Vancouver Whitecaps (1974–1984)
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|
| Full name | Vancouver Whitecaps |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The 'Caps |
| Founded | December 11, 1973 |
| Dissolved | 1984 |
| Stadium |
Empire Stadium (1974–1983) BC Place (1983–1984) (NASL Indoor) Pacific Coliseum (1980–81, 1983–84) PNE Agrodome (1981–1982) |
| Stadium capacity |
30,000 (Empire) 60,000 (BC Place) 16,000 (Coliseum) 3,200 (Agrodome) |
| League | NASL |
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were a professional soccer team founded on December 11, 1973. During the 1970s and 1980s they played in the North American Soccer League (NASL). The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, Ruud Krol and Bruce Grobbelaar but also "home grown" stars like Bobby and Sam Lenarduzzi, Buzz Parsons, and Bruce Wilson. In 1979, the team from the "Village of Vancouver" (a reference to ABC TV sportscaster Jim McKay's observation that "Vancouver must be like the deserted village right now", with so many people watching the game on TV) beat the powerhouse New York Cosmos in one of the most thrilling playoff series in NASL history to advance to the Soccer Bowl. In the Soccer Bowl, they triumphed against the Tampa Bay Rowdies before a disappointed Giants Stadium crowd of 50,699 (66,843 tickets had been sold for the game).
It was during this short period that soccer interest peaked in Vancouver. The Whitecaps attendance at Empire Stadium grew to regular sellouts, at 32,000. The team also recorded two tracks, with "White is the Colour" (a takeoff on Chelsea FC's "Blue Is The Colour) becoming a hit on local radio during the run-up to their championship win.
After playing at Vancouver's 32,000-seat Empire Stadium for most of their existence, the team moved into the brand new 60,000-seat BC Place Stadium in 1983.
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