St. Louis for Sports Fans

Got Game?

One of America’s best sports cities, St. Louis is always a fan favorite

St. Louisans think their community deserves the designation every year, but the editors of ESPN The Magazine recently named St. Louis the “Ultimate Sports City.” Indeed, sports fans always have something to cheer about in St. Louis.

The new Busch Stadium has drawn rave reviews for incorporating the best of baseball tradition with the newest amenities for the best fans of the game. Great sight lines, dining and fun off-field activities entertain the 2006 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals fans inside.

Outside the $380 million stadium, the Ballpark Village development plans to add plazas filled with restaurants, retail, residential units and a new Cardinals Hall of Fame. The love affair between the team and the town is so great that The Sporting News named St. Louis the “Best Sports City for Major League Baseball.”

The St. Louis Rams own the turf and the hearts of St. Louis’ football fans at the Edward Jones Dome at America’s Center®. At Scottrade Center, the St. Louis Blues skate a full season of great NHL hockey action.

Marquee motor sports are found at Gateway International Raceway. The NASCAR Busch Series, Craftsman Truck Series and NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals are some of the top events held at the complex, which includes a lighted, 1.25-mile oval and a championship drag-racing facility.

Forest Park is home to St. Louis Aces World Team Tennis, as the top names in the sport visit the Dwight Davis Tennis Center for exciting on-court action each July.

After cycling through the Show-Me-State, the Tour of Missouri pro bike race and festival arrives at its St. Louis finish line on September 15 and 16.

In addition to legendary professional sports, minor league and college teams are a big hit in St. Louis. Baseball fans enjoy games played by the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League who play in nearby Sauget, Illinois. Plus, after hosting a decade of NCAA Division I championships in basketball, wrestling, hockey and soccer, St. Louis earned the fitting nickname “Championship City.”

College basketball is at the top of the sports menu when the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament takes place at Scottrade Center in March. The winner earns a berth in the NCAA tournament. Ticket information is available at www.mvc-sports.com. Also at Scottrade Center, the St. Louis High School Basketball Shootout takes the floor each December. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Midwest Regional will take place on the court of the Edward Jones Dome at America’s Center, March 23 and 25, 2007.

Other spring events include the NCAA Frozen Four college hockey championship at Scottrade Center April 5 and 7, 2007, and the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend. The seventh-annual marathon rings around St. Louis on Sunday, April 15. Runners of all abilities participate in a half-marathon, marathon relay, 5K run/walk, children’s fun runs and a health and fitness expo. For more information, visit www.stlouismarathon.com.

The University of Missouri and the University of Illinois continue their football rivalry with great gridiron action over an event-filled Labor Day weekend. The game will be played on September 1 at the Edward Jones Dome at America’s Center. College football teams also take the field at the dome when the Gateway Classic brings traditionally black universities to St. Louis for the popular game on September 29 surrounded by a series of weekend events. For more information, visit www.gatewayclassic.org. High school gridders also meet at the dome with each Thanksgiving weekend dedicated to the Show-Me Bowl. Click on www.mshsaa.org for details. Plus, St. Louis’ award-winning Sports Commission has more sports information at www.stlouissports.org.

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