Vancouver Whitecaps Fc Tickets

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC will be keen to make an impact during the latest MLS season. They have had an interesting time of it since being members of the MLS but the time has now come for them to translate the promise into titles.

The starting point

The original Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team was incepted all the way back on December 11, 1973. They spent the 1970s and the 1980 plying their trade in the North American Soccer League in short known as the NASL. They enjoyed some success in the league as well. They clinched the Soccer Bowl in the year 1979. The Whitecaps were quite popular, selling out their home games on a regular basis as fans bought Vancouver Whitecaps FC tickets in big numbers. But then the NASL folded in 1984 and so did the teams.

The CSL days

In the year 1986, another Vancouver based soccer side was formed and it was named the Vancouver 86ers. They were members of the Canadian Soccer League and were a dominant force during those days. They won the league title four successive times between 1988 and 1991. They also finished runners up in 1992. The 86ers also clinched five regular season championships and three division crowns before the CSL folded in the year 1992. The franchise then moved to the APSL the next year, a league that merged into the USL in 1997.

The USL days

In the year 2001, the name was once again changed to the original one and the team began to be known as the Vancouver Whitecaps. Two years later, the name became the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The franchise won two league championships in 2006 and 2008 in the USL. They also captured second place in the year 2009. They also won the division title in 2001. They enjoyed a lot of success in the Cascadia Cup during that time as they won it thrice in 2004, 2005 and 2008.

Switch to the MLS

July 24, 2008 was the date when Major League Soccer announced that they were seeking to add two more teams to the roster for the season starting 2011. It took the Whitecaps only one day to make the announcement that they would be after one of those two spots.

They officially submitted their bid on October 15, 2008. They were however not the only side in the reckoning. Half a dozen other cities made their bids as well. MLS commissioner, Don Garber, met with representatives of the Whitecaps on November 21, 2008 to discuss the offer. Garber was very impressed.

Garber and Mark Abbott, the president of the MLS went to Vancouver to take a look at the BC Place Stadium on December 7, 2008. The purpose of the visit was to see the renovations being done to the stadium which were scheduled to complete before the 2011 campaign. March 18, 2009 was the date when it was officially announced that Vancouver would be getting one of two expansion slots.

The MLS days

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC began their tenure in the MLS at the Empire Field while renovations were in process at the BC Place Stadium. Once those were completed they made the move and have remained at the BC Place ever since then. The Whitecaps played thirty four games in their first MLS season and went 6-8-10 to finish in the ninth spot.

Their form improved in the second season as they went 11-13-10, a record that was good enough to book them a place in the playoffs. With that they also became the first Canadian soccer team to make it to the MLS postseason.

The Whitecaps have made two trips to the MLS Cup playoffs since then in 2014 and 2015. They went all the way to the Conference semifinals in 2015 and also managed to win the Canadian championship that season. They have also won two Cascadia Cups in 2013 and 2014 since joining the MLS.

The team from Vancouver failed to qualify for the playoffs last term. Will they bounce back this season and make another run for the biggest titles in the league? Book your Vancouver Whitecaps FC tickets and find out, live during what should be another fascinating season.