Vancouver's push for a Major League Baseball franchise has a name attached to it.
The City of Vancouver has confirmed that The Show Vancouver Bid Corporation (TSV) will work with the City to explore a potential MLB expansion opportunity, after selecting the group as preferred partner through a formal review process.
The selection follows a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI) that Council directed staff to launch in April 2026, aimed at identifying a qualified proponent and ownership group capable of pursuing an MLB expansion franchise for the city. TSV's submission was evaluated against criteria the City had set out in advance, including financial capacity, relevant expertise, governance structure and the group's proposed approach to landing a franchise.
With that evaluation complete, Council has directed staff to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with TSV. The MOU establishes a framework for the two sides to collaborate going forward, including due diligence on potential ballpark sites, as TSV continues to build out its bid. TSV will carry all costs and financial risk associated with preparing and advancing that bid.
The City was clear that no decisions have been made on a franchise, ballpark location, or any related development. Any future project agreements, site selection, land use decisions, development approvals or lease arrangements would still need to go to Council for consideration and approval.
TSV, for its part, framed the news as a milestone toward a much larger vision. The group was founded by Zack Ross, President of the multigenerational, Vancouver-based real estate company Cape Group, with the singular goal of bringing an MLB expansion franchise to the city and to British Columbia.
"Vancouver is my home and it is one of the great cities in the world, and we deserve a Major League Baseball team," Ross said in a release. "Our vision is a world-class MLB franchise anchored by a landmark ballpark and mixed-use real estate development at an iconic site, creating a destination that generates economic activity, civic pride, and community benefit for generations. This is a significant moment in the process to successfully bring an MLB team to Vancouver and we thank the city for the effort they put into this selection process."
Ross also positioned the eventual ballpark as something bigger than a stadium alone. "MLB in Vancouver will showcase our city's global character to the world. But first and foremost, this is a community asset, and we will always act as its steward," he said. "We're committed to working with the city and our community partners to ensure the franchise and the development reflect Vancouver's values around reconciliation, affordable housing, sustainability, local employment, and accessibility for the youth of British Columbia and Western Canada. We're building a ballpark this city can be proud of for generations to come — one that's present and engaged in the community 365 days a year, not just on game days."
The timing lines up with league-level ambitions. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has said publicly that he'd like to see the league expand from 30 to 32 teams prior to his scheduled retirement in 2029, and has pointed to Vancouver as a city that could support a franchise.
TSV has built out a leadership group to back the bid. Alongside Cape Group, the team includes BRS Sports, LLC, made up of three veterans of professional sports franchise and facility development: Jac Sperling, Ray Baker and Tim Romani.
Sperling has led three North American professional sports expansion launches and advised on the purchase or sale of 14 teams across leagues including the NHL, NBA, MLB, MLS, EPL and NASCAR, along with esports, and has been involved in the construction or renovation of eight professional sports facilities. He has served on the NHL and NBA Boards of Governors, as Special Advisor to the NBA Commissioner, and as Alternate Governor of the Tampa Bay Lightning since 2017 — a stretch that included the franchise's back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 2020 and 2021.
Baker, based in Denver, has been appointed to a number of state and local government boards, including the Board of Directors for the Denver Metropolitan Major League Baseball Stadium District, the public entity behind Coors Field, as well as the Metropolitan Football Stadium District that oversaw Empower Field at Mile High for the Denver Broncos. His background spans the full arc of public-private facility development, from site selection through financing, construction and lease negotiation.
Romani founded Icon Venue Group, later acquired by Creative Artists Agency to become CAA Icon, and has overseen more than $20 billion in sports and entertainment venue development across North America's major leagues and international markets, according to the release.
Former Vancouver mayor and BC premier Mike Harcourt, who oversaw Expo 86 and the redevelopment of the False Creek lands, backed the effort.
"I wholeheartedly support TSV's efforts to bring a Major League Baseball (MLB) team to Vancouver," he said. "Being named preferred partner of the city is the first step in building on these legacy projects to further transform our city for a new generation and further enhance Vancouver's reputation as one of the most livable cities in the world."
