VEGAS SPORTS REPORT: MLS Whitecaps relocation fight, Raiders progress, Aces title chase

A new owner has reportedly come forward to buy Major League Soccer’s (MLS’s) Vancouver Whitecaps, competing with a Las Vegas-based group looking to purchase the club and move it to Nevada.

According to Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy, former Vancouver Canucks’ owner Arthur Griffiths is leading a group interested in buying the team. Griffiths was also responsible for bringing the National Basketball Association’s (NBA’s) Grizzlies to Vancouver in 1995.

Whitecaps Sale Heats Up

At this point, there are few details on what Griffiths’ plans for the club would be. The Whitecaps have been for sale since late 2024. 

On the soccer pitch, the Whitecaps have excelled this season, sitting first in the MLS’ Western Conference, with a record of 10-3-3.

It’s off the field where the organization has had major challenges. Team owners and MLS CEO Don Garber have discussed how the lease at BC Place, where the team plays its home games, restricts matchday revenue opportunities and limits scheduling flexibility. BC Place, which isn’t a soccer-specific stadium, is owned by the province.

Vegas MLS Bid

According to Sportico, the Whitecaps are ranked 29^th among the 30 MLS teams in terms of valuation, at USD $450 million.

In April, an investor group led by Grant Gustavson, son of billionaire Tamara Gustavson, filed a formal bid with MLS to purchase the team and relocate it to Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is experiencing boom times for pro sports league expansion teams or relocation of existing teams.  

The Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) are into training camp now, about to launch their sixth season in the city. The National Hockey League (NHL) expanded to Las Vegas in 2017-18, with the Vegas Golden Knights as the league’s 31^st franchise. That team won the Stanley Cup in 2023 and reached the Cup finals again last spring, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes.

NBA Expansion Push

Major League Baseball’s (MLB’s) Oakland Athletics are set to relocate to Las Vegas for the 2028 season, with a new $2 billion domed stadium being built at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Tropicana Ave.

The Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA’s) Las Vegas Aces have been around since 2018, when the San Antonio Stars relocated to the city. Last May, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) announced that a new team would play at the T-Mobile Arena alongside the Golden Knights beginning this upcoming season.

And as we’ve reported, National Basketball Association expansion to Las Vegas is a league priority, with several ownership groups stepping up, and yesterday’s news here that VICI is teaming up with Caesars Entertainment on a plan to build an arena for an NBA expansion team on a 50-acre site behind Paris Las Vegas, Horseshoe Las Vegas, and Planet Hollywood.

Raiders O Line Taking Shape

The Raiders move to full pads next week in training camp, with first-year head coach Klint Kubiak speaking to reporters yesterday about how things have gone so far, just a few days into camp.

Kubiak was asked about how the team’s new offensive line has come together. 

The Raiders signed three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum as a free agent this past offseason, whose athleticism is ideal for Kubiak’s outside-zone running offense, a rushing scheme where the line moves laterally and running backs look for one decisive cut upfield when a lane opens.

Kolton Miller at left tackle is a proven vet, and Jackson Powers-Johnson at left guard is expected to take a major step. Caleb Rogers at right guard is an emerging young starter, and DJ Glaze at right tackle is another athletic option, entering his third season.

Kubiak Likes Progress

But the key cog is Linderbaum.

“I like how they’re working,” said Kubiak. “I like their attention to detail. I like how they’re finishing. You know, with our first day and our spider pads, we’ll just keep building them, keep banking reps, but we have a long way to go.”

In the meantime, the Raiders brought in another tight end yesterday (July 31) – signing Zack Kuntz, 6-foot-8, 251 pounds, a former New York Jet.

Bowers Building Chemistry

Kubiak opened training camp this past week, naming Kirk Cousins the starting quarterback. 

Reporters were asking Kubiak about how good the Raiders’ two-time Pro Bowl tight end, Brock Bowers, looked taking passes from Cousins, who is coming into his first season with the Raiders after signing as a free agent in April to, in part, mentor No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza.

“The ball found [Bowers] today [July 31], but there are guys on our team that offensively, especially, we’re really excited about,” said Kubiak. “Brock and Tre [Tucker, wide receiver], Jalen [Nailor, wide receiver], Mike [Washington Jr., running back] and Ashton [Jeanty, running back]. We just got to keep getting more reps, get them comfortable in the system, so we can be ready to play here in about a month.” 

Aces Road Trip Begins

Speaking of the Aces (20-9), they begin a pivotal road trip while the WNBA trade deadline looms tomorrow [Aug. 2], at 3 p.m. EST, with Las Vegas monitoring whether rivals make moves that could reshape the title race.

The Aces are one of the WNBA’s elite teams, coming off a statement 104-99 home victory Friday (July 31) over defending champion New York Liberty. 

That was followed by an upset loss to the Chicago Sky (11-18) today [Aug. 1] 84-83.

The Aces are now 3.5 games behind the first-place Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA’s Western Conference standings.