The head of Major League Soccer has long believed Vancouver has what it takes to become a top soccer market.
Now, as the Vancouver Whitecaps reach new heights on the field, league commissioner Don Garber is in town to lobby for change.
“My trip is not just to celebrate all the great things that have happened over the years,” he said in a telephone interview. “This is to ensure that success is sustainable over the long term.”
During the trip, Garber will be speaking with business leaders and government officials, with the Whitecaps stadium deal high on his list of talking points.
Dan Burritt spoke to the club's chief executive Axel Schuster and former star player Carl Valentine about the ups and downs of the club's half-century in existence ahead of its 50th anniversary game on Saturday.
The club currently plays its home games at the 55,000-seat BC Place Stadium in downtown Vancouver.
The stadium, which opened in 1983, is owned by PavCo, a provincial Crown corporation that leases it to tenants including the CFL's Whitecaps and BC Lions. There are also plans to play seven matches during the World Cup in June and July.
The venue is also used for non-sporting events, including concerts (it hosted the final three concerts of Taylor Swift's Eras tour last December) and trade shows.
Garber says the Whitecaps stadium deal is “suboptimal” due to scheduling issues and the club's limited revenue from food and beverage sales.
“The club is not viable in a situation where it… is in a building that they have no control over, they have minimal participation and income. The biggest problem is the lack of scheduling flexibility,” he said.
Last year, the Caps had to give up home field advantage to the Portland Timbers in a playoff game because a motocross show was already scheduled for the same date at BC Place.
BC Place said in a statement on Tuesday that it provides the Whitecaps with “more than 40 matchdays per year.”
Whitecaps CEO and sporting director Axel Schuster told reporters last month that while the club is in the top 10 in MLS for attendance thanks to the BC Place deal, the Caps remain bottom when it comes to food and beverage revenue.
“Clubs that have half our attendance make three times what we do in this category,” he said.
Whitecaps' current lease with BC Place expires at the end of December.
In a statement, BC Place said it is currently in “productive discussions” with the MLS club about extending the lease.
“Any agreement must be viewed holistically, taking into account not only revenues, but also operating costs and capital investments,” the document says.
The company noted that renovations are currently underway at the new premium hospitality areas and said tenants will have more opportunities to generate income next season.
“Ultimately, our goal is to find a balance between getting a good deal for both parties and ensuring fairness for British Columbians,” the statement said.
“As the proud home of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, BC Place has supported the club's development into Major League Soccer for the past 14 years and hosted its matches for over four decades. The stadium remains committed to supporting the growth and success of the club now and in the future.”
Negotiations about a new stadium
In April, the Whitecaps also announced that they had begun negotiations with the city of Vancouver regarding construction of a new football stadium at the PNE exhibition grounds on the eastern outskirts of the city
The discussions began after the club's ownership group, consisting of Greg Kerfoot, Steve Lucio, Jeff Mallett and former NBA star Steve Nash, announced in December that it was putting the club up for sale.
Axel Schuster, CEO and sporting director of the Whitecaps, says the proposed new stadium comes as the team's owners prepare to sell the city's Major League Soccer franchise. He acknowledged that political instability is affecting the team off the field, but hopes the club's good start to the season can continue.
Schuster said last month that the current owners are still looking for an option to keep the Whitecaps in Vancouver, and that could include bringing in new investors.
Problems at the stadium are nothing new for MLS clubs, Garber said.
The commissioner sees his role in the negotiations as meeting with community and government leaders to explain the value the teams provide and talking about how the league is a good partner.
