St. Louis: USL-1, if not MLS? [Archive]

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sounderfan

12 Jan 2007, 09:27 AM

Cooper vows area will have pro soccer in '08 (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/othersports/story/603DEEF66BD2CB39862572610017CD24?OpenDocument)

"We're going to play pro soccer in St. Louis in 2008 no matter what,'' he said. "We're working hard to get a proper stadium and get the league to have a reasonable number for the expansion fee. At the same time, we're working with the USL (United Soccer Leagues) Division I and youth organizations and trying to put that together."

nobody

12 Jan 2007, 10:08 AM

TomEaton

12 Jan 2007, 10:27 AM

Back in 1995 I went to some St. Louis Knights games at the Soccer Park, and they were a really good time for not much money. Sadly, they folded a year or two later. Later when I lived in Indianapolis I went to some USL games there too.

But you're right, there's a big difference between the MLS experience and the USL experience. I'd go to some USL-1 games, but I'd go to a lot more MLS games.

Atarian

12 Jan 2007, 11:47 AM

For me this would be the difference between going to a game now and then if I had some free time and buying a season ticket. USL may get me to come occasionally, but I'd be a season ticket holder for an MLS team for sure.

I am glad to hear his determination, but 2009 MLS would be better to me than 2008 USL.

I totally agree with you. If an MLS team came here I would be a season ticket holder and I got 4 friends that would be too. If we got and A-league team, I will go to a couple of games here and there.

Guy Fawkes

12 Jan 2007, 03:09 PM

I'd rather not have a USL team. I'd rather have MLS a year later.

BMGSouthCity

15 Jan 2007, 02:09 AM

I would have season tickets for either MLS or USL. The city is pretty thirsty for soccer, in whatever form it may take. That being said, if Coop does land us a USL team, I hope that doesn't mean giving up on MLS. Lack of a top-level team cheats St. Louis AND Major League Soccer.

IceFunk

17 Jan 2007, 06:30 PM

Angus Podgorney

18 Jan 2007, 10:32 AM

First off it's not the A-League anymore...figure it out buddy.

Second, that's fine that you want a MLS team, but not going because it's USL is a pathetic excuse. You call yourselves soccer fans? :rolleyes:

Pro soccer is pro soccer.

As numerous posters have pointed out here in the past, there is already plenty of good soccer to watch in the St. Louis area. Youth select teams that regularly compete for championships, the Missouri state high school champions are almost always from the St. Louis area. Saint Louis U has a good team, and they always seem to draw quality teams on their schedule each year (Indiana, SMU, UCLA,etc). St. Louisans like to think of our city as a major league city, and with the Rams and Cardinals throwing us an occaisonal championship, we get spoiled. As a resident of West county, I probably wouldn't drive 35 miles to see minor league soccer. And with the most direct highway from west county to downtown about to be torn up for 2 years, and the main bridge over the Mississippi in need of repairs, it seems even less likely.

IceFunk

18 Jan 2007, 03:14 PM

As numerous posters have pointed out here in the past, there is already plenty of good soccer to watch in the St. Louis area. Youth select teams that regularly compete for championships, the Missouri state high school champions are almost always from the St. Louis area. Saint Louis U has a good team, and they always seem to draw quality teams on their schedule each year (Indiana, SMU, UCLA,etc). St. Louisans like to think of our city as a major league city, and with the Rams and Cardinals throwing us an occaisonal championship, we get spoiled. As a resident of West county, I probably wouldn't drive 35 miles to see minor league soccer. And with the most direct highway from west county to downtown about to be torn up for 2 years, and the main bridge over the Mississippi in need of repairs, it seems even less likely.

For the love of God, it's not minor league, it's Division II soccer.

McGinty

18 Jan 2007, 03:23 PM

If the stadium deal goes down in Collinsville, it is a near 100% metaphysical certainty that MLS will come. Should MLS not be in the cards, I doubt USL/WUSA would be in Collinsville as well.

Angus Podgorney

18 Jan 2007, 04:47 PM

For the love of God, it's not minor league, it's Division II soccer.

And with promotion/relegation coming to the USA shortly after hell freezes over, it woud stay Division II soccer.

falvo

19 Jan 2007, 06:02 PM

I know AEG/Hunt & Kraft have spent quite a bit of money but I also thought they were starting see a return on their invest because of the SSS they built? I wonder if building an SSS in St. Louis would be prfitable in the long run. Anyway, whomever it is in St Louis, either the USL or the MLS, I believe because of the city's tradition with the sport, the soccer franchise will succeed.