In general, USSoccerPlayers’ Kevin McGeehan is opposed to the idea of Major League Soccer expanding into mid-size markets like Kansas City and Columbus. Why? Because “the American game is at its strongest in a handful of major cities around the league, such as Washington, Toronto and Los Angeles.” Big cities mean more people, more Latino immigrants and more love for soccer. It’s anybody’s guess why there’s not more interest from the likes of New Jersey and Chicago, but McGeehan expects them to get there, when the ownership situations “stabilize.”
So smaller markets are a bad idea, except when you’re talking about St. Louis, he says. For one thing, the Gateway to the West is a great soccer town — Saint Louis University enjoys “a rich tradition” in college soccer, but McGeehan says it’s also got an investment group that’s serious about bringing soccer to the area. Jeff Cooper and St. Louis Soccer United want to develop a $406 million soccer complex, complete with a mall area and hotels.
What sets Cooper apart from other MLS investor-owners is his obvious love for the game. Cooper played soccer in college. He’s also on the board at Brentford Football Club of England’s fourth division. However, one problem with St. Louis is the lack of big companies (and potential sponsors) in the area, save Anheuser-Busch and Monsanto.