Despite all the optimism felt by the ownership and management team of the Vancouver Whitecaps, there's always a level of consternation when heading into new territory.
But any apprehension they may have had evaporated almost immediately when they began taking deposits on season tickets for their MLS expansion franchise.
When tickets went on sale Saturday morning online at 10 a.m., there were already 1,000 people waiting to hit the buy button and by Monday morning it was all over.
All 5,000 season tickets were gobbled up in less than 48 hours.
Next up is an option for current Whitecaps subscribers to jump on board. And there's still another way. Buy Whitecaps season tickets for 2009 year and you jump to the front of the cue, no $50 deposit required.
Failing that, it’s off to a waiting list. Fourteen thousand Toronto FC fans know what that's all about.
BC Place will hold 20,000 for soccer, with a season ticket cap of 16,500. Like BMO Field in Toronto, it almost seems too small already. It’s all happened so fast that team officials are still plotting their next moves down the road.
Meanwhile pre-Olympic renovations are underway at BC Place. They'll wrap it up before the CFL Lions begin their season. The final upgrade is of course the new retractable roof which won't be installed until after the 2010 CFL season.
Much farther east, the savvy Eugene Melnyk is doing everything he can to take advantage of the momentum in Vancouver and even Portland.
He released separate public statements immediately after the two cities were awarded their MLS franchises, congratulating both, and reminding everyone, especially the league, that Ottawa still wants to join the party.
And trust me, if Melnyk gets his stadium, he'll get his team. It’s a certainty.
But it’s a big hurdle.
The league wants Ottawa so badly they sent a letter Monday morning to the mayor and city councillors letting them know how strongly they feel about Melnyk and the chances for success of a team in the nation's capital.
You get the feeling they're waiting by the phone to answer any questions a cynical politician might have.
And it’s the politicians who hold the hammer.
Stay tuned.
