something I don't know, when and how long is the MSL season?

[LeftCoaster]

It just started this week I believe and runs through summer to November. Pretty ideal schedule to pick up bored hockey fans like myself.

[DKaz]

Will they allow all 58,000 seats to be filled if the demand is there?

[mr.x]

^ i don't see any reason why they wouldn't allow all seats to be filled if there was enough demand.

[Spork]

I think that having them play downtown will be a huge draw. The reason that I don't go to games is that I don't drive and don't want to transfer in order to get to Swangard.

[Metro-One]

:previous: Wow, you do know that Swangard is about a 5 to 10 minute walk at the most from patterson skytrain station right? There are many destinations downtown that are much farther than that from skytrain that many people walk to (such as English Bay, Stanley Park, Denmen, etc..) I guess some people really are afraid of walking! Sorry to be so silly, i just find that a strange excuse for somewhere that is near two train stations.

[mrjauk]

Not to be a pessimist, but they sold out BC Place a few times when they were in the NASL. Attendance petered out after a few years.

Of course, these times are different, but still, don't overestimate the "hype" impact in Vancouver.

People here tend to hop on whatever bandwagon seems the most popular.

It's kind of difficult to maintain attendance when there are no game. The Whitecaps died in 1984 because the NASL died. As long as the MLS continues to build slowly and continues to stay in existence, the Whitecaps will be one of the leading franchises in the league--as they were in the old NASL.

[mrjauk]

^ i don't see any reason why they wouldn't allow all seats to be filled if there was enough demand.

Actually, there are a lot of reasons. It's the same reason why the Montreal Canadiens' management have stated that if they were given another chance, they would have built their new arena to seat a few thousand fewer than the 22,000+ they seat right now.

They maintain this position despite the fact that the arena is full every night. So why would they do this?

It's about creating/manipulating supply, which then has an impact on demand.

Think about the behavioral economics aspect of a potential ticket buyers' decision to attend a match/game in two different situations:

1) Knowing that s/he can just walk up to the ticket window at game-time and grab one of the remaining 5 or 6 thousand seats,

versus

2) Having to purchase weeks in advance in order to assure that one can attend the event.

[crazyjoeda]

I think that having them play downtown will be a huge draw. The reason that I don't go to games is that I don't drive and don't want to transfer in order to get to Swangard.

lol, sorry but that is so lazy. Good news is that BC Place will save you from walking an extra 3min.

[Spork]

:previous: Wow, you do know that Swangard is about a 5 to 10 minute walk at the most from patterson skytrain station right? There are many destinations downtown that are much farther than that from skytrain that many people walk to (such as English Bay, Stanley Park, Denmen, etc..) I guess some people really are afraid of walking! Sorry to be so silly, i just find that a strange excuse for somewhere that is near two train stations.

Really? It seems so far away. Perhaps it is that stretch of the park that makes it seem so far away. Now I definitely have to go to a game this summer. :)

[Vancity]

It's kind of difficult to maintain attendance when there are no game. The Whitecaps died in 1984 because the NASL died. As long as the MLS continues to build slowly and continues to stay in existence, the Whitecaps will be one of the leading franchises in the league--as they were in the old NASL.

I agree. I think the Whitecaps will be a HUGE draw, and one of the leading franchises in the league.

[Denscity]

I think the fact that Swanguard is in Burnaby as opposed to downtown might keep some people away maybe. "On a clear day you can see Kingsway".

[Hong Kongese]

Actually, there are a lot of reasons. It's the same reason why the Montreal Canadiens' management have stated that if they were given another chance, they would have built their new arena to seat a few thousand fewer than the 22,000+ they seat right now.

They maintain this position despite the fact that the arena is full every night. So why would they do this?

It's about creating/manipulating supply, which then has an impact on demand.

Think about the behavioral economics aspect of a potential ticket buyers' decision to attend a match/game in two different situations:

1) Knowing that s/he can just walk up to the ticket window at game-time and grab one of the remaining 5 or 6 thousand seats,

versus

2) Having to purchase weeks in advance in order to assure that one can attend the event.



Interesting logic.

[Spork]

Interesting logic.

Simple supply and demand. Profits are maximized where price elasticity = 1 (where marginal benefit equals marginal cost).

[twoNeurons]

I think the fact that Swanguard is in Burnaby as opposed to downtown might keep some people away maybe. "On a clear day you can see Kingsway".

The view of the mountains from Swangard is awesome.

[EastVanMark]

The view of the mountains from Swangard is awesome.

...but the views of the mountains from the waterfront would be even better:D

[Innersoul1]

WOW 5000 deposits GONE just like that. Sweet News. I think that the Whitecaps will have great success due to the Olympics. Once the city feels the hype of being on the world stage it will certainly garner support and interest in the Whitecaps. I imagine that with a large venue like BC place ticket prices will be affordable. It will be up to the marketing department strike up interest from new fans to the game of soccer. I think this wil be a great success.

[jlousa]

One of my co-workers is a season ticket holder and he received confirmation that he's entitled to 8 season tickets. With a current season ticket base it's possible that all 16,000 tickets could be gobbled up by existing holders, although it would be highly unlikely that everyone would exercise their maximum. I think it's safe to assume that they will sell out the allotment of season tickets for their first year.

[Locked In]

Interesting article about the success the Sounders have enjoyed so far, and some bits and pieces about the Whitecaps:


Seattle Sounders strike the right note with fans

As Vancouver prepares to enter Major League Soccer, Seattle’s team is packing them in

By BRUCE CONSTANTINEAU, Vancouver Sun - September 11, 2009

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/www.vancouversun.com/sports/seattle+sounders+strike+right+note+with+fans/1985763/1985766.bin
Growing demand for Seattle Sounders tickets prompted officials to increase the capacity at the team’s home turf, Qwest Field. What does this mean for the Vancouver Whitecaps’ rebranding efforts?
Photograph by: Handout, Vancouver Sun


SEATTLE - By North American standards, Seattle Sounders soccer fans are a fiercely passionate lot.

They chant and scream and proudly hold up Sounder-blue/rave-green team scarves while marching to Qwest Field singing the 1969 Perry Como hit: “The bluest skies you’ve ever seen are in Seattle!”

They even put up a mildly anti-Canadian banner when Toronto FC came to town two weeks ago — Blame Canaduh.

Club officials pulled down the amusing in-stadium signage with upside-down Maple Leafs before kickoff, but the fans’ outright fervor for the beautiful game can’t be denied.

In its first Major League Soccer season, the Sounders franchise is a runaway winner.

The club easily tops the league in game attendance by averaging more than 30,500 fans each match — a whopping 10,000-plus more than second-and-third-place Toronto FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Surging demand for tickets prompted Sounders officials to boost Qwest Field’s lower-bowl seating capacity to 32,400 from 24,400 at the start of the season. The team has sold 97 full-season corporate suites — for prices ranging from $9,000 to $32,000 — and has a season-ticket base of 22,000.

“We certainly anticipated a high level of success, but obviously we couldn’t have predicted exactly how well it has gone and how many things fell into place along the way,” Sounders general manager and part-owner Adrian Hanauer said.

Seattle’s success has clearly grabbed the attention of fledgling MLS franchises Portland and Vancouver, both due to enter the league in 2011 (notwithstanding the uncertain status of BC Place renovations).

Vancouver Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi closely monitors the Sounders situation and he and his senior staff spent a day in Seattle earlier this season learning the details of the operation from Sounders executives.

“Seattle has been pretty systematic with what they’ve done and things have gone amazingly well,” he said.

Like Vancouver, Seattle has an active youth soccer movement and a strong background in professional soccer that laid the foundation for success at the MLS level, Hanauer said.

There also had been a strong pent-up demand for MLS soccer in Seattle, given former league commissioner Doug Logan promised the city would get a franchise if it built a new stadium. Qwest Field opened in 2002, but it took seven long years to field an MLS team.

Movie producer Joe Roth is the Sounders’ majority owner, with Hanauer, Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen and comedian Drew Carey holding minority stakes in the team.

The owners agreed early on the new team had to focus on being authentic and true to the game, Hanauer said, without distractions like cheerleaders, mascots, dancers or laser light shows.

“That means the entertainment on the field better be darn good, so we very specifically decided on a style of play that would please fans — attacking, brave, smart, creative soccer,” he said.

The result has been a competitive team that finds itself in the hunt for a playoff spot in its inaugural season. Twenty-two-year-old Colombian striker Fredy Montero has thrilled fans with his offensive flair this season, while 32-year-old Swedish midfielder and former Arsenal star Freddie Ljunberg is a clear fan favourite. The fiery Ljunberg doesn’t mail in his game performances. He received a yellow card during the Toronto FC game after tussling with opposing forward Dwayne DeRosario and was nearly tossed from the game after trash talking with the Toronto players bench.

It was Carey’s idea to have a 52-piece marching band — Sound Wave — create excitement before the game and the concept appears to have worked. Hundreds of Sounders fans meet in Pioneer Square 90 minutes before kickoff to hear the band play several high-energy tunes before they all march three blocks to Qwest Field.

Hanauer readily acknowledges Seattle’s success stems partly from copying the best ideas of other MLS teams — particularly Toronto FC, which sells out BMO Field every game.

Seattle adopted Toronto’s strategy of giving team scarves to season-ticket holders, who then display them as a show of club loyalty. At least two-thirds of Sounders fans at Qwest Field wear scarves or team jerseys, creating a veritable sea of green and blue throughout the stadium.

The team also understood early on the importance of cultivating and retaining a loyal fan base by “underpromising and overdelivering” to create a strong sense of value. Two hugely popular exhibition games against European powerhouses Chelsea and FC Barcelona this year were included in season-ticket packages.

“A lot of markets charge additionally for those games but we really want to deliver immense value for our season-ticket holders,” Hanauer said.

He also feels having a downtown stadium is a huge benefit to the new franchise.

“It can work with a suburban stadium, but it’s more of a challenge,” he said. “People are already used to coming down here for Mariners games, Seahawks games, restaurants and hotels, so it’s a lot easier for us to be here.”

The Whitecaps embraced the downtown-stadium concept a long time ago — first with their proposed soccer-specific stadium on the downtown waterfront and then by agreeing to lease space in a refurbished BC Place.

Lenarduzzi expects Vancouver’s MLS team will give season-ticket holders the same kind of value offered by the Sounders, noting the team already gives its USL-1 season-ticket holders free playoff tickets.

The Whitecaps also will stay true to the game and avoid flashy forms of fan entertainment, Lenarduzzi said, but he doubts it will get rid of its popular mascot, Winger.

“We love him and he appeals to our crowd,” he said. “We’ll try to assess things as we move along.”

Lenarduzzi, who recently went to Toronto to speak to prospective corporate clients, said corporate support for the new Vancouver MLS franchise already appears strong.

“We’ll be looking for that signature partner like Seattle has with Xbox,” he said.

The Sounders signed a lucrative five-year, $20-million sponsorship deal with Microsoft/Xbox, and the Xbox logo is displayed prominently on the front of the team jersey.

Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot hasn’t been keen on the idea of slapping a sponsor’s name on the front of a jersey, but it’s a common practice throughout the soccer world and Lenarduzzi said if the team can find the right sponsor, it could be a great fit.

The new Seattle franchise tried to abandon the Sounders name, but fans wouldn’t let it happen. The same scenario might happen in Vancouver; the Whitecaps organization is going through a branding exercise to determine the right name for the new MLS team.

“This is our one chance to make sure it’s the right name so we’re going to take our time and do the due diligence,” Lenarduzzi said. “If I have a vote, which I do, I wouldn’t want it to be anything other than Whitecaps, but that’s just me. I’m one person.”

Hanauer, meanwhile, said he’s keenly aware the Sounders’ success at the gate this season doesn’t guarantee huge crowds in the future. Major MLS markets like Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York have experienced attendance declines ranging from 20 to 25 per cent this season.

“All we can do is make sure we’re true to the brand and true to our fans and provide a great product on the field,” Hanauer said. “We can’t put people in their cars and deliver them to the stadium, but we feel if we do all the right things, we can sustain this for the long term.”

bconstantineau@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Source: Vancouver Sun (http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Seattle+Sounders+strike+right+note+with+fans/1985763/story.html)

[Vancity]

I sure hope that the Whitecaps get their MLS franchise. It would be a tragedy for us to lose the MLS franchise because of the stadium issues. Get a stadium built already, if not a renovated BC Place (with the new roof, and all), then build a stadium that's just as impressive for soccer.

what if Kerfoot built a stadium (15,000, expandable to 30,000) with a retractable roof? I think that'd be a neat design.

[djmk]

the success of the MLS Sounders is very cool.

I'm very curious how the MLS Whitecaps are going to look. Over the weekend, i was thinking that instead of the marching band that Seattle has, Vancouver should have a pipe and drum band instead. however, maybe pipes are not the most up-lifting of musical instruments.

also, i am curious who is going to be the big sponsor? I would not be surprised if all Canadian MLS teams (montreal next!) will have bank logos plastered all over them.

[Rusty Gull]

^ It would work -- the pipe and drum band, that is. Not a common thing in professional sports, but I do recall when Rowdy Roddy Piper was escorted into Madison Square Garden with a pipe band during Wrestlemania 1, and the atmosphere created was electric.

[mrjauk]

I sure hope that the Whitecaps get their MLS franchise. It would be a tragedy for us to lose the MLS franchise because of the stadium issues. Get a stadium built already, if not a renovated BC Place (with the new roof, and all), then build a stadium that's just as impressive for soccer.

what if Kerfoot built a stadium (15,000, expandable to 30,000) with a retractable roof? I think that'd be a neat design.

Vancouver will not lose its MLS team, and when (not if) Kerfoot gets his stadium built it will not seat fewer than 30,000 right from the beginning.

[mr.x]

^ yea, the Whitecaps made it quite clear to the MLS during the bidding process that BC Place was meant to be an interim home - they still intend on building that soccer-specific stadium within the decade.

[Vancity]

It's ridiculously sad to see that it's taken this long of a process for a man who wants to build a stadium with his own money. I wonder what could possibly take so long?

I realize the Port is being stubborn, but really, is that the only place where the Whitecaps want to build their stadium? Can't they find some other site in downtown?

I wonder when the stadium will actually get built. Right now, it seems like a dream, and if BC Place doesn't get a retractable roof? Uuugh...the retractable roof, and the BC Place upgrades were a major draw for fans to come out to watch the Whitecaps. It's almost a necessity for a new club entering into a new league...a new team, a new stadium (or at the very least a renovated one) - all this brings excitement.

Anyone know about the BC Place upgrades? Any updates? Any new news on the BC Place retractable roof?

[Vancity]

Vancouver will not lose its MLS team, and when (not if) Kerfoot gets his stadium built it will not seat fewer than 30,000 right from the beginning.

How are you so sure? Didn't the MLS award Vancouver a MLS franchise contigent on the upgrades (retractable roof, internal upgrades, etc) of BC Place? If you could clarify on this, that'd be useful. Thx.