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The threat of relocation for the Vancouver Whitecaps continues to intensify, with the club and its supporters resorting to desperate measures in an attempt to prevent the move.
The Whitecaps have been on the market since 2024, and their lease agreement at BC Place is set to expire at the conclusion of the current season. Whitecaps CEO and sporting director Axel Schuster has stated the club is pursuing every possible avenue to stay in Vancouver, all the way down to "Plan Z," which would involve relocation.
The MLS club released a statement Monday evening, noting that "to date, no viable offer [from a local buyer] has emerged that would keep the club [in Vancouver]," suggesting the team could soon be transferred to a U.S. market such as Las Vegas or Sacramento, among other potential destinations. Investment groups in those cities are reportedly poised to seize the buying opportunity.
The club's urgency is clear. "Over the past 16 months, we have had serious conversations with more than 100 parties," they also stated in Monday's release.
The local community has mobilized efforts to keep the club in British Columbia, launching a "Save the Caps" campaign that has drawn thousands of supporters. During the Whitecaps' 3–1 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, fans in the stands raised signs reading "Hands off our team" and "We will fight for our club, and we will win."
Supporters have also taken to social media to appeal for a buyer, with one particular celebrity being singled out.
Call Outs to Hollywood Star Ryan Reynolds
Whitecaps fans are calling on a fellow Canadian for help, urging actor and producer Ryan Reynolds—who was born and raised in Vancouver—via social media to purchase the club.
Reynolds has prior experience in soccer ownership, currently co-owning EFL Championship side Wrexham alongside fellow Hollywood star Rob McElhenney. The Deadpool star acquired the Welsh club for approximately £2 million ($2.7 million) when the Red Dragons were competing in the National League, English soccer's fifth tier and three divisions below their current standing.
Former MLS standout and current studio analyst for MLS Season Pass, Sacha Kljestan, even joined the chorus of those making the appeal.
"Hey, [Ryan Reynolds], I've got an idea," he posted to X on Monday evening. "Since you've got all this experience as a football club owner now ... buy the club in your own backyard and keep them in Vancouver."
Reynolds has yet to respond to the public appeal; however, Vancouver would come at a significantly higher price tag, valued at over $400 million, compared to what the Hollywood star paid for Wrexham. As a point of reference, San Diego FC paid an expansion fee of $500 million upon joining MLS last year.