MLB: Could Vancouver be a Suitable city to Acquire a Team?

With the Tampa Bay Rays being given permission by the MLB to look into splitting games between Tampa and Montreal, let’s explore another Canadian city and its potential to acquire an MLB team.

One of the largest and most populated cities in Canada, Vancouver has been dominated by a few different sports over the years. So why not bring MLB to Vancouver?

The Vancouver Canucks hockey team has been prominent since their debut in 1970 and the city does have a football and a soccer team in the B.C. Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps (respectively).

Heck, the city even had an NBA team until their departure to Memphis in 2001.

Baseball has secretly been a popular sport within Canada for quite a few years, with prominent leagues within Canada boasting players from across North America.

If I were to guess, almost every MLB team most likely has a few Canadians hidden in their depth charts, as well as some prominent stars on the major league roster.

Some current Canadian players you may have heard of include Joey Votto, Mike Soroka, Josh Naylor, James Paxton, etc.

But what are the possibilities that the city of Vancouver could acquire and house a permanent MLB team?

Well for starters, as I mentioned previously, the Greater Vancouver Area is one of the largest in terms of population within Canada.

Boasting approximately 2.5 million people, the city has flourished both economically and culturally, growing each year with a strong influence from Asia in terms of population growth.

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There are also a few surrounding communities as well such as Vancouver Island and Abbotsford, which could support attendance throughout the year.

They would also gain support from the Western provinces in Alberta and Saskatchewan as well.

The populace in Vancouver is also economically stable, with the median household income being $72,000 (2016 stats), compared to the $70,000 median for all of Canada.

So not the richest area in Canada, but still above average for the nation.

In terms of location, the city could fit right in with the AL or NL West.

To create more rivals, the team could be situated in the American League so that they face the closest franchise, the Seattle Mariners, as well as their cross Canada rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays.

If you need any more proof that Vancouver and Western Canada enjoys baseball, look up the highlights from any Mariners vs. Blue Jays games in Seattle.

You will see hundreds of Navy Blue jerseys, and the “Go Blue Jays” chants can sometimes outmuscle the hometown crowd.

Is it feasible that Vancouver could harbor an MLB team? I believe it is possible.

You would obviously need the start-up capital and proper team/owner at the helm, but if a slightly larger city like Montreal can have a team, Vancouver should also be considered a possibility.

Another factor against the city is that there is currently no suitable stadium built for an MLB team.

The Vancouver Canadians (an A-ball affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays) have a stadium, but Scotiabank Stadium only has an approximate 5,000 seat capacity, which is not nearly enough to support an MLB franchise.

A stadium would need to be built and would need to be accessible to both city and suburban dwellers in an area that is already largely developed.

Next. Who would Scouts prefer Aaron Judge or Pete Alonso?. dark

So while the odds are against Vancouver from getting an MLB team (and no actual rumors or facts to support any idea they will acquire a team), anything is possible if the money and ownership are there.

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