Bublé says Whitecaps need more than private money to stay in Vancouver

TORONTO – Canadian singer Michael Bublé and television personality Drew Scott say they have been approached about helping keep the Whitecaps in Vancouver amid uncertainty around the club’s future.

Speaking to The Canadian Press on Wednesday, the B.C.-born entertainers both supported the idea of the Major League Soccer team remaining in their hometown, though neither committed to joining a local ownership group.

Scott, one half of the “Property Brothers,” said someone contacted him recently about joining a Whitecaps bid, while Bublé said he had also been approached “a long time ago.”

“Last week, somebody approached me talking about that,” Scott said. “I’ve been approached for every sport out there you can think of … but I just want to see Vancouver as a hub for sport again.”

The Whitecaps have been up for sale since 2024, with ownership citing ongoing challenges tied to stadium control and revenue at B.C. Place Stadium, while a U.S.-based investor group has submitted a bid to move the team to Las Vegas.

The club’s ownership group has publicly said more than 100 parties have been contacted about a potential sale, but no viable local ownership solution has emerged under the current business model.

Whitecaps chief executive officer and sporting director Axel Schuster has said the club needs significant improvements in revenue streams tied to tickets, parking, concessions, sponsorship and stadium operations in order to remain viable in Vancouver.

Bublé said Vancouver remains capable of supporting major-league franchises despite the possibility the Whitecaps could relocate to Las Vegas, reviving memories of the NBA’s Grizzlies leaving for Memphis in 2001.

“We are really so deserving of having Major League sports in our city, and we have the ability to absolutely support it,” Bublé said.

Bublé said he did not pursue earlier conversations about the Whitecaps because of other commitments, but suggested any long-term solution for the club would likely require support beyond private investment alone.

“But if you’re asking me if I’m going to be part of having a team that keeps it, I assume from the outside that this is much bigger than just private investment,” he said.

Bublé pointed to government involvement, infrastructure and transportation issues as part of any potential solution to keeping the Whitecaps in Vancouver.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Thursdays

Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Sign Up

I consent to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies.

I consent to CASL agreement.

Scott stopped short of saying he would join a Whitecaps ownership group, but did not rule it out.

“I never say never,” he said. “If there’s a way to keep multiple sports alive … I love the idea of being a part of growing the sport culture and supporting that in Vancouver.”

The interview came as the two promoted “Hometown Giants,” a new Prime Video docuseries following their roles as part-owners of the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants as the club pursues a Memorial Cup title.

With files from Craig Macrae in Toronto.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2026.