Dave Peacock Part of Group Trying to Bring MLS to St. Louis
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Business, sports execs form group to bring MLS to St. Louis
Brian Feldt
A group of local business and sports leaders, including St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt and St. Louis Blues CEO Chris Zimmerman, has formed to help bring a Major League Soccer team to St. Louis.
Others in the group, none of whom would not necessarily be owners of a team, include Bryan Cave partner Rob Ebert; World Wide Technology co-founder and CEO Jim Kavanaugh; Vicky Lynch, of Lynch Sports and Events; Lodging Hospitality Management CEO Bob O’Laughlin; former Anheuser-Busch CEO and St. Louis NFL stadium proponent Dave Peacock; UniGroup President Jim Powers; and FleishmanHillard partner Jim Woodcock.
The group, according to a statement from Woodcock, will work closely with staff and select members of the St. Louis Sports Commission to conduct baseline market assessments for a potential team owner or owners, including the exploration of stadium sites, funding options and overall viability of the St. Louis region as a home to an MLS expansion franchise.
In a statement, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said he was aware of the exploratory group.
“We look forward to working with the group to further evaluate St. Louis and see if it is ready for an MLS expansion team,” he said.
Plans for bringing a MLS team to St. Louis started to pick up steam after NFL owners voted in January to let the Rams move to Los Angeles.
Garber recently said he’s been contacted by a number of potential owners for a St. Louis team. No team is expected to enter the St. Louis market until at least the 2020 season. Other cities, such as San Diego, San Antonio, Detroit, and Sacramento, California, also are in the running for an expansion team.
Garber met with a group of potential investors in May 2015. Franchise fees are costly, with Orlando City owners paying around $70 million to get in on the action.
Kavanaugh previously told the Business Journal that he’d support an MLS team in St. Louis, but likely wouldn’t be the face of an ownership group.
“I would support it maybe as an investor, but I just don’t have the time (to be the face) with what I’m doing with World Wide Technology and other boards and then also St. Louis FC,” Kavanaugh said, referring to St. Louis’ United Soccer League team, which he owns.
Brian Feldt covers technology, venture capital, startups, real estate and sports business.
Business, sports execs form group to bring MLS to St. Louis
Brian Feldt
A group of local business and sports leaders, including St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt and St. Louis Blues CEO Chris Zimmerman, has formed to help bring a Major League Soccer team to St. Louis.
Others in the group, none of whom would not necessarily be owners of a team, include Bryan Cave partner Rob Ebert; World Wide Technology co-founder and CEO Jim Kavanaugh; Vicky Lynch, of Lynch Sports and Events; Lodging Hospitality Management CEO Bob O’Laughlin; former Anheuser-Busch CEO and St. Louis NFL stadium proponent Dave Peacock; UniGroup President Jim Powers; and FleishmanHillard partner Jim Woodcock.
The group, according to a statement from Woodcock, will work closely with staff and select members of the St. Louis Sports Commission to conduct baseline market assessments for a potential team owner or owners, including the exploration of stadium sites, funding options and overall viability of the St. Louis region as a home to an MLS expansion franchise.
In a statement, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said he was aware of the exploratory group.
“We look forward to working with the group to further evaluate St. Louis and see if it is ready for an MLS expansion team,” he said.
Plans for bringing a MLS team to St. Louis started to pick up steam after NFL owners voted in January to let the Rams move to Los Angeles.
Garber recently said he’s been contacted by a number of potential owners for a St. Louis team. No team is expected to enter the St. Louis market until at least the 2020 season. Other cities, such as San Diego, San Antonio, Detroit, and Sacramento, California, also are in the running for an expansion team.
Garber met with a group of potential investors in May 2015. Franchise fees are costly, with Orlando City owners paying around $70 million to get in on the action.
Kavanaugh previously told the Business Journal that he’d support an MLS team in St. Louis, but likely wouldn’t be the face of an ownership group.
“I would support it maybe as an investor, but I just don’t have the time (to be the face) with what I’m doing with World Wide Technology and other boards and then also St. Louis FC,” Kavanaugh said, referring to St. Louis’ United Soccer League team, which he owns.
Brian Feldt covers technology, venture capital, startups, real estate and sports business.