Photography courtesy St. Louis CITY SC
The St. Louligans didn’t know what to expect from a new year, a new team, and a new league.
The 2022 CITY 2 season on the MLS Next Pro circuit was the Louligans’ first opportunity to carry their traditions from years of cheering on the city’s former professional clubs over to St. Louis CITY SC. The Louligans, however, have prided themselves on doing more than merely tailgating and making noise. Since launching a charity arm in 2014, the group has raised more than a quarter of a million dollars for local organizations and philanthropic causes. But with matches spread between multiple locations and a developmental squad on the field, it seemed possible that the Louligans would find themselves in a holding pattern this year, waiting for the “real thing” to start in 2023.
“We had no idea what to expect going into the season, especially with games at SIU-Edwardsville and SLU," says Nancy Carver, one of the leaders of the Louligans’ charitable efforts. "We didn’t know what our tailgates would look like, or how many fans there would be,”
As it turned out, there was no reason to worry.
This year, during a test run for the team and its followers, St. Louis fans once again rallied to show their support for more than just soccer. The Louligans recently announced that they raised $30,595 while fundraising at CITY 2 games in 2022, building a strong fundraising foundation in preparation for the franchise’s inaugural Major League Soccer season next spring.
“That number just blew us out of the water,” Carver says.
Photography courtesy Nancy Carver
A St. Louligans merch tent at a recent match
The Louligans call their philanthropy program Charity Du Jour, a nod to the group’s objective of supporting a different local cause at each game. The mission started with a simple tip jar at tailgates, and has evolved into a multi-pronged charity campaign that includes merchandise sales, raffles, fundraisers, and even contributions from the local teams. This year, the Louligans report that they raised $9,225 through tailgate donations, $415 through Amazon Smile contributions, and $5,955 in donations through Prideraiser, which is a national drive orchestrated by independent soccer supporters groups who raise money for local LGBTQ+ causes. CITY officials matched the Louligans’ Prideraiser pledges with a $5,000 donation, and members of the ownership group, including Jim Kavanaugh and Tom Strunk of World Wide Technology, pitched in an additional $10,000 to double the group’s tailgate haul.
All told, the Louligans’ efforts benefitted a variety of organizations, including The St. Louis Area Foodbank, Casa de Salud, the St. Louis Queer+ Support Helpline, the YWCA, Hope Clinic, and the Bennett Project, among several others.
“We want people to know us for more than just being fans and supporting our local team,” Carver says. “Yes, we like to have fun and make noise. But we want to be known for trying to make our city a better place. Being able to do that with these donations is huge. We live here, we breathe it, and we see what’s going on. Anything we can do to help give back and make things just a little bit better is something we really like doing.”
Although CITY 2’s season ended earlier this month—and CITY’s first big league campaign won’t start until late February, at the earliest—the Louligans are hoping to raise even more money before the end of the year. The group is using its Full Kit Wanker Halloween party on Saturday at 2nd Shift Brewing as an opportunity to solicit donations for the victims of Monday's shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School (all are welcome). As the holiday season approaches, the Louligans also plan to host additional charity events.
“Our biggest thing is supporting local businesses and supporting local charities, putting things out there for good,” Carver says. “In the long run, that’s what we really care about. Soccer is the way to bring people together and do that.”
