MLS commissioner Don Garber said a social media post on X was made after his account had been “compromised.”
The post, which read, “Liar liar pants on fire,” was in response to a 45-second video clip from British Columbia Premier David Eby saying that he was “fighting hard to save the [Vancouver] Whitecaps.”
Dan Courtemanche, the league’s executive vice president of communications, posted a message on X: “Commissioner Garber was hacked and did not post this.”
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The future of the Whitecaps in Vancouver remains in doubt with the club having been up for sale since December of 2024. According to The Athletic, MLS owners reportedly met recently to discuss relocation options, with Las Vegas and Phoenix emerging as favored destinations. The club said in a statement this week that “no viable offer has emerged” over the past 16 months.
“We are aware of today’s reporting. The club has faced well-documented structural challenges around stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations that have made it difficult to attract buyers committed to keeping the team in Vancouver. Over the past 16 months, we have had serious conversations with more than 100 parties, and to date, no viable offer has emerged that would keep the club here.
It remains the strong preference of this ownership group to find a solution in Vancouver. If there is a local ownership group with the vision and resources to chart a path forward, we urge them to come forward.”
BC Place, the Whitecaps’ home stadium, is owned by the Province of British Columbia. Their lease ends after this year and while Eby and Garber met this week for “constructive” talks, Garber has called the team’s stadium situation “untenable” and a better deal is needed for the club to bring in a better share of revenues.
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“It’s reaching a critical point,” Garber said Tuesday. “If we can’t get a better dynamic in that with BC Place, I don’t know how we stay.”
The Whitecaps currently have the second-most points in MLS and finished last season as runners-up in both MLS Cup and the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
