Vancouver Whitecaps are for sale and ownership is going to make a huge profit | Daily Hive

Could Vancouver lose the Whitecaps to an American city?

“The passionate MLS supporters, Academy development teams and players, the thousands of kids who attend camps, and the groups we support in nurturing the game in so many places have all proven our belief in Vancouver as a first-class soccer market. The future of the Vancouver Whitecaps is bright.”

Kerfoot originally acquired the Whitecaps back in 2002 and has been part of ownership since.

“The Vancouver Whitecaps would not be where they are today without the vision and commitment of this exceptional ownership group,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber. “The Whitecaps are a terrific club in a world-class city. On behalf of everyone at Major League Soccer, I want to thank them for their tremendous contributions and look forward to working with them to identify new ownership for the club.”

“The current ownership has built a solid foundation for Whitecaps FC – it is the right time for an owner with the platform, resources and ambition to enhance the club’s ability to compete at the highest levels of MLS and steward the club in realizing its significant potential,” continues the press release.

Forbes valued the Whitecaps at $420 million back in February, ranking 28th out of 29 MLS teams. That’s 14x the original expansion fee. They reported the team as having $25 million in 2023 revenue but operating at a net loss of $14 million. Sportico currently values the club at $470 million.

The ownership group has picked Goldman Sachs to advise throughout the sale process.

The club plays at BC Place, one of the only government-owned stadiums in MLS. This affects their revenue opportunities as they are just a tenant.

The Whitecaps have played in the MLS since 2011 and have made the MLS Cup Playoffs in three of the last four seasons. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in the 2024 season and nearly pulled off a massive playoff upset against LAFC.

There are also major changes for the team happening on the pitch. Manager Vanni Sartini was surprisingly let go in late November.