The efforts by the city of St. Louis to land an MLS expansion team haven't led to any high-profile announcements just yet, but backers say the bid is quietly moving forward.
"I wouldn't take the lack of fireworks to be misunderstood as a lack of activity,” MLS2STL member and spokesman Jim Woodcock told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for a story in Friday's editions. “We've had a lot of discussions, a lot of progress. There's a long, long way to go, but the arrows are pointing positively. We hope that will continue in the short term.”
MLS2STL, formed more than four months ago, is a group of local business leaders and sports executives working to identify a potential owner and also serving as a point of contact for inquiries from the league.
St. Louis is home to two major sports teams – Major League Baseball's Cardinals and the NHL's Blues – after the NFL approved the St. Louis Rams' move back to Los Angeles.
MLS2STL has had substantial discussions with a potential owner who also has met with league officials, Woodcock said, but things have not progressed to the point of making a public announcement.
"We're keeping the league up to date. Everything to this point is very encouraging. It wouldn't be the wisest move to prematurely, for this candidate or anyone, get something out for keeping pace with other cities.”
Despite the candidate's strength, Woodcock said, “That doesn't discount the potential of other candidates coming forward or groups coming back stronger.”
