St. Louis Blues And MLS4theLou Should Partner Quickly And Often

St. Louis is expected to be awarded an MLS team soon. The St. Louis Blues would be smart to partner with that club as soon as possible.

In the world of professional sports, it is a dog eat dog world. The St. Louis Blues know this and need only really focus on themselves.

However, the counterpoint to that idea is a city with sports teams that work in unison, if possible, often thrive together. The Blues may have a unique opportunity to do just that in the coming years.

According to several sources, including the Post-Dispatch and KMOX, St. Louis is expected to be awarded an MLS franchise as early as Tuesday, August 20. This is a day to celebrate, even if you are not a soccer fan.

While some Blues fans have no interest in soccer and never will, that does not mean this has nothing at all to do with the hockey team. In fact, it could be a big boost for the team if things are handled right.

What the Blues need to do is partner up with the new soccer team and have as much cross promotion as makes sense for both sides. It can be a win/win if done right and a way to bring in new fans to either sport.

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The Blues have normally had a good relationship with the St. Louis Cardinals, but they will always be little brother in that scenario. Also, despite a little crossover in schedule, baseball season is just different than hockey season for fans.

There is some cross promotion, but if there is a scenario where games are on the same day, usually one sport or the other will win out for fans. That is not to say Blues fans are not Cardinals fans or vice versa, but I would select hockey over baseball any day of the week and many Cardinals fans would do just the opposite. Also, most games are at night for both sports, so fans are forced to choose.

That is where the partnership could come in. MLS’ season runs concurrently with MLB, but there might be more freedom to help one another out with scheduling.

We have already seen STLFC games played in the early evening at the beginning of the 2019 USL season to avoid the colder weather at night during the cooler month of March when the season begins. Nothing has been announced, but there is nothing stopping the team from doing something similar in the fall.

With that in mind, just imagine the double-header possibilities if there were nights when the Blues and the new MLS team both had home games on the same night. Instead of clawing and scratching for fans and for precious parking space, the soccer team could schedule a 5 pm kickoff, or if weather permits, an afternoon kickoff on a weekend.

That way, fans could attend the soccer match, stick around Union Station’s revamped tourist area and then go to a Blues game at night.

Clearly, this is not a fool proof idea. Teams only have so much control over scheduling that boils down to building availability and what the leagues impose.

Still, unless national television would dictate otherwise, there is little to stop a team from having a match a little earlier to help out their hockey neighbors. Maybe it could even work the other way.

The Blues used to have Saturday afternoon games quite often way back in the day. Perhaps re-start a tradition there and give fans an opportunity to have the cooler weather in the evening.

The thing that makes this potential partnership even more beneficial, and perhaps more likely is Jim Kavanaugh. The current STLFC owner is a minority owner of the new MLS team and somewhat of a figurhead, but also owns a small stake in the Blues as well.

He might not have a ton of stroke at the Enterprise Center, but I’m sure he could get in Tom Stillman’s ear and bring up some scenarios that would benefit both teams.

There will be some that wonder why the Blues should make any more effort to partner with this soccer team than they do with the Cardinals. It is the same, somewhat minor, season overlap anyway.

The difference is, they are literally blocks apart. You will be able to walk between the new soccer stadium and Enterprise Center with ease. The walk down to Busch Stadium is doable, but not everyone’s cup of tea.

Even if a new garage is constructed for the soccer parking, they will still be sharing a good deal of parking. With Union Station opening its own attractions, spots will be at a premium if games are played at the same time.

Last, but not least, there is an opportunity to gain new fans for both teams. The Blues and Cardinals have been around long enough that they have picked up whatever fans of the other team they are likely to gain.

If you have a situation where a fan could go to both games, you might get the hockey die hard to check out a soccer game. You could entice the soccer fanatic to go down a few blocks on Clark or Market to check out this insane game played on ice. Scarves would come in handy on October and November nights inside Enterprise after all.

Right now, the Blues need no help with ticket sales. They have the excitement of an All-Star Game coming and fans still celebrating a Stanley Cup, so sales are booming.

The MLS will not arrive until 2022 at the earliest. By that time, the Blues could have leveled off and returned to normal with their attendance, i.e. large crowds, but still seats to be had on most nights.

It’s an opportunity not available to most cities. Lots of cities have MLS and either MLB or NFL or NHL teams. Very few, if any, of those cities will have playing venues so close to afford fans this potentially unique opportunity.

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Perhaps I am in the minority. I love both sports and have never understood the odd rivalry between the two sport’s fans being as they are similar in ways and also misunderstood by mainstream US culture.

Band together, I say. Bring Blues fans and soccer fans together in any and every way possible and both teams can benefit.

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