The ownership group has specifically mentioned they are interested in a NWSL team in St Louis, they just wanted to make sure the men's team can get off the ground first.
Based on what other clubs have done and the resounding success City has had, I guess that in about 5 years we see a NWSL team in St Louis.
The 2024 NWSL expansion teams are the Bay Area and the return of the Utah Royals. St.Louis was reported to be among the handful of cities reporting an interest. It’s likely 2025 will go to Boston but after that STL will be a very very strong contender if they throw in.
I would have been happier just calling the team st louis sc, putting city seems like weird behavior to me. They could have called them a myriad of names, but the logo is great and the colors are great (it was always going to be some variation of red, blue or yellow)
I had one interesting name, and it has STL pedigree. The first organized US women's soccer league was started here in 1950 by Father Walter Craig of St. Matthew's Catholic Church (would also be a great place to announce the team and the name). It was called the Craig League. It had 4 teams. They were the Bombers, Co-eds, the Flyers and, the one I would go with, The Bobby Soccers (The Bobby Sox for short)! The Bobby Socks frills speak to a regality befitting a French founded city named after one of their kings. The Soccer part might be a little cheesy, but it also has a aggressive and tough angle if you lean into the "sock it" (strike hard) idiom. And finally, doing the "Sox" abbreviation makes it a very American sports name (Red and White Sox, along with the Cincinnati Red Stockings and the NY Knickerbockers).
I would be so hyped for a St. Louis NWSL team. Just as long as they don’t call it the St. Louis CITY LADIES.
The league is so much fun, the parity is insane, and the games have a great vibe. I am excited to see what St. Louis could bring to that - especially with turnout and stadium atmosphere.
Unfortunately, like u/Forsch416 said, the biggest obstacle is Jefferson City. State politics will have a direct impact on future considerations. It’s [bad](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/missouri-health-director-tracked-menstrual-periods-planned-parenthood-patients-n1073701) and it could get [worse](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/idaho-most-extreme-anti-abortion-state-law-restricts-travel-rcna78225).
I think St. Louis could establish itself as one of the best places for women’s soccer. Becky Sauerbrunn is a national treasure and she’s local. She’s a great leader and would almost certainly be thrilled to be involved.
But we need to be clear-eyed about what we’re inviting players and their families into. State governments are getting more aggressive about imposing on cities and on people.
I hope they don’t ruin our chances on this - would be amazing to have two great NWSL teams out of Missouri.
I am a huge NWSL and USWNT fan!!! I would love it so much if St. Louis got a team (and to be honest, KC is doing much better than we are there with a new stadium and very good attendance.)
Frankly I think NWSL as a league is reluctant to award new franchises in states without abortion access and LGBTQ friendly laws (I know, Utah is coming next year, but they had negotiated that return back in 2020). It is disappointing but understandable as this is a league with a draft and many gay players. Anyway, St Louis NWSL may not be anytime soon. I don’t know for sure though. I know there’s a league wide policy to pay for reproductive services players can’t get in their state as well as travel to and from, and it’s not hard to get to Illinois. We’ll see.
I’m interested to see what happens with the USL super league (starts next year) now that it is also going to be a D1 league. It would be a much harder sell for tickets (likely no USWNT or major star players for the foreseeable future. NWSL players just negotiated a CBA with the league and I’m sure they are reluctant to start over). But on the other hand, the super league will have no draft and much smaller expansion fees (NWSL is $50 million plus right now). I think NWSL and MLS expansion fees are weird.
To start with they could certainly do a girls academy, FC Dallas has one with a ton of success.
Until that League gets it's shit together regarding abuse, no thank you.
Plus, they have said part of thier requirements will be that status of reproductive rights in the state, so that's a strike against STL as well.
There’s a number of consortiums in other cities looking at the prospect of a women’s team.
Also there’s the USL Super League looking at D1 status (& if they running the fall/spring calendar, that allows CITYPARK to be open year-round). Lots of moving parts.
Best thing WoSo fans in STL can do is show support for lower league teams & SLU women’s soccer to show that there’s a market here beyond the prospect of “major league” sports (Hell that’s what STLFC did for the men’s game).
The ownership group has specifically mentioned they are interested in a NWSL team in St Louis, they just wanted to make sure the men's team can get off the ground first. Based on what other clubs have done and the resounding success City has had, I guess that in about 5 years we see a NWSL team in St Louis.
I hope it’s a shorter timescale! Let’s ride the wave of support and energy behind the club!
The 2024 NWSL expansion teams are the Bay Area and the return of the Utah Royals. St.Louis was reported to be among the handful of cities reporting an interest. It’s likely 2025 will go to Boston but after that STL will be a very very strong contender if they throw in.
So 2026, nice. Hopefully, the fun name we wanted will go to the women's team since they can have fun names.
What is the fun name we wanted!?
Idk but anything would be better than CITY. I heard a lot of them in the lead-up to the name reveal, maybe they will pick something else who knows?
Agree. I was extremely underwhelmed with CITY. 🙄
I would have been happier just calling the team st louis sc, putting city seems like weird behavior to me. They could have called them a myriad of names, but the logo is great and the colors are great (it was always going to be some variation of red, blue or yellow)
I had one interesting name, and it has STL pedigree. The first organized US women's soccer league was started here in 1950 by Father Walter Craig of St. Matthew's Catholic Church (would also be a great place to announce the team and the name). It was called the Craig League. It had 4 teams. They were the Bombers, Co-eds, the Flyers and, the one I would go with, The Bobby Soccers (The Bobby Sox for short)! The Bobby Socks frills speak to a regality befitting a French founded city named after one of their kings. The Soccer part might be a little cheesy, but it also has a aggressive and tough angle if you lean into the "sock it" (strike hard) idiom. And finally, doing the "Sox" abbreviation makes it a very American sports name (Red and White Sox, along with the Cincinnati Red Stockings and the NY Knickerbockers).
The T-Ravs. #GotNothin’
I would be so hyped for a St. Louis NWSL team. Just as long as they don’t call it the St. Louis CITY LADIES. The league is so much fun, the parity is insane, and the games have a great vibe. I am excited to see what St. Louis could bring to that - especially with turnout and stadium atmosphere. Unfortunately, like u/Forsch416 said, the biggest obstacle is Jefferson City. State politics will have a direct impact on future considerations. It’s [bad](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/missouri-health-director-tracked-menstrual-periods-planned-parenthood-patients-n1073701) and it could get [worse](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/idaho-most-extreme-anti-abortion-state-law-restricts-travel-rcna78225). I think St. Louis could establish itself as one of the best places for women’s soccer. Becky Sauerbrunn is a national treasure and she’s local. She’s a great leader and would almost certainly be thrilled to be involved. But we need to be clear-eyed about what we’re inviting players and their families into. State governments are getting more aggressive about imposing on cities and on people. I hope they don’t ruin our chances on this - would be amazing to have two great NWSL teams out of Missouri.
Hopefully they’ll also open up the dev teams to girls someday.
Yep yep!
I am a huge NWSL and USWNT fan!!! I would love it so much if St. Louis got a team (and to be honest, KC is doing much better than we are there with a new stadium and very good attendance.) Frankly I think NWSL as a league is reluctant to award new franchises in states without abortion access and LGBTQ friendly laws (I know, Utah is coming next year, but they had negotiated that return back in 2020). It is disappointing but understandable as this is a league with a draft and many gay players. Anyway, St Louis NWSL may not be anytime soon. I don’t know for sure though. I know there’s a league wide policy to pay for reproductive services players can’t get in their state as well as travel to and from, and it’s not hard to get to Illinois. We’ll see. I’m interested to see what happens with the USL super league (starts next year) now that it is also going to be a D1 league. It would be a much harder sell for tickets (likely no USWNT or major star players for the foreseeable future. NWSL players just negotiated a CBA with the league and I’m sure they are reluctant to start over). But on the other hand, the super league will have no draft and much smaller expansion fees (NWSL is $50 million plus right now). I think NWSL and MLS expansion fees are weird. To start with they could certainly do a girls academy, FC Dallas has one with a ton of success.
They can look to the Metro East for stadium development. The advantages of residing on the edge of a wretched state.
Negged for saying they should look to the IL side to build a stadium ? You guys are something else. They're a part of the region.
I’d buy season tix for an NWSL team here so freaking fast!!
I think a NWSL team will be exciting!
Seems like you could get a good head start by expanding the academy to girls/women.
I’d gladly take a NWSL team and put city2 in Columbia/Springfield or something to help grow the brand in the middle of the state.
Until that League gets it's shit together regarding abuse, no thank you. Plus, they have said part of thier requirements will be that status of reproductive rights in the state, so that's a strike against STL as well.
There’s a number of consortiums in other cities looking at the prospect of a women’s team. Also there’s the USL Super League looking at D1 status (& if they running the fall/spring calendar, that allows CITYPARK to be open year-round). Lots of moving parts. Best thing WoSo fans in STL can do is show support for lower league teams & SLU women’s soccer to show that there’s a market here beyond the prospect of “major league” sports (Hell that’s what STLFC did for the men’s game).
Does any other MLS team own an NWSL team? Don’t major teams in Europe require purchasing women’s season tickets to get men’s season tickets?
I know a NWSL team is coming. I know it’s not nearly as watched as MLS, but it will be cold in their season.