Good Monday morning Caps fans. Hope you are well rested and that your week is off to a good start.
We reflected on Friday about how good the World Cup has been for Canada but not on how it has been good for Vancouver.
BC Places wasn’t just Canada’s historic thrashing of Qatar. It has been praised as one of the better host sites for the tournament, given its design and downtown location. The crowds, for both the Canada match and Australia/Turkiye, have been rabid. And there has been a steady stream of fans patronizing the fan fest at Hastings Park, proving that the location can handle thousands of people. The vibes have been immaculate. Plus, you have to imagine visitors from abroad would be excited about going to one of the most beautiful cities in North America rather than, say, Arlington, Texas.
So naturally, we had Don Garner running his mouth about how the Caps need a new stadium. Sure, a new stadium is likely the endgame if the team stays in Vancouver. But the timing of the comments (and his almost begrudging acknowledgement that he was more confident the Caps would stay in Vancouver — which is indisputably a good thing) was a frustrating. This tournament has shown why having a team in Vancouver is a no brainer in MLS. It has confirmed what we all knew along: this is the center of soccer support in Canada and that should be reflected in commitment from MLS.
The good news is we don’t have to listen to Garber. Talks seem to be continuing apace and will play out in due course. For now, just kick back and enjoy the spectacle in town and hope it continues to reinforce some important points for MLS leadership.
Shameless Self Promotion
Relive Thursday’s epic performance with our top takeaways from the match.
Best of the Rest
A more optimistic view of Garber’s comments.
Unsurprisingly, Ismaël Koné is out of the World Cup after successfully undergoing surgery. Get well soon Ismaël! Meanwhile, Stephen Eustaquio missed training ahead of the Switzerland match.
A look ahead at the possibilities for Canada in the round of 32.
Can the CPL get a piece of any World Cup boost in Canada?
i was at the Qatar game last Thursday- that was the most passionate and patriotic massive group of Canada supporters i have ever been a part of, from getting inside and leaving the stadium to the actual game- a truly amazing experience– and i think this Wednesday game vs Switzerland could have the same level of passion and patriotism- lead the group and Canada will have World Cup fever for the Men’s Team
expensive tickets (thanks to my son), but a memory that never seemed to be a realistic possibility- A VERY HAPPY DAY!!!
Salty