City receives submissions for potential Major League Baseball bid
The June 19 deadline passed for ownership groups to submit expressions of interest in bringing an MLB expansion team to Vancouver.
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The City of Vancouver has received "submissions" from parties interested in bringing a Major League Baseball team to Vancouver, but details remain under wraps.
The city is completing its intake and review process following Friday's June 19 deadline, but won't disclose the number of submissions, names of proponents, or how viable any bids are. "We are not commenting on the number, status or details of submissions while that process is underway," the city's communications department said.
Mayor Ken Sim launched the request for "expressions of interest" seeking proponents with the capability, expertise, and know-how to pursue an MLB expansion franchise. In April, Sim indicated there was genuine interest from credible parties. "What I can tell you is that the credible people that are interested—and there will be a lot of people interested—they will bring a network and know-how that understands this process very well," he said.
Sim's push follows comments by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, who said in an interview before the 2025 World Series that "another city in Canada clearly could work for us." Manfred visited Western Canada last summer and noted strong fan support for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Sim has said no taxpayer money is contemplated in the process. Council's role is simply to support a bid from private owners to strengthen the franchise's chances of reaching Vancouver. If a proponent is approved by an evaluation panel, city staff will make a recommendation for council consideration before the end of July.