Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber stated that his X account was "compromised" on Wednesday evening, following a since-deleted post that called British Columbia Premier David Eby a "liar" earlier in the day. The incident adds another layer of tension to an ongoing relocation controversy involving the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Background on the Whitecaps Relocation Saga
The Vancouver Whitecaps have been grappling with serious financial difficulties attributed to their tenancy at BC Place, a stadium owned by the provincial government. This long-standing issue has recently intensified, with the team being linked to potential moves to Las Vegas or Phoenix.
Earlier on Thursday, Premier Eby posted a 45-second video on his X account, reassuring Whitecaps fans: "The Whitecaps are British Columbia, and I want you to know that we are at the table fighting hard to save the Whitecaps."
The Controversial Post and Deletion
Approximately four hours later, Garber's account responded directly to Eby's video with a post reading: "Liar liar pants on fire." Screenshots confirmed the post's timestamp at 8 p.m. Pacific time. Within an hour, the tweet was removed, and a new post appeared at 10 p.m. Pacific time, stating: "My account was compromised earlier this evening. The issue has been resolved. I appreciate Premier Eby for taking the time to meet with me today."
MLS executive vice president of communications Dan Courtemanche, who manages Garber's communications, also posted multiple replies to fans on X, asserting that Garber had been "hacked."
Garber's Whereabouts and Social Media Habits
According to a source with direct knowledge of the situation, Garber was at dinner with US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone and CEO JT Batson when he became aware of the post. Garber, like many high-profile sports figures, does not typically manage his social media presence directly and has not personally replied to an X post in several years.
Garber's Visit to Vancouver and the Whitecaps' Financial Struggles
Garber has been in Vancouver for FIFA's congress on Thursday, where he engaged with local government leaders regarding the Whitecaps. The situation has grown increasingly tense in recent months. Whitecaps ownership has repeatedly stated that while they have received widespread interest from potential local ownership groups, no formal offers have been made.
The team's ownership attributes the primary issue to an untenable agreement with PavCo, a crown corporation of British Columbia that owns BC Place. Despite a recently renegotiated lease, the Whitecaps claim the team remains economically unviable in Vancouver.
"We appreciate the deal very much, but it's not a deal that will solve our problems," Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster told the Guardian earlier this month. "I take every dollar that can better our situation, but it's not the gamechanger for us."
The club has a memorandum of understanding with Vancouver to build a soccer-specific stadium in the city, but local leaders indicate that process could take years. Schuster described the proposed site as a "challenging piece of land" and added, "To make the dream come true, it needs way more than the Vancouver Whitecaps alone trying to figure it out."
