St. Louis Expansion Talks!

[Tad Ghostal]

During the MLS game on ESPN today (Colorado vs. Columbus), they
mentioned St. Louis is significantly in the picture for the struggle to
get an MLS expansion team now that San Antonio's out.

Usually this kind of talk doesn't make it to MLS game-of-the-week halftime discussion unless it's real AND a big deal worth watching out for.

Does anyone have any details or more information about St. Louis' prospects for getting an MLS team???

[suppitty]

Where the hell would they play? The Edward Jones Dome?!??! I don't see an outdoor football stadium in St Louis that they could play in temporarily, but if they have SSS plans then get them in the league now. They support all their teams well. Downside to it is that the Cardinals are so popular, and would be direct competition.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Maybe the movie "The Game of Their Lives" got somebody in the St. Louis area with deep pockets thinking pro soccer?

[dolphinscoach]

I heard the comment at halftime, too. There are some deep pockets in St. Louis, some with a history of supporting soccer, and these are people who can make things happen. Has anyone heard the names involved?

The first name that popped into my head (likely wishful thinking since I have no firsthand or secondhand knowledge) is Busch. It's been a while since I've lived around St. Louis, so someone correct me if I'm wrong (as if BigSoccer posters needed that prompting :) ) but haven't Busch dollars funded a soccer complex around Fulton, youth teams, etc.? IIRC, the Busch family no longer owns the Cardinals, and the stadium bearing their name comes down in a few months. A St. Louis soccer franchise could be right up their alley.

St. Louis seems like a natural city to have a team. Not only have a lot of outstanding players come out of there - not just from the 1950 USMNT - but St. Louis U. has a rich history, there have been some very successful club teams from the area, the city had a team in NASL (my dad took me to my first pro game to see the Stars play) and also a team in MISL. Good sports city, too. I'd like to see it happen.

[nobody]

I'll buy my season ticket as soon as they go on sale. And, I think soccer would have great support in St. Louis, its one of the few cirties around the country with a long soccer background, where just about everyone not only has played, but has some respect for the game. Personally, I also like that its not just an upper-middle class past time around here. Go over to Granite City to see how a bunch of blue collar steel workers play the game.

Unfortunately, I agree that it's hard to imagine where they would play. Could they expand the main field at Soccer Park? How big is the new stadium SLU is building gonna be? Yeah, everything's too big or too small right now. They'd either have to expand something, build something new, or play in a really poor venue for a while.

OH...the new baseball stadium's gonna be Busch Stadium too. But, yeah, it's hard to think a soccer team would pop up in St. Louis without some sort of AB involvement. They support a ton of youth soccer stuff in town and sports in general.

[AndyMead]

Maybe the movie "The Game of Their Lives" got somebody in the St. Louis area with deep pockets thinking pro soccer?

Somebody actually saw the movie? :confused:

[Marchetti]

1. The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park is in Fenton, Missouri. Fenton is approximately 15 miles outside of downtown St. Louis, and the stadium there holds approx. 7,000 people. The problem I see with the A-B Soccer Park is that there is not much room to expand the stadium itself, and with a river nearby, it would be hard to include large-scale parking efforts in a reconstruction of the complex.

2. Saint Louis University already has built their own soccer-specific stadium. What they want to build is a new arena, for their basketball teams. SLU's Hermann Stadium seats 6,000, and has A LOT of room to expand, and has numerous parking garages in the area to help with the influx of people who *may* come to watch MLS soccer in St. Louis.

3. The Anheuser-Busch Corporation, the Busch family, and the namesake of Budwesier has always been a huge supporter of US Soccer, Major League Soccer, Saint Louis University (SLU's student Union is named the Busch Student Center... and August Busch IV is a graduate of SLU), and youth soccer in general (St. Louis Soccer Club used to be named Busch Soccer Club). While one may assume that the Busch family would be more than willing to help invest into MLS, this would not be the case. They have made it clear that they will only sponsor sports, sports teams, or stadiums (as is the case with the Cardinals' Busch Stadium). About 20 or 30 years ago, the Busch family sold their operating rights and then made it clear they do not want to ever OWN a sports franchise.

4. St. Louis has done more than any other city in the US to help the game of soccer grow. In addition to half of the US's 1950 World Cup squad hailing from "The Hill" neighborhood off of Kingshighway, Saint Louis University holds the most NCAA men's soccer titles, and area products have helped MLS and the National Team grow (Taylor Twellman, Pat Noonan, Brian McBride-SLU-, Steve Ralston, Mike Sorber, Chris Klein... I could go on.

5. With all this, the most important factor remains: would people come watch a pro team in St. Louis?

Yes. Come to St. Louis on a Sunday morning or afternoon, drive around parts of the city, and the majority of the suburbs, and you will pass by numerous parks with kids and adults playing either in rec leagues or pick up games. Without a doubt... the fans are here, and St. Louis has the support for a team. The only question is who will invest in one?

[scaryice]

So if they're building a new Busch Stadium, are they going to tear the old one down? Are there any plans for that site?

[Marchetti]

So if they're building a new Busch Stadium, are they going to tear the old one down? Are there any plans for that site?
The New Busch Stadium is actually being built on half of the land occupied by the Old Busch Stadium. Basically, the new stadium is on the same site as the old one, except 200 feet south.

It's really weird.

[sounderfan]

The New Busch Stadium is actually being built on half of the land occupied by the Old Busch Stadium. Basically, the new stadium is on the same site as the old one, except 200 feet south.

It's really weird.

http://www.ballparktour.com/NewBusch102.jpg

http://www.ballparktour.com/New_Cards_Ballpark.html

PS: "Talk" on during match coverage is not a great indicator if keen interest by an investment group. Neither is Garber dropping names. We are SEATTLE, we know of what we speak.

[McGinty]

Neither is Garber dropping names. We are SEATTLE, we know of what we speak.

So is this another Seattle fan equating Don Garber with Doug Logan?

[sounderfan]

So is this another Seattle fan equating Don Garber with Doug Logan?

Reread post. If I were doing that, would I have been so polite? :D

I'm not sure any of us have really figured out what "being mentioned on the city candidate list" by Don garber actually means.

I can only speak for Seattle, but in our case I think it means he wishes we had a rich investor so he could put a team here.

The other stuff is in place:

Adequate stadium for the time being: check

Soccer-loving area: check

Money from Qwest (read AEG) for stadium name: check

Leiweke connection with Qwest Field/LA Galaxy: check
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5189766#post5189766
Tim's Brother Tod :
http://www.wild.com/team/003/225/

Big bucks owner: oops

[that'sthecrewforyou]

I'm all for this since the games would be on FSN and FSN groups Indy and St. Louis in the same region

[Marchetti]

I'm all for this since the games would be on FSN and FSN groups Indy and St. Louis in the same region
haha...

when I'm at school at SLU, I watch a lot of Pacers bball games on FSN Midwest.

[dirtskier]

well as much as people will cringe, a baseball stadium is never really out of the question for soccer. Either Busch might work.

[Mack_Dundee]

Areaproducts have helped MLS and the National Team grow (Taylor Twellman, Pat Noonan, Brian McBride-SLU-, Steve Ralston, Mike Sorber, Chris Klein... I could go on.

What about Jonathan Spector? Spector is arguably the second best American prospect after Freddie Adu, and he's from St. Louis. Hell, the youngster plays for MANCHESTER UNITED yet he isn't noted in many lists of the best in St. Louis. This guy is as good as any USA prospect.

I'm not from St. Louis, but I attended SLU (Saint Louis University) and I can't see how Saint Louis wouldn't, instantly, be a cornerstone MLS franchise. Let's just consider the all-St. Louis team:

Forwards: Brian McBride (Fulham - EPL), Taylor Twellman (NE), Pat Noonan (NE), Vedad Ibisevic (Paris Sant-Germaine), Dipsy Selowane (Salt Lake) and Will John (Chicago).

Midfielders: Brad Davis (San Jose), Chris Klein (KC), Steve Ralston (NE), Jake Jewsbury (KC), Brian Kamler (Salt Lake), Bobby Rhine (Dallas), Luke Kreamalmeyer (Salt Lake)

Defenders: Jonathan Spector (Manchester United), Tim Ward (Metrostars), James Twellman (San Jose) and lots of very young players.

Goaltenders: Matt Pickens (Chicago)

The Cardinals, Rams and Blues are each among the top 5 in attendance in their respective sports. St. Louis is a top 20 city in terms of population. St. Louis is a top 5 fortune 500 city, so the money from corporate sponsorship is there. (That explains how the Cardinals, Blues and Rams are among the elite in terms of salary spending.)

As far as soccer attendence goes, both the SLU mens and womens teams are top 5 in the country in terms of attendence and the Steamers were number 1 in the MISL. It's hard to imagine St. Louis not being a top two or three MLS franchise for the forseeable future.

[tfoz]

IMO St Louis has really firmed it's chances in the last fortnight or so, San Antonio is out, there's not much news on anyone except Houston, Seattle, Rochestor and Toronto.

Attendances in other sports is good, but the fact that there is so much competition for sports fans may count against them. I'd love to see them in MLS in the not too distant future, and i guess we'll wait and see how distant that is.

[JacksonJazz#9]

IMO St Louis has really firmed it's chances in the last fortnight or so, San Antonio is out, there's not much news on anyone except Houston, Seattle, Rochestor and Toronto.

Attendances in other sports is good, but the fact that there is so much competition for sports fans may count against them. I'd love to see them in MLS in the not too distant future, and i guess we'll wait and see how distant that is.


::::St Louis expansion franchise owner, please pick up the white courtesy phone::::

Hmmm thats funny... no one answers.... :cool:

[SoccerPrime]

I hope St Louis gets a MLS team. Seems there is no where for them to play but where the Rams play, but thats a debate best held by those that know more about the situation on the ground.

I'll just add that if Rob Stoner is your source, take it for what its worth. In Salt Lake, fans were very excited when Stoner said that Kasey Keller was coming to RSL during a WCQ last fall. :(

[Slim Pickins]

well as much as people will cringe, a baseball stadium is never really out of the question for soccer. Either Busch might work.

Old Busch is being razed to make room for New Busch/parking lot. And there is no way in hell the Cardinals are going to allow their new stadium to be defiled by having soccer played there all summer. IIRC, the team paid for the stadium, so the gov't can't make them let MLS use it, either.