Whitecaps MLS news

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

$325k out of $74.6m is 0.4%. Ticket sales obviously drive that number up, but needless to say, the Whitecaps need BC Place more than the other way around.

Pretty sure BC Place gets all of the concession revenue which means they make a lot more than that. Which is part of the issue. The Whitecaps bringing in 10k or 50k attendance numbers don't help them if they aren't getting a cut, which they should.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Pretty sure BC Place gets all of the concession revenue which means they make a lot more than that. Which is part of the issue. The Whitecaps bringing in 10k or 50k attendance numbers don't help them if they aren't getting a cut, which they should.

Conversely though, one could argue that PavCo's not making as much with a single soccer match as they could with a concert or all-week trade show. The 'Caps average roughly 26k attendance per game (TBF so do the Lions, but they're not arguing), while the Home and Garden Show draws 40k, or 60k+ for Ed Sheeran or U2 (Taylor presumably being an outlier).

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Pretty sure BC Place gets all of the concession revenue which means they make a lot more than that. Which is part of the issue. The Whitecaps bringing in 10k or 50k attendance numbers don't help them if they aren't getting a cut, which they should.

Aren't they getting a tiny portion of the concession sales (less than 20%)?

If they are so popular why don't they jack up their season ticket prices to bring in more revenue?

[svlt]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

according to CKNW Detroit and Edmonton would love to take them off Vancouver's hands.

They also mentioned one of the negotiating points with some issues is the Whitecaps want a bigger cut of concession sales but Pavco doesn't want to share or something like that.

I bet they will end up coming to a new deal and stay in BC Place.

Edmonton being mentioned really discredits the story. Detroit even. Come on now. Las Vegas or Indianapolis, I can believe.

I don't think they will be at BC Place. I'm a firm believer they'll end up staying but at another site.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Conversely though, one could argue that PavCo's not making as much with a single soccer match as they could with a concert or all-week trade show. The 'Caps average roughly 26k attendance per game (TBF so do the Lions, but they're not arguing), while the Home and Garden Show draws 40k, or 60k+ for Ed Sheeran or U2 (Taylor presumably being an outlier).

I'm pretty sure BC Place still tries to get all the revenue they can. Their occupancy rate isn't high.

I'm sure they'd love to have non stop AAA acts in there.

[jollyburger]

I wonder what the economics of Rogers is in comparison considering they are the go-to place for concerts (unless you are in the Taylor Swift category)

[Glow Fun City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I wonder what the economics of Rogers is in comparison considering they are the go-to place for concerts (unless you are in the Taylor Swift category)

I’m really looking forward to the PNE Amphitheatre taking a whole bunch of shows away from Rogers Arena starting next spring… greedy union-busting batards

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Glow Fun City

I’m really looking forward to the PNE Amphitheatre taking a whole bunch of shows away from Rogers Arena starting next spring… greedy union-busting batards

Not so great for October - March though.

[Glow Fun City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Not so great for October - March though.

Of course, but it's not the biggest time for concerts anyway. Oct/Nov can get a little busy, but there usually aren't a whole lot of tours coming through from December through February.

[jollyburger]

Negotiations between WhiteCaps and PavCo on a short-term solution to have the MLS club play at BC Place don’t appear to be close, per CEO Axel Schuster, with the 2026 season just under a month away.

The club continues to operate under its existing agreement, which is unfeasible financially, according to Schuster.

“I would say in general we’ve had roughly 100 outreaches,” Schuster said. “We had 30 to almost 40 groups sign an NDA and go into our data room. All of them spent real money doing a full analysis. The reality is that no one is interested in buying even 1 per cent of this club. All of them believe the setup here — the market and the situation we’re in — is not investable.”

Despite being a competitive on-field product, the Whitecaps rank last in MLS revenue. For prospective owners, the numbers simply don’t add up.

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/02/01/whitecaps-mls-not-optimistic-about-future-in-vancouver/

[whatnext]

The irony that the one event they single out as detrimental to their continued stay here is FIFA.

[logan5]

The reality is that no one is interested in buying even 1 per cent of this club. All of them believe the setup here — the market and the situation we’re in — is not investable.”

I understand the situation (with BC Place) is not good, but it is almost shocking to hear Schuster say that the market is not investible. Vancouver is an excellent soccer market, with excellent fan support, considering how the owners spent little money on good players throughout the years. The Whitecaps have always been near the bottom of MLS salaries.

The City laid out a sweetheart deal on land at the PNE, so I'm a little skeptical about all these potential investors not even interested in buying even 1% of the team.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by logan5

I understand the situation (with BC Place) is not good, but it is almost shocking to hear Schuster say that the market is not investible. Vancouver is an excellent soccer market, with excellent fan support, considering how the owners spent little money on good players throughout the years. The Whitecaps have always been near the bottom of MLS salaries.

The City laid out a sweetheart deal on land at the PNE, so I'm a little skeptical about all these potential investors not even interested in buying even 1% of the team.

They just want more government handouts. Classic pro sports posturing, especially in North America.

[djmk]

Originally Posted by logan5

I understand the situation (with BC Place) is not good, but it is almost shocking to hear Schuster say that the market is not investible. Vancouver is an excellent soccer market, with excellent fan support, considering how the owners spent little money on good players throughout the years. The Whitecaps have always been near the bottom of MLS salaries.

The City laid out a sweetheart deal on land at the PNE, so I'm a little skeptical about all these potential investors not even interested in buying even 1% of the team.

There are always investors if the price is right.

This PNE idea would never of worked for an investor. Building a stadium from scratch takes a very long time. there are no plans, no consultations have been done. IF they started today, the stadium would not be up for another decade. Investor money just sitting there for a decade? No thanks

And Alex always talks about revenue and never mentions expenses. Building and operating a stadium definitely creates more revenue but that does not mean it reduces your expenses. for a long term tenant, a cheap lease can be way better than actually owing the asset.

The problem as i see it, is that BC Place is a busy stadium and has to accommodate lots of shows. Whitecaps are just another event on a busy schedule. Plus maybe there is a serious revenue issue.... Maybe sponsorships need to step up. Maybe local TV revenue needs to step up. Maybe ticket prices are too low. Maybe the canadian dollar is too low

[jollyburger]

PavCo willing to operate 'at net zero' to keep Whitecaps at BC Place: Minister

British Columbia's minister of economic growth says the latest offer to keep the Vancouver Whitecaps playing at B.C. Place Stadium would see the Crown corporation that owns and operates the facility "operating at net zero."

Ravi Kahlon said Tuesday that PavCo makes approximately $1 million to $1.5 million in profit each year from hosting the Major League Soccer team, and that the latest offer, which emerged from a meeting between the two sides on Monday, would return all of that revenue to the club.

"We believe that by returning those profits, and giving them a new contract that essentially has them operating at net zero, that should make the proposition of them wanting to stay much better," he said.

The minister said the proposed deal would also provide "additional revenue opportunities" for the team, like options around naming rights or charging for parking.

Kahlon said there has so far been no request for government money to build a new stadium, but that the province is open to working with the team if that's the route they choose.

https://www.nsnews.com/national-sports/p...-whitecaps-at-bc-place-minister-11831262

[kikin]

good, they need to keep them at BC Place or let them leave if they are going to be too unreasonable

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

https://www.nsnews.com/national-sports/p...-whitecaps-at-bc-place-minister-11831262

I suppose one could justify this is the province thinks the economic spin-off is worth it (restaurants, hotels). Harder to use the spin-off argument if they're trying to get money for a stadium outside of downtown.

[Tysonbrown]

Not a fan of the World Cup and it's historic corruption but the BC Lions aren't bringing the World Cup to Vancouver - soccer is. The Whitecaps are entitled to all benefits afforded other sports teams in Vancouver.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Tysonbrown

Not a fan of the World Cup and it's historic corruption but the BC Lions aren't bringing the World Cup to Vancouver - soccer is. The Whitecaps are entitled to all benefits afforded other sports teams in Vancouver.

What do you think those other teams get? Orca Bay (Canucks and Grizzlies owners) built GM Place on their own dime.

[djmk]

in year end march 2025, BC place had net income of $474,000.

For a venue that is used 2/3rd of a calendar year, Pavco makes good money from the Caps if their limited use equals a profit of $1M.

https://www.bcpavco.com/resources/reports/