John Furlong :: Executive Chair of Whitecaps FC

VanCityVilla · Post edited by The_Real_Deal at 2012-09-27 16:34:03

Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that John Furlong, former chief executive officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), has been named executive chair of the club. Furlong assumes his new role with Whitecaps FC effective immediately.

As executive chair and the most senior member of the club’s executive team, Furlong joins president Bob Lenarduzzi, and chief operating officer Rachel Lewis, to lead the broad business operations of Whitecaps FC as the club continues its second season in Major League Soccer (MLS). He will also play an active strategic role with the club’s ownership group.

"Today marks another historic day for Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and on behalf of our ownership group, I am excited to welcome John to our team,” said Jeff Mallett, Whitecaps FC co-owner. “Throughout his tenure at VANOC, from the bid stage through to the completion of a highly successful Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, John has become one of the most respected and recognized leaders in Canada.”

“The ‘Caps ownership group is committed to its long-term vision of growing the club, and building and delivering a team – on and off the pitch – that our partners, supporters, and community can all be proud of," added Mallett. "We look forward to John’s contributions to helping us achieve our mandate.”

"Whitecaps FC have a long and rich history with a demonstrated commitment to developing and growing the thriving sport of soccer in British Columbia and Canada. I look forward to being part of this next chapter and contributing everything that I can to help all areas of the club succeed,” said Furlong. “As a lifelong supporter, I know that the experience for fans at a Major League Soccer match is unique, unlike any other sport, and we have only just begun to explore its enormous potential.”

Furlong was introduced by Jeff Mallett at a media conference today in downtown Vancouver.

About John Furlong:

John Furlong created the vision and led the team that bid for, organized, and staged the highly successful Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. He is one of the longest serving leaders in Olympic history.

He was there at the beginning of the bid phase and went on to become CEO of VANOC, leading the organization through many trials and tribulations, all the way through to the closing ceremonies. He was relentless in his pursuit to deliver a Games that would touch the hearts and minds of every Canadian. John Furlong is the leader behind the team that organized and staged the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. From the very beginning of the project, Furlong envisioned that the Games could be a true nation builder, helping to improve the fabric of Canadian society. IOC President Jacques Rogge remarked in a Canadian Press interview at how Vancouver had taken on the Games in a way that was ``unheard of in the Olympic movement,'' and considered them as belonging to all of Canada, was not surprised that the Games had become a catalyst for national unity.

Furlong’s service to sport has landed him with numerous other forms of recognition - among them The IOC’s Olympic Order and the IPC’s Paralympic Order. He was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame as the 2004 W.A.C. Bennett Award winner.

Furlong has been involved with athletics all his life, having competed at the international level in Basketball, European handball and Squash. He became Canadian Squash Champion in 1986. Furlong has been a long time member of the Canadian Olympic Committee and has led many high profile sport organizations in Canada.

On July 1, 2010, Furlong was named an Officer of the Order of Canada and on October 21, 2010, he became a Member of the Order of British Columbia.

He has been recognized by The Globe and Mail as Canada’s Nation Builder of 2010, as one of the top 25 most transformational living Canadians and has been named Canadian of the Year by The Canadian Club. He is Canada’s 2010 Marketer of the year and Sports Media Canada’s Sports Executive of the Year.

In 2009, Furlong was named Canada’s Most influential Sport Figure by both The Globe and Mail and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He is also Sport BC’s Sportsman of the Decade.

Born in Tipperary, Ireland, Furlong has five children and eleven grandchildren. His book Patriot Hearts – Inside the Olympics that changed a country became an instant national bestseller when it was launched on February 12, 2011, the one year anniversary of the 2010 Winter Games.

ynwasouthside

Training centre? Or Old Fan replacing Tom Soehn?

cixceven

Engage speculation!

theonewolf

Strategic?!? What does that mean!?!?!? Tommy gone? Training center?

theonewolf

Steve Nash will be on BUS A for the Portland trip!!!!!

theonewolf

Jarju is back!!!!

piltdownman

For the Whitecaps "major announcement" often means non-event. Could be that they changed their auto insurance.

Although it could be the training centre, a new partnership with BC Soccer, women's team related, or the much rumored 3rd jersey.

cixceven

piltdownman said: Although it could be [...] the much rumored 3rd jersey.

If the 3rd jersey is "strategic," it must be uglier than any of us suspect.

fourfourtwo · Post edited by fourfourtwo at 2012-04-11 16:17:09

Interesting word "strategic":

I would guess that it is training centre in addition to some kind of partnership with CSA or something of that nature.

What about an upwards or downwards club partnership with NASL or Europe?

Subhedgehog

Am I the only one thinking it might have to do with Telus/Bell/BC Place?

Chris

piltdownman said: Could be that they changed their auto insurance.

If they come out and announce that they saved 15% by switching to Geiko, I will have everlasting respect for them.

Chris

Subhedgehog said: Am I the only one thinking it might have to do with Telus/Bell/BC Place?

One would expect a Pavco representative were that the case, but it's certainly possible.

krisaug5

mwilliam said: Steve Nash will be on BUS A for the Portland trip!!!!!

Type-o. Steve Nash will be on Bus C... don't tell anyone, it's a secret

krisaug5

Any idea what time the conference is at?

FootyMonster

Maybe a new CEO… OLDFAN?

VanCityVilla · Post edited by VanCityVilla at 2012-04-11 16:18:41

WhitecapsFC announcement will be streamed on their website at 9:30 am meaning we'll probably see it around 9:45 am

Royalcity

Doesn't Mallet own a piece of Derby County?

Lord_Bob

Subhedgehog said: Am I the only one thinking it might have to do with Telus/Bell/BC Place?

Waterfront Stadum!!!!!!11111

Blue_and_White_Army

New Super-Y team for nine-year-old girls.

fourfourtwo

Royalcity said: Doesn't Mallet own a piece of Derby County?

Maybe we will pull a Franchise FC and Whitecaps will now be in the Npower Championship?

bobloblaw17

where's Christy Clark gonna be tomorrow?

theonewolf · Post edited by theonewolf at 2012-04-11 16:31:56

Uh oh!! 3rd jersey!> krisaug5 said:

mwilliam said: Steve Nash will be on BUS A for the Portland trip!!!!!

Type-o. Steve Nash will be on Bus C... don't tell anyone, it's a secret

Sorry that's right. It's all guys on BUS C. Sorry about that. My mistake.

theonewolf

Chris said:

Subhedgehog said: Am I the only one thinking it might have to do with Telus/Bell/BC Place?

One would expect a Pavco representative were that the case, but it's certainly possible.

I am sure Christy and bc taxpayers would be very happy if that was the case. Doubtful though.

krisaug5

mwilliam said: Uh oh!! 3rd jersey!> krisaug5 said:

mwilliam said: Steve Nash will be on BUS A for the Portland trip!!!!!

Type-o. Steve Nash will be on Bus C... don't tell anyone, it's a secret

Sorry that's right. It's all guys on BUS C. Sorry about that. My mistake.

The host(ess) of Bus C is female. Your argument is invalid. anyways, back on topic....

WATERFRONT STADIUM!!!!!

spinrack

Whitecaps sold, moved to New York, and renamed The Cosmos.

piltdownman

Blue_and_White_Army said: New Super-Y team for nine-year-old girls.

All Southsiders who attend matches automatically placed on a potential offenders list.

Fynnsky

I think most are already on it

GoF

Since it's in a ballroom, it's clearly that Tommy Soehn is going to be on the next Dancing with the Stars, in a strategic move to appeal to sad couch potatoes.

The press release also says that there will be photo opportunities, so he's clearly going to put on a dancing display for everyone.

Damn that I can't get out of work at that time.

krisaug5

photo opportunities? Either it's something to do with the stadium, or a new player, or the kit (But the kit doesnt sound like a "strategic" thing... unless Bell is being dropped and replaced)

spinrack

krisaug5 said: (But the kit doesnt sound like a "strategic" thing... unless Bell is being dropped and replaced)

One can only hope.

piltdownman

A Third kit is 'strategic'. It's not 'player', 'coaching', 'sponsorship', 'stadium' or 'staffing' ... It's 'strategic'.

Subhedgehog

Strategic means partner related in my mind. Sponsorship etc. I'm still thinking something to do with the recent threats of litigation etc. Maybe a deal w/ Telus to enable wifi at whitecaps games? :P

The_Real_Deal

krisaug5 said:

mwilliam said: Steve Nash will be on BUS A for the Portland trip!!!!!

Type-o. Steve Nash will be on Bus C... don't tell anyone, it's a secret

I've screwed up and just booked Steve O from Jackass for Bus A

Subhedgehog

Oh crap. I just realized. The front office could be moving to a 1-3-2-4. That's strategic, right?

Chris

Bob Mackin on twitter: Just off phone with @WhitecapsFC spokeswoman Carly Jokic - who wouldn't deny Thurs announcement is about team training facility. #bcpoli

Neeskens1974

I just shat myself with excitement.

Blueprint · Post edited by Blueprint at 2012-04-11 17:13:46

Houston just dropped their 3rd jersey today. Might be a showcase for the brown and blue kit. Not sure what the photo opp would be for the new training facility (unless the ballroom is the new facility)

GoF

My photo opp would be Bobby, Rachel and Jeff having dirt smeared all over them, wearing hardhats and holding shovels.

Then someone shouts out "so that's what happened to Jonathan Leathers".

whymark

With his movie and wave over could this be Jay Demerit announcing he will take a couple months off to be on dancing with the stars?

VanCityVilla

Blueprint said: Houston just dropped their 3rd jersey today. Might be a showcase for the brown and blue kit. Not sure what the photo opp would be for the new training facility (unless the ballroom is the new facility)

I'm leaning towards the third kit for some reason.

krisaug5 · Post edited by krisaug5 at 2012-04-11 17:28:42

I am also leaning towards the 3rd kit with the photo opp thing, but not sure how to justify it as "Strategic"

Christopher

If it's a third kit, I would imagine they'd have players there to model it. That would mean they'd have to miss training. I don't suppose anyone knows of players who aren't going to be a training tomorrow?

krisaug5 · Post edited by krisaug5 at 2012-04-11 17:37:16

Guessing Rochat since he's injured. Nanchoff(still injured?) Mattocks.

edit: I hear Camilo's injured, but he's training, yes?

slamo

They've decided to restructure the seating chart for 2013 to put the cheap seats behind the net.

Or...they've developed a partnership with Derby County and Fisk, Irving and Clarke are heading over after the PDL season.

Christopher

krisaug5 said: Guessing Rochat since he's injured. Nanchoff(still injured?) Mattocks.

edit: I hear Camilo's injured, but he's training, yes?

Rochat was at training today, working with J.J. in some drills and running around the pitch. Nanchoff's been doing full or close to full training for at least a week. Camilo and Russell were absent, as Rus is sick, and not sure what's going on with Camilo. Mattocks is in no condition to be photographed, I'm afraid.

Steve

For immediate release:

VANCOUVER, BC. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, on behalf of MLS and Soccer United Marketing, have acquired all rights and trademarks to the Vancouver Southsiders supporters group and will enlist every season ticket holder in the southwest end of the stadium to take part in a setlist of three-to-five MLS Family Engagement Committee-approved chants. The timing and frequency of chants will be strictly enforced by the new Whitecaps director of atmosphere simulation.

This news comes after a series of meetings took place between Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi and the front office executives of Seattle Sounders FC. It has been agreed between the two clubs that claims of who invented what will be split between the rivals. Seattle will retain rights to the invention of soccer supporters culture, while the Whitecaps will stake a claim for the wave and the holding up of scarves at the opening of a match.

As per agreements with the league, the Southsiders will no longer take part in the Independent Supporters Council, as it has been branded a "terrorist organization" by the US Department of Homeland Security.

Canuckred

I can't see it not being a training centre. The Duz said an announcement is on the way about a month ago on WCFC daily (though he still won't comment on rumours). Premier double C possibly attending clinches it for me.

Evil_Bert

The word "Strategic" could be a bunch of BS but if they are true to that then there are numerous possibilities.

Tommy has pretty much been hidden since the end of last season, so I wouldn't be surprised if he has been replaced.

Strategy could mean some additional senior person, a "consultant" being added. It could also mean some sort of convoluted partnership either with a European club or with the CSA.

I'm not expecting any sort of breakthrough tomorrow. A day of forgotten significance.

Chris

Soehn wouldn't garner this kind of attention at this stage. His departure is nothing more than a press release.

Surreysider

Kind of dissapointing that the Caps FO would make this announcement on the eve of the Canucks first playoff game. After years of relative obscurity in the Vancouver market, the Canucks finally had a chance to go and get themselves into the media spotlight, and the Caps go and cut them off at the path.

I blame Tommy

bobloblaw17

Whitecaps to form partnership with new and improved Super Socco

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