Vancouver could be a NWSL expansion team

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Fran
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Vancouver could be a NWSL expansion team

Post by Fran » Mon Jul 27, 2015 2:33 pm

//www.oursportscentral.com/service ... id=5020111

National Women's Soccer League: With the recent success of the Women's World Cup in Canada, many are hoping this could lead to the NWSL placing its first team in Canada in the near future. Vancouver (British Columbia) has been considered a likely location as a rival for current Northwest teams in Seattle and Portland, but the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer are not looking at sponsoring a women's team at this time. The NWSL includes national team players from Canada, Mexico and the United States.

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Post by nksports » Tue Jul 28, 2015 5:47 am

[quote=""Fran""]//www.oursportscentral.com/service ... id=5020111

National Women's Soccer League: With the recent success of the Women's World Cup in Canada, many are hoping this could lead to the NWSL placing its first team in Canada in the near future. Vancouver (British Columbia) has been considered a likely location as a rival for current Northwest teams in Seattle and Portland, but the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer are not looking at sponsoring a women's team at this time. The NWSL includes national team players from Canada, Mexico and the United States.[/quote]

Sounds a little shortsighted on the part of the Whitecaps. Maybe another ownership group could come through.

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Post by Pounder » Tue Jul 28, 2015 5:51 pm

Still remember the number of 'Caps fans who stayed the day after a game in Portland to watch the Thorns in 2013. Christine Sinclair was more mobile two years ago... I kind of miss that right now.

Swangard is just sitting there waiting for a women's team, too. It had the USL Whitecaps all those years. Frustrating that nobody (Caps included) sees the potential.
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Post by Sam Hill » Tue Jul 28, 2015 7:46 pm

[quote=""nksports""]Sounds a little shortsighted on the part of the Whitecaps. [/quote]

Why?

Portland has been successful, yes. Houston less so, but still more than others.

If the Whitecaps don't feel the need to lose more money and/or do things that don't lead to success for the primary team, I can't exactly blame them.

The long(er than it was) history of women's pro soccer on this continent is still more Sky Blue FC than Portland Thorns. There's no guarantee a women's Whitecaps squad would be a boon to them at this time. (And I am aware the former W-League team used to draw well there. This would be an actual money-losing thing.)
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Post by nksports » Wed Jul 29, 2015 3:44 am

[quote=""Sam Hill""]Why?[/quote]

It's a matter of striking while the iron is hot, so to speak.
Yes the record of pro women's sports in North America (outside tennis and golf) has been more than a little spotty. Yes, a start-up will lose money in the first few years.
I doubt the Thorns, or any other MLS group invested in an NWSL team is making money yet, but the losses involved are small compared to their overall budgets
On the other hand, the market has shown an interest. The longer you wait, the harder it is to keep that interest.
There are natural rivals with Portland and Seattle in the Pacific Northwest.
While the Whitecaps would be a natural ownership group, it does not have to be THE ownership group. If there is another willing ownership group, let them try (with others risking their money, the Whitecaps might be more amicable to stadium sharing and the like).

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