Latest news with #Garber
Vancouver Sun
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Whitecaps won't have to move for World Supercross Championships in 2025
We know this: This year, the Vancouver Whitecaps won't have to move a game away from their home stadium because of a bunch of motorbikes. Tuesday's announcement that the World Supercross Championships will make a return to Vancouver this fall was all about the excitement of fans, the quality of racing, and so on and so on. It all happens Nov. 15. What wasn't in the announcement — but if you have a touch of sense, you'll quickly understand — is the significance of that date. It is smack-dab in the middle of November's FIFA international window, when national teams around the world, including Canada, will play a pair of matches against international opposition. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. It's also smack-dab in the middle of Major League Soccer's playoff schedule, but the league smartly has always taken that international window off. (International windows that have fallen in the midst of the regular season have generally not been breaks in the MLS schedule.) We can credit last fall's fiasco, when the long-scheduled Supercross ended up forcing the Whitecaps out of town for a wild-card playoff game. They had won the right to host the match against the Portland Timbers and yet they couldn't because the motocross organization needed time to prepare the dirt track. The day MLS picked for the Caps-Timbers match, Oct. 23, was inside the needed preparation window. It was a ridiculous scene for a team that has a deal with the stadium to be a primary tenant, one that you would think could have been avoidable. Why pay all that extra money, as the Caps and B.C. Lions do, if you can't get preferred access to your own home pitch? PavCo, operators of B.C. Place , acknowledged last week that they had offered to host the playoff match a day earlier, on Oct. 22, which was the other match day MLS had identified for the wild-card round. But in coordination with Apple TV, the league's broadcaster, chose to schedule the CF Montreal vs. Atlanta United match that night instead. It was all so avoidable. B.C. Place should be booking all kinds of events. It's there to be used. But should PavCo be prioritizing one-off events over ongoing, locally owned partnerships? It was a very odd plan. The mess was a big reason why MLS commissioner Don Garber called B.C. Place an 'unviable' venue int the future for the Whitecaps. They need to have true priority at their stadium, was the implication. Also, having their own stadium would allow them to generate their own revenue, which is more and more of a challenge at the downtown dome. That said, Garber is a bit of an outlier in his critiques of B.C. Place. The Caps are obviously talking a lot about building their own stadium out at the PNE, but they have been careful to be anything other than well-spoken tenants when it comes to B.C. Place. Officials from FIFA are obviously a big fans of the stadium. World Rugby loves the building too. And so do, evidently, the fine folks at World Supercross. You do wonder if B.C. Place had a grass surface, like many stadiums of its ilk are able to do even without consistent direct sunlight from above — think the Bernabeu in Madrid, or the Sapporo Dome in Sapporo, Japan — would the MLS be so adamant that the Caps need a stadium plan. Anyway, a year later, B.C. Place's bosses seem to have learned their lesson. There will be no playoff debacle this year. There is also no risk of there being a conflict with the B.C. Lions that weekend either — that's the weekend of the Grey Cup, which is being playing in Winnipeg. pjohnston@
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber warns: If you're a student, using AI means ...
Credit: X/@Lewis_Ranieri Bluesky CEO Jay Garber has issued an important warning to students who are using AI tools for completing their academic work. Garber said that doing so, students may be inadvertently contributing to their own obsolescence. Talking to Business Insider, Garber said that while AI tools might offer shortcuts but relying on them completely will affect your learning process and development of critical skills. Garber's warning comes at a time when students are heavily relying on AI tools for the completion of their school and university assignments. While some educators embrace AI as a learning aid, others worry it may undermine academic integrity and long-term skill building. AI and Education In an interview with Business Insider, Garber emphasised that for students the act of solving problems is of utmost importance and delegating that task to AI will hamper their capabilities. 'AI is able to automate a lot of critical-reasoning tasks, and if we fully outsource our own reasoning, it's actually not good enough to run in an automated fashion,' Garber told BI. Garber also mentioned that over-relying on AI tools could hinder students' ability to think critically, solve problems independently, and develop their own unique voice and understanding. The Bluesky CEO added that if students are given a task of writing an essay by hand, then the whole idea behind the exercise is to help them develop critical thinking skills and the keep it growing. "You can't just fully outsource your thinking, or an essay, to AI," added Garber. She added that at Bluekey AI is used for moderation and content curation—but never without human review. 'When you let it run autonomously, it doesn't have actual context or intelligence,' Graber explained. 'It produces stuff that sounds or looks right without actually being right.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like A Different Kind of Caribbean Cruise AskLayers Learn More Undo She emphasised that human intervention and judgement is really important to ensure the quality and context. Generalist skills in an AI world The Bluesky CEO has also urged the students and job seekers to adopt a generalist mindset. She argues that the ability to synthesize and apply knowledge across multiple disciplines is more important than just focusing on a particular specialisation. 'You need to have the good judgment of how you're going to use it, and then you have to have the flexibility to take that knowledge and do something useful with it,' she said. She adds that AI can assist in tasks like writing and coding, but still the foundational skills remain critical. 'If you don't know what good code looks like, if you don't know how to actually build a system, you're not going to be able to evaluate its output,' she added.
Vancouver Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
MLS 'misrepresenting' Whitecaps' stadium availability: B.C. Place
Two days after being publicly criticized about how often B.C. Place is available for the Vancouver Whitecaps, the authority that runs the stadium is pushing back. Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber criticized the stadium on Wednesday for offering the Whitecaps a limited selection of playing dates saying they made only 17 dates available for home matches and also for forcing the Whitecaps to play a 'home' playoff game last fall on the road. Not so fast, B.C. Place officials are saying. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'The statement from the Major League Soccer commissioner that the Whitecaps only receive 17 days to play matches at B.C. Place is a misrepresentation of how many days are made available to the organization,' read a statement provided to Postmedia on Friday morning, attributed to B.C. Place as an organization. According to B.C. Place, on average more than 40 days are made available each season to the Whitecaps. 'The Vancouver Whitecaps FC are a valued long-term partner of B.C. Place, and the stadium works closely with the club to ensure their matches and events are a scheduling priority,' the statement continued. 'Every year, B.C. Place and the Whitecaps collaborate to establish a calendar that accommodates regular season matches, playoff matches, CONCACAF tournaments and other qualifying competitions.' The Whitecaps have called the downtown stadium home since late 2011, their first year in MLS. At the moment, the Whitecaps are scheduled to play 23 games this year at B.C. Place, although if they defeat Forge FC in their two-legged Canadian Championship semi-final, they will host the final, giving them 24 game days. On top of those games, B.C. Place points out, the stadium also hosts practices and other media events at the stadium. Those push the Caps beyond 40 events per year. 'The stadium also supports the club in hosting a variety of other activities, such as watch parties, season ticketholder events, stakeholder meetings, film shoots, and other supporting events,' the statement noted. As for last year's playoff game which saw the Caps have to play in Portland, even though they were the home team, because of a previously booked motocross event at B.C. Place, stadium officials again pushed back. The league had proposed the Whitecaps host the Portland Timbers on Oct. 23, but that was unavailable because of preparations for the World Supercross Championships, set to take place Oct. 26 at the stadium. That the Whitecaps had to play a game on the road that they had earned the right to host was an example Garber cited on Wednesday of why B.C. Place is an 'unviable' venue going forward. According to B.C. Place, they negotiated with officials for the supercross and would have been able to host the Whitecaps vs. Timbers match on Oct. 22. B.C. Place said the club supported the proposed date. 'Unfortunately, the proposed solution was not approved by MLS, and the Whitecaps were required to play the match on the road,' B.C. Place said. 'B.C. Place is proud to be the home of Vancouver Whitecaps FC and remains committed to supporting the club's growth and success now and into the future.' In a statement on Thursday, the Whitecaps re-iterated that they continue to talk with the City of Vancouver about building a soccer-specific stadium on the grounds of the PNE at Hastings Park. The team hasn't specifically pointed to the current site of Hastings Racecourse, but the lease for the horse-racing operation there expires next May and most expect that the city will look toward a different use for the property which has hosted horse racing since the 1890s. 'Vancouver Whitecaps FC can confirm that discussions with the City of Vancouver regarding potential stadium development at the PNE fairgrounds site are progressing,' the team said in its statement. 'While the club is taking all necessary action to keep moving this process forward, it is a complex undertaking that can take considerable time. Our objective is to continue to move the project forward as quickly as possible, working with the city, the province, and MLS. At this time, the club has no further updates to share on these conversations with the city.' If the Whitecaps are able to secure an agreement to build a stadium on the site, they will still need to secure funding for construction — and they still need a new owner. Plus, stadium construction would take several years, so the team will need somewhere to play in the interim, presumably at B.C. Place. The Whitecaps have not commented on the state of negotiations with PavCo. 'Meanwhile, it is business as usual for Whitecaps FC. We remain focused on extending the great momentum of the season and continuing to invest in and grow the club and Canadian soccer. Whitecaps FC remains grateful for the passionate support of our fans and the broader Vancouver soccer community,' the Whitecaps statement concluded. The City of Vancouver issued a short statement as well: 'The city recognizes the Vancouver Whitecaps as an important part of our community's cultural and economic vibrancy and is supportive of the Whitecaps staying in Vancouver and exploring feasible options. At this time, the city cannot disclose specific information regarding potential land-use matters or ongoing discussions related to Hastings Park or the Hastings Racecourse property.' pjohnston@
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
MLS commissioner says Whitecaps ‘need' viable stadium as talks continue for PNE site
The future home of the Vancouver Whitecaps is once again under the spotlight, following comments from Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber. Speaking Wednesday, Garber addressed speculation about the club's future following its December announcement that the franchise is for sale. 'We have no plans to move the Vancouver Whitecaps,' said Garber. 'But right now they don't have a viable stadium situation and they need one.' Why BC Place is under scrutiny BC Place has hosted the Whitecaps since late 2011, following the team's inaugural MLS season at the temporary Empire Field. The 42-year-old venue has faced mounting criticism from fans and league officials. Issues include its artificial turf, the cavernous match-day atmosphere, and scheduling conflicts that last season forced the Whitecaps to play a home playoff match in Portland. Garber also raised concerns about limited access to BC Place during renovations leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 'We have a stadium that we will lose access to because of construction for the 2026 World Cup,' he said. 'We get 17 days where we can play our games and that's it.' Talks underway for PNE stadium In April, the Whitecaps confirmed they are in discussions with the City of Vancouver about building a new soccer-specific stadium at the PNE fairgrounds in East Vancouver. In a statement to CTV News Thursday, the club confirmed those talks are 'progressing.' 'While the club is taking all necessary action to keep moving this process forward, it is a complex undertaking that can take considerable time,' the team said. 'Our objective is to continue to move the project forward as quickly as possible, working with the city, the province, and MLS. At this time, the club has no further updates to share on these conversations with the city.' City and province signal support Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim also responded Wednesday, stressing the team's importance to the city. 'The Vancouver Whitecaps are an integral part of our city's sport and cultural identity and we are encouraged by the commissioner's comments that there is no intention to move the team out of Vancouver,' Sim said in a statement. 'The club's ownership has always been clear on their goal of constructing a purpose-built stadium since Vancouver was awarded an MLS franchise back in 2009. While we cannot disclose specific information regarding potential land-use matters, we are continuing to explore ways to ensure the Whitecaps can remain in Vancouver for generations to come.' The B.C. government has also indicated it may get involved to help overcome potential land and legislative challenges. 'There may be land restrictions, there may be issues where they need the province to make some tweaks to legislation – those are the things that we're waiting on the City of Vancouver and the Whitecaps to get back to us on,' said Ravi Kahlon, B.C.'s Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth. Long-term uncertainty While BC Place will remain the team's home for now, long-term uncertainty lingers as ownership works toward securing a new facility and potential buyers assess the franchise. Blake Price, host of the Sekeres & Price podcast, said the road to a new stadium won't be easy. 'The number of owners that can foot this bill, those don't grow on trees,' said Price. 'It's a lot of money to lay out for a new stadium. It's equally hard to get public money to help finance that new stadium.' CTV News has reached out to the Whitecaps for additional comment.
Canada News.Net
6 days ago
- Climate
- Canada News.Net
MLS taps brakes on seismic calendar shift
(Photo credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images) While acknowledging that it makes sense to move the MLS season to a schedule that mirrors the top soccer leagues in Europe, there was no commitment to the change during All-Star Game festivities at Austin, Texas, this week. At the MLS board of governors meeting, in conjunction with the league's All-Star week, a vote on the monumental shift in schedule that would start in late summer and end the following spring was delayed. With no commitment to a change, the earliest an MLS schedule change could happen now is in 2027. The current MLS season started in February and will run until October, although adjustments are made in World Cup years. A potential new schedule pattern would avoid league play in the core summer months. 'We're not making any announcements today, but we continue to do enormous amount of work with our fans, with our partners, with all of our chief soccer officers, and with our clubs to get ourselves closer to the point we're able to make that decision,' commissioner Don Garber said this week. 'But we believe that alignment is something that makes sense.' One issue for a schedule that spans winter is extreme cold and snow that could affect teams like the Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Minnesota United, CF Montreal, the New England Revolution, Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC, and even clubs like the Columbus Crew, New York Red Bulls and New York City FC. But extreme heat and thunderstorms in the summer months have posed their challenges in the current schedule setup. 'It's getting hotter, and that's clearly an issue, playing through the depth and the core of the warmest months in many of our markets,' Garber said. 'So it just adds to the challenges and complexity that MLS has to deal with.' In April, the board of governors voted to continue the exploration of a schedule that operated through the winter. This week's decision to delay a vote means the subject will not be dealt with again by the board until later this year.
