Globe & Mail: Whitecaps Win MLS Expansion Race!

[FriendsofSoccer]

The Globe and Mail is reporting this morning that the Whitecaps have been offered one of the two MLS expansion spots for 2011, and that they are in final negotiations with Major League Soccer.

The report says we can expect a formal announcement by either March 19 or March 31.

You can read the full story here.

More...

 

[Regs]

If it turns out that Vancouver can indeed "negotiate" the terms of the expansion fee, Montreal will have gotten the shaft.

In Montreal, you have really, the perfect setup with an expandable soccer stadium, proven track record in attracting and retaining a knowledgeable fan-base, and more importantly (in hindsight), a business man who knew the market and the fair price to enter the league 6 months before anyone else.

 

[johnnybluenose]

Awesome News!

Thanks for the update Bill!

 

[Regs]

"Bill" has probably forgotten that he automagically "posts" here.

 

[johnnybluenose]

Oh right, as did I...

 

[Dude]

Magic? Imagine that. I thing this whole intraweb thing is magic, and bound to collaps. Invest in paper, pens, and stamps, people.

You heard it here first.

 

[Regs]

And dust collection machine thingamajiggies. Industrial ones. I would surmise a lot of dust in the collapse aftermath.

 

[Dude]

People will need it to collect all the paper dust.

You just watch Regs.

 

[johnnybluenose]

And the gear to put the fires out in the dust collector thing-a-ma-jiggies too!

still waiting for some RFQ's Dude

Back on topic: One of the well placed in the business community guys I know heard this news last week and had basically all the same stuff that was mentioned in this Globe report. People requesting anonymity annoys me

I am hoping above all that those losers in Porkland get the second franchise.

However that will cripple the USL if three of the big 4 mainstays in USL1 go to MLS (Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, and Montreal)

 

[Dude]

JBN: Fires = good business. A single rusty sprinkler is just fine.

 

[Regs]

I'm *guessing* that something is going to be announced Monday or Tuesday.

It's a VERY strong *guess* that I may or may not have pulled out of my ASS.

Shhhhh.

 

[Dude]

I think I need to Copyright the use of ASS now. It has become awesome and epic. Copyright pending for awsomness and epicness.

 

[trece verde]

Sorry Dude.

Daemonspawn #1 holds the copyright on the word "epic." Especially as in "Dude, that was an epic fail."

 

[Dude]

I have to admit, Epic is an Epic word. A word for the ages.

FAIL is just over popular right now. I have yet to decide to jump on or off the FAIL bandwagon.

 

[canucklehead]

MLS hints at delay on expansion decision – OregonLive.com

The MLS looks terrible in how long this whole proccess is taking. One set back after another...

 

[italian_stallion21]

I think it has more to do with the other team's proposals than the Whitecaps. They probably want to announce both teams at the same time, and the Whitecaps are a shoe-in. They are having a tough time making a decision on the other franchise, and things like Portland's stadium getting the go-ahead could be why they keep delaying. They have a city in mind that they want, so they're giving as much time as possible for that city to make sure it can follow through with it's proposal. Just my guess.

 

[FriendsofSoccer]

"Bill" has probably forgotten that he automagically "posts" here.

I didn't forget Regs, and I do drop by every once in awhile. The FoS blog only gets updated when there's any real news regarding the stadium or MLS bid, and all of that is kind of sparse these days. I don't expect there to be anything major happening for awhile, other than a formal announcement that the Caps are in.

If you happen to pick up one of my blog posts and you find it's already about something that's been talked to death and covered here, I have no problems if you delete it.

 

[WaterBreak]

team 1040 just reported that MLS brass will be in vancouver over the next couple of days to anounce that them and portland have landed 2011 franchises.

 

[canucklehead]

team 1040 just reported that MLS brass will be in vancouver over the next couple of days to anounce that them and portland have landed 2011 franchises.

In the link I posted, the comments about needing to hold off on an anouncement came from Garber himself. These guys haven't a clue what they are doing next...

 

[joely_the_goalie]

sportsnet was reporting this tonight as well, i didn't see portland named, but definitely saw vancouver.... apparently cbc and tsn were reporting the same thing