Drink beer, watch soccer, and help bring the MLS to St. Louis

“Think St. Louis is ready for Major League Soccer? It’ll have to prove it can heavily support its current minor league team first,” was what my colleague Josh Helmuth wrote recently. MLS plans on announcing its last expansion spot later in 2019. Many believe the decision is only between two cities: Sacramento and St. Louis.

“Their way to support [MLS], and to make sure we get an MLS team, is to come here to show that attendance does increase and that the fans are responding to the effort,” said Barry.

Saint Louis FC sells out nearly every game already, averaging roughly 5,000 fans at Toyota Stadium in Fenton. They believe they’ll need that continued success, and possibly additional fan support, this season in order to lock in an MLS team for St. Louis.

Another way St. Louis beer drinkers can help the effort is, well, by drinking beer. This week, Schlafly Beer, announced the release of Ale d’Or, a new can offering in partnership with Saint Louis Football Club. As the official craft brewery of the team, the new can comes just in time for the first Saint Louis FC game on March 9, 2019. The Ale d’Or beer will be available in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans across Schlafly’s distribution.

The approachable, copper colored ale (5.9%, 50 IBUs) is charged with American hops and malts to create a bold, balanced beer with pine and citrus aroma and a full body. Ale d’Or, French for “golden ale,” nods to the Ballon d’Or, the coveted, annual football award given to the greatest soccer players in the world.

“We are all huge soccer fans at Schlafly, and there’s a great energy around the sport in St. Louis right now,” says Head of Marketing Wil Rogers. “We’re excited to continue our partnership with Saint Louis FC into this upcoming season with the new release of Ale d’Or. The cans truly celebrate the sport as well as this city, and we’re looking forward to kicking off the season with an Ale d’Or in hand!”

The can features the Saint Louis FC logo, with St. Louis’ famous fleur-de-lis and team colors, as well as a message to the devoted fan club, the Saint Louligans, that reads, “A beer dedicated to the Louligans, a supporters’ group that appreciates a real beer.”

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