Two straight weeks the old Edward-Jones Dome has completely packed the lower bowl with close to 30,000 each time in support of the XFL St.Louis Battlehawks. Everyone knew that St.Louis would once again embrace football but no one was expecting these crowds or the type of energy that has been displayed so far. The booms and bangs from fans during kickoffs and the Battlehawks chants from each sideline have been evident. The crowds have been fantastic.
Fans have been clamoring for the team to open the upper section to help fill the dome even more and show off their love for the team. The XFL and most of its teams have turned away from the idea due to the fact it is still a startup league and operating costs have to be sustainable for the league but after two straight sellouts for St.Louis, team president Kurt Huzeker has had an open mind and it is now looking like St.Louis may get their wish.
Hunzeker was recently on KMOX radio the morning after the Battlehawks 23-16 victory over Seattle and host Brian Kelly asked if there were any considerations into opening the upper level. Hunzeker says it is definitely the plan moving forward.
“Yes, there absolutely are considerations. We started mapping out the process really after last week’s game and with the additional time I think we’ll be able come together and find a pretty cool solution to getting more fans into the dome and making the place even louder and more formidable for opponents.”
Hunzeker also said that the aim is to have additional seating for the game against the Los Angeles Wildcats on March 21.
It will be interesting to see how many fans the team can ultimately attract but the demand so far suggests it wouldn’t be a problem. Ticket prices for the lower bowl have been increased after the initial increase which has chased a small number of people of but opening a higher level at a better price surely would peak interest.
Having this much fan engagement for a brand new XFL team in a city that hasn’t had a professional football team in 4 years speaks a lot about the kind of sports town that St.Louis is. This town loves football just as long as you give them a good product and of course responsible and transparent ownership which the city did not have with the Rams. The team is full of likeable and recognizable players and the community really benefits from having another team do their own form of service.
Fans just have to keep in mind that the league is conservative with money due to it being new and that once the upper deck opens, fans will have to commit to buying tickets consistently or else they could easily close it off once again. For the upper level to officially open the lower bowl will need to be close to a sellout in advance.
In the end, St.Louis is likely getting what they asked for with a week or so off in between now and the next home game the buildup for the first game with upper deck seating and being the first XFL team to do so will be a tremendous experience for the fans and team when they walk out on the field to see a truly packed dome. A St.louis football game against a team from Los Angeles will be a chance for fans to really make a statement.
Comments