In a letter dated Oct. 20, the B.C. NDP told the Southsiders it wants the Whitecaps to stay in B.C. and committed to finding a workable long-term solution before the MLS season ends on Dec. 18.
The Story
The B.C. NDP has responded to the Southsiders, the main Vancouver Whitecaps supporters group, after the group and its affiliated Save The Caps campaign publicly asked three questions about the team’s future.
In a letter dated Oct. 20 and sent to the Southsiders via email, the NDP said it wants the Whitecaps to remain in B.C. “for generations to come,” with the government citing steps it has taken to support the club during difficult periods.
On the question of what the government would do to help secure the long-term future of Vancouver Whitecaps FC in B.C., the NDP said it has generated more revenue through concession sales and advertising, and used the stadium at no cost “this year.” It also said that “before the election” it initiated discussions with the team on a long-term solution.
On whether it would support a multi-year agreement giving the Whitecaps greater management or operational control at B.C. Place, the NDP said the issue is already “at the table and in discussion” with the club, including the Whitecaps’ role in co-managing the stadium and accessing additional revenue resources. The letter added that if re-elected, the B.C. NDP would “do what is needed” in the best interests of Whitecaps fans, B.C. Place and the people who work there, as well as taxpayers.
The third question asked whether the NDP would commit to finding a workable long-term solution before the MLS season ends on Dec. 18. The letter’s response was simply: “Yes.”
The response arrives as the Whitecaps have secured a lease for next spring’s “sprint season” and have been selling season tickets for both the sprint season and for the 2027-28 campaign. The letter’s context also includes the team’s continuing search for a new owner or investors, with the process described as nearly two years in length, and the team’s stated revenue shortfall in the tens of millions of dollars.
The evidence provided with the response also points to earlier public remarks by then-jobs minister Ravi Kahlon in April about negotiations involving B.C. Place management. Kahlon described the government’s discussions as centred on costs to operate the building, including debt servicing, and said that if the team’s request involved debt-servicing support, “they need to put a proposal forward” that includes it.
← More stories