Started in 1993, the MLS has rapidly expanded over its thirty-year life span. One of the MLS’s most recent additions, St. Louis City, has taken the Western Conference by storm. This was accomplished by drawing on the Gateway City’s lengthy soccer tradition to create a soccer powerhouse, whilst also revitalising St. Louis’ downtown area. How exactly did the St. Louis City Soccer Club get their start? How are the St. Louis City SC so successful? What has been the effect of the brand new stadium complex and the team, on the city itself?
St. Louis: a Historic Hub of US Soccer Excellence
Once labeled the “US Soccer capital of the 19th century,” St. Louis has long been a hotbed for American soccer talent. In fact, one of the more memorable soccer upsets of all time, is from the 1950 World Cup. During this World Cup, the USMNT beat England 1-0, with six soccer players and one assistant coach all from St. Louis. At the collegiate level, Saint Louis University, during the 1960s and 70s, won 7 national NCAA championships for Men’s Soccer. At the amateur level, in 1951, the first organized women’s soccer league was established in St. Louis. Clearly, throughout the history of St. Louis, soccer has played a fundamental role in the development of the city, quietly laying the foundations for the St. Louis City Soccer Club’s establishment. These examples merely scratch the surface as to the influence and importance of soccer for the city of St. Louis.
Building the Dream: St. Louis Business Leaders Bring MLS to Life
Bearing this deep seeded soccer legacy in mind, St. Louis business owners were looking for a way to bring an MLS team to St. Louis. It seemed like a perfect place for a club, and left some St. Louisans wondering how the city had gone so long without a professional soccer team. Some of this can be attributed to the MLS’s relative youth, considering it only began in 1993. Regardless, some like-minded business owners dwelling in St. Louis began to put their heads together and built a plan to bring a team to the city, dubbing themselves ‘MLS4theLou.’ This group was spearheaded by Jim Kavanaugh, CEO of World Wide Technology, and Carolyn Kindle, President of Enterprise Holdings. Kindle would go on to be the owner of St. Louis City SC.
Around 2010, rumblings began to emerge regarding the building of a new stadium in St. Louis, to host both the NFL’s Rams and a soccer team in the MLS. By 2019, what would later become known as CityPark was approved, and construction began, thanks to ‘MLS4theLou.’ This interest group transformed into the ownership group for St. Louis City SC. With Carolyn and JoAnn Kindle, heirs to the Enterprise fortune, St. Louis City became one of the first MLS clubs run by a female-majority.
Once the stadium and club were approved, the Kindles and Kavanaugh went about hiring professional soccer staff. They started with sporting director Lutz Pfannelsfied, former Fortuna Dusseldorf director. Then, Pfannelsfied established a team, a coach, and even a second team, the St. Louis City 2, which plays at CityPark within the MLS Next Pro League. Kavanaugh and the Kindles also remained dedicated to the St. Louis community, beginning countless community outreach programs. The club also has an extensive youth academy, looking to sharpen and bring together countless St. Louis youth soccer talent.
How St. Louis City SC is Organized
From establishing community partnerships to beginning a youth development academy to supporting articles detailing ‘soccer 101’ to creating an eMLS team, the ownership group and chairwomen, Carolyn Kindle are incredibly committed to not only building a successful soccer franchise, but to stimulate the St. Louis community as a whole. The construction of CityPark has been completed in unity with the revitalization of the St. Louis downtown district. This project has generated around $3.5 billion to further elevate downtown St. Louis. Even CityPark’s vendors have been set up with a commitment to represent the food and drink of St. Louis, paying tribute to various St. Louis restaurants, with flavors differing from barbecue to Bosnian cuisine.
City Park: a New Landmark Driving Soccer and Community Growth in St. Louis
Residing in Downtown West St. Louis, CityPark resides within the CityPark Stadium District, which includes the “Stadium, Team Headquarters, team store and practice facility.” The District is established where the former St. Louis neighborhood, Mill Creek Valley used to exist, and a statue is present on the site to commemorate the neighborhood. With a capacity of 22,423 seats, the stadium frequently sells out, and is home to some upcoming USMNT friendlies and CONCACAF League Cup matches. The stadium has also been selected as one of the venues for the 2025 Gold Cup. Saint Louis University occasionally uses CityPark for rivalry matches, such as The Bronze Boot clash. The stadium in of itself has brought countless jobs, internships and opportunities to the people of St. Louis.
How Are the City So Successful as a Club and Organization?
To return to soccer, St. Louis City Soccer Club’s success can be attributed to a combination of well-informed people and athletic talent. In their first regular season, the club won the Western Conference. Unfortunately, their playoff run came to a dramatic close rather quickly. Their second season has been more challenging, as countless injuries and a change in coaching staff have hindered the City. The reason the club has been so successful should be attributed to the players and to Sporting Director Lutz Pfannelsfied. From Eduard Lӧwen, to João Klauss to Roman Bürki, Pfannelsfield and his staff have been able to scout remarkably talented and fast fan favorites. Stepping back to the organizational level, the St. Louis City SC is remarkable for its community outreach, commitment to sustainability, and financial stimulation for the city as a whole.
The Future of St. Louis City SC
The St. Louis City SC is remarkable for its ability to be so successful so quickly. With support from the city of St. Louis, financial backing from business titans, and a dedication for community stimulation, the club has become a meaningful and tremendous contribution to St. Louis in general. It is difficult to imagine a more successful club beginning. With the growth of soccer around the US, there must be other cities looking for or wondering when an MLS club is headed their way.
