Scoops Sports Network

Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is joining the #Scoops team. He talks daily updates and team coverage from Cardinals spring training in Jupiter.

Dan and Ben discuss Carlos Martinez as a starter or a reliever, changes of an extension for Paul Goldschmidt, Mike Shildt's impact on spring training, and Mizzou and SLU basketball.

With pitchers and catchers reporting, Dan and Brian discuss some of the biggest story lines this spring.

The Billikens took a tough loss against St. Joe's. What's next against GW?  Also, hear about Dr. Chaifetz and Earl Austin Jr. entering the Hall of Fame.

Tom Strunk, in Dan’s words, is the “brains behind the scenes” of #MLS4thelou and Saint Louis FC. He’s also the CFO of World Wide Technology, our city’s leading corporate supporter of soccer in the region. He has known Jim Kavanaugh since their soccer days together at SLU and they have worked together for 25+ years.

According to Strunk, “The sport of soccer has meant so much to me in development and growing up.” He grew up playing for Scott Gallagher soccer club and coach Tom Howe. He’s a board member for the STLFC and has been an integral part in bringing professional soccer to St. Louis.

Strunk attended the meeting in New York with MLS commissioner, Don Garber, and the #MLS4thelou ownership team. He said the meeting was “to check off the boxes for all the progress we’ve made here over the past several months.” Also, he thought that MLS was “a little bit surprised at how much progress we’ve made in such a short period of time.”

He echoed Jim Kavanaugh and Carolyn Kindle Betz’s statements in regards to shoring up corporate involvement as the next steps. Strunk said, “They know St. Louis has great soccer history but they want to understand what soccer is today and what kind of corporate support we’d have for the game moving forward.” Strunk said the businesses in St. Louis have been great about coming forward from day one and the ownership group will be setting up meetings soon to solidify corporate partnerships.

MLS is reportedly watching all facets of soccer in St. Louis which includes the upcoming season of STLFC. The home opener is March 9th at 1 pm against Indy Eleven. It’s the fifth season of the club’s existence in St. Louis. Strunk said they’re expecting a sell-out crowd for the opening home game.

“I think there’s nothing like it.” Strunk said describing the atmosphere at a STLFC game. “When we sell out that place, there’s upwards of six thousand in the park and there’s just not a bad seat in the house.” He said that sold out crowd for STLFC would be about one fourth the amount of people they expect at an MLS game.

“It is absolutely a quality of soccer that keeps getting better…” stated Strunk naming certain international talent on the team. “This is the first time we’ve had 50% of our roster back… It’s directly related to the success we had under our coach Anthony Pulis. We feel good about who we’re bringing back.”

“The fans have an opportunity to engage with the players. It’s just a really unique environment,” Strunk told Dan regarding how much interaction fans and players have at STLFC.

The MLS commissioner is watching all things soccer in St. Louis and a big part of that is how the region supports is current teams.

Tickets are affordable and available to purchase now at saintlouisfc.com

Weekly talk with Ben Frederickson of the Post Dispatch

With spring training only days away, Brian and Dan take a look at the potential battles for the 25 man roster.

The picture that MLS4thelou shared on social media yesterday garnered a lot of attention from soccer lovers in St. Louis. Kindle Betz said, “This entire region is so hungry… It makes you really proud that you’re doing something great for the city but also that the people are supporting you. It may be just a picture, but, to them, it's one step closer to getting a team.”

The ownership team behind #MLS4thelou, met for the first time in-person with MLS commissioner, Don Garber, last week to talk plans for a team in St. Louis.

“We, the ownership group, actually initiated the meeting.  We’ve had a lot of really exciting things happen here in the last 6 months,” said Carolyn Kindle Betz, one of the female-lead ownership group. “We wanted to make sure we capitalized on the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting to show them that all of the things they’ve asked us to do, we did listen, we’re doing them and we’re doing them well."

“I thought the meeting and their reaction was very positive and very supportive of everything we’re doing here,” Jim Kanavaugh, ownership partner and CEO of WorldWide Technology  chimed in. “They love the location. Love the view… and the more comprehensive view that we have for the experience at the stadium.”

Kavanaugh also said that the league would like to see that MLS4thelou has the support from business leaders and local businesses. The group talked to the commissioner about what is next in regards to sponsors.

Two main sponsors will be a big focus for MLS4thelou to show the league that the city is behind them. First, a stadium sponsor with naming rights and also a sponsor to appear on jerseys. This sponsor will display not just on the MLS team jerseys but likely cascade down to the UFL teams and academy levels.

Kindle Betz and Kavanaugh agreed that, until recently, they didn’t really have sponsorship plans in place to discuss with local businesses. They now have a better idea as to what those plans will look like and will be meeting with companies who want to support the team.

Since St. Louis watched one of the city’s former professional teams take a national beating over the weekend, questions have been raised about similarities, if any, with when the Rams left.

“It’s comparing apples to oranges,” Kavanaugh said in response to whether or not they talked about the Rams leaving St. Louis. “We are so deeply embedded in the St. Louis community…We feel it creates that much more of an opportunity for an MLS team with the hole that the Rams left.”

Fans can help the efforts to bring a team to St. Louis by continuing to publicly show their support. The ownership group wants St. Louis to know that there is still stiff competition for a team. MLS4thelou needs fans to keep sharing photos, liking and sharing posts and actively showing that we are a soccer city.

Also, Kavanaugh and Kindle Betz said the league is paying close attention to the region’s support for St. Louis Football Club. They urge fans to pack the stadium on March 9th for the opening game against Indy Eleven.

The Billikens are banged up.  Dan talks with Coach Ford about Javon Bess' availability and more about player status. What about those missed free throws? Listen here.

Two big topics covered today with Ben, penalties handed down by the NCAA towards Mizzou, and the Rams.