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(Editorial) – Saint Louis FC has been active in the St. Louis community early on in the season. Players have made multiple appearances at children’s hospitals as part of the club’s partnership with Mercy. They attended the USWNT friendly at Busch Stadium against New Zealand, where this happened. Players and club representatives have tabled various events including the weekend of Cinco de Mayo.
The club has made a strong commitment to getting involved with kids in the community, both on the field and in the class room.
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In an interview with Last Word On Sports, General Manager Jeremy Alumbaugh stated “you get involved in the community because those are the ones who are going to support you” adding “it’s brand awareness. Our president, Jim Kavanaugh, said from the get go that guys that play here for this team are going to be involved in the community.”
Saint Louis FC has several players who grew up in the area or went to college near by. With a close-knit community with mutual core values, it’s no wonder they have a sense of pride in playing for this club. It only makes sense that they feel an attachment to the fan base and the city and want to give back.
While the rest of the team (including five international players) may not have roots in the city, they can very much relate to the culture of the area. “I am pleased to see the community accept these guys into their home, into Saint Louis that aren’t from here. Even if they’re not from here, they all have St. Louis backgrounds: they’re hard working people, they’re honest, they’re very appreciative of people” said Alumbaugh.
Saint Louis FC has a theme of wanting community involvement and engagement emanating from the very top. They have many players, coaches, and staff originally from the area who are drawn to the community and its character. The players who are not from the area share similar attributes that make it easier to embrace the city and the fans.
“We get a lot of requests. They like having our players out there. Our guys do a good job interacting, being around people and setting a good tone,” said Alumbaugh. Several of them are very active on social media and are not shy about sharing the positive experiences they have. The players have gone out of their way to go to events when they have the day off from training and even suggest ideas to the upper management.
This team understands what they represent and they have been enthusiastic ambassadors for the club. They have taken responsibility for growing the profile of the sport and the club at a grass roots level.
Alumbaugh described the club’s goal for the game day environment: “we try to find a soccer peer [atmosphere],” said Alumbaugh, sighting the good work of the supporters group, the Louligans. On the target fan base, he added “we’re going to attract the soccer fans, they we’re going to attract the millennials, then we’re going to get after soccer families. We’ve accomplished that in bits and pieces.”
The soccer fans have come out to see the team, if not bought season tickets and joined the Louligans. An argument could be made that attracting the soccer families has already been accomplished. The atmosphere that appeals to that clientele has certainly been established. This success can be partially attributed to the community outreach events, especially those that target kids, especially the events targeted at youth soccer players and programs.
As Saint Louis FC community involvement becomes more successful, the fan base will continue to grow and show up to the Park. The club is winning off the field. Sooner or later, it will help them win on the field.
Main Photo: Saint Louis Football Club
