Vancouver Whitecaps to unveil new brand on June 8th

[RyanB06]

Would Vancouver really want a Calgary-based sponsor in Esso? Considering the hockey rivalry, I don't know if they'd go that route.

reason for edit: Changed the question

[OMMF]

(Edited to reflect Ryan's edit)

[kiwi_canadian]

What about BC Ferries? As much as I hate them and they are government run they could be a possibility. They are plastered on the bottom side of the scoreboard at GM Place and on the boards as well.

[officeglenn]

I really don't think it'll be either major beer company, mainly because 1. Budweiser's a pretty big sponsor of the MLS, 2. I think they want to be family friendly and avoid an alcohol sponsorship, and 3. They have a pretty good relationship with local brewers as is (I believe Russell brewing, but it might be Granville Island).

Mmmmm...beer.

This could be interesting, as Labatt produces and distributes Budweiser up here, and Granville Island (I do hope they are making their Ginger Beer again this summer...looks like a go for June) was recently purchased by Creemore Springs, a subsidiary of Molson Coors.

Telus makes good sense...are there any of the Jim Pattison-owned businesses that might work?

Doubt it. Pattison's more of a BC-centric entity, I doubt Save-On Foods will mean anything to anyone east of Fernie.

*raises hand*

There are quite a few Save-Ons out here in Alberta. They can't seem to make them fly in Calgary, but everywhere else, they are present.

I never thought about Tim Hortons. Mind you, I don't think a team with such a huge grassroots fitness philosophy is going to use a donut shop as a sponsor.

edit: What about HBC/Hudson's Bay Company? I can certainly see a company with huge Olympic 2010 ties continuing along aboard the Vancouver bandwagon.

Tim Hortons may be a more real possibility than you think, given that they've expanded the Timbits programs to include minor soccer as well as hockey.

[SilverNRed]

My (fake) money's on

Pretty much the only way I'm ever buying a soccer jersey is if they put a giant Labatt Blue logo on the front.

[Lee.]

My (fake) money's on

Pretty much the only way I'm ever buying a soccer jersey is if they put a giant Labatt Blue logo on the front.

You like ?

[M4One]

I can't see any beer company getting its name on the jersey. Perhaps a bank like RBC or maybe Tim Horton's. Both have a presence in the US, though not too big. I'm just going to wait until June 8th when the Whitecaps Telus who the shirt sponsor is going to be.

[Jer15]

Tim Horton's (as Lee said) is a huge sponsor for both minor soccer and hockey in Canada. It would be a fit in my eyes.

But here's the thing, we can try as much as we want to figure out who it is, there's only one piece of logic that goes behind figuring out who to use as a shirt sponsor: who forks up the most cash. So I don't think it's worth reading in to so much.

[Gothamite]

But here's the thing, we can try as much as we want to figure out who it is, there's only one piece of logic that goes behind figuring out who to use as a shirt sponsor: who forks up the most cash.

That might not actually be true.

MLS might decide that it doesn't want to put a beer company's logo on the front of the jersey. That despite the possibility that they would pay the most.

Perasonally, I think that seeking out such moral high ground would be extremely silly for a league which already has two pyramid schemes as shirt sponsors. Byt that's just me.

[Jer15]

But here's the thing, we can try as much as we want to figure out who it is, there's only one piece of logic that goes behind figuring out who to use as a shirt sponsor: who forks up the most cash.

That might not actually be true.

MLS might decide that it doesn't want to put a beer company's logo on the front of the jersey. That despite the possibility that they would pay the most.

Perasonally, I think that seeking out such moral high ground would be extremely silly for a league which already has two pyramid schemes as shirt sponsors. Byt that's just me.

I donno how much of a say MLS has in the in-stadium advertisements, but Carlsberg is plastered all over BMO field here in Toronto, to the point that you'd think it's Carlsberg stadium. So I figure if they'd have a problem with beer advertisement they'd tell TFC that they'd need to pull that from the stadium.

[Gothamite]

There's a huge difference between stadium signage and shirt sponsors. Stadium signage isn't sold to fans.

I hope it isn't the case, though. I really hate attempts to child-proof the world.

[ykiki5]

There's a huge difference between stadium signage and shirt sponsors. Stadium signage isn't sold to fans.

I hope it isn't the case, though. I really hate attempts to child-proof the world.

I think it might also depend on how much the team or MLS believes they'll be marketing to kids. Granted, I don't know the laws in BC, but down here I don't think you can legally advertize an over-21 product on children's apparel. (Judging by my sons' elementary school, Sounders jerseys/t-shirts are hugely popular). Would a beer sponsor mean the Whitecaps could only sell authentic-looking jerseys and t-shirts in adult sizes?

[caperlogo13]

If you want to watch the unveiling of the Vancouver Whitecaps MLS logo this morning at 11:30 AM EDT, tune in here:

http://www.vancouvermls2011.com/announcement

[Gothamite]

There's a huge difference between stadium signage and shirt sponsors. Stadium signage isn't sold to fans.

I hope it isn't the case, though. I really hate attempts to child-proof the world.

I think it might also depend on how much the team or MLS believes they'll be marketing to kids. Granted, I don't know the laws in BC, but down here I don't think you can legally advertize an over-21 product on children's apparel. (Judging by my sons' elementary school, Sounders jerseys/t-shirts are hugely popular). Would a beer sponsor mean the Whitecaps could only sell authentic-looking jerseys and t-shirts in adult sizes?

Perhaps - I don't know.

In the UK, this hasn't been a problem:

But they sent all their Puritans over here, so I suspect it wouldn't fly.

[Braden]

The logo's clean & simple. Not bad at all!

[dabest13]

Not much of a fan...

[JQK]

The mountains, the reflection, and the "VW" in the reflection.

Not bad... not great, but not bad.

[caperlogo13]

Not much of a fan...

This is beyond an epic fail. I thought they'd rework the 1979 logo, but not this garbage.

Somewhere, Montreal Impact and Toronto FC supporters are laughing at Vancouver today. Not good.

[JQK]

This is beyond an epic fail. I thought they'd rework the 1979 logo, but not this garbage.

Somewhere, Montreal Impact and Toronto FC supporters are laughing at Vancouver today. Not good.

Seriously? This logo deserves the "epic fail" over-used bland phrase? I don't think so...

[rvrdgsfn]

It's not horrible, but I was expecting something else I guess, it'll grow on me.