St. Louis CITY SC: Purina Club Recognized as First Dog-Friendly MLS Stadium Space

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Press release: Purina

The first permanent, dog-friendly space inside a Major League Soccer stadium was recognized as Corporate Partnership Activation of the Year during the league’s year-end Mark Abbott MLS Club and Executive Awards.

The Purina Club, a collaboration between global pet care leader Nestlé Purina and 2023 MLS Western Conference Champions St. Louis CITY SC, features four loges at centerfield inside CITYPARK, with space to accommodate eight pets and 16 pet owners for each CITY home match. Design and buildout of the Purina Club was a true team effort, including collaboration from stadium architects, acoustic engineers, and pet behavior experts, to ensure the space delivered a positive and safe experience for both dogs and pet owners.

“Being recognized by the league and its clubs as the top partner activation in 2023 is a humbling honor and a testament to the collective vision we share with St. Louis CITY SC to include pets in the matchday experience at CITYPARK,” said Andrea Faccio, president and chief growth officer at Purina. “We hope that Purina Club becomes the gold standard and inspires more permanent, pet-friendly spaces inside sports stadiums and arenas across the country.”

Demand for tickets inside the Purina Club remains high and now features a robust waitlist for the 2024 season. The space was sold out for all 2023 CITY SC matches following its announcement in late April and became a beloved part of each home match inside CITYPARK during the expansion club’s stellar debut season in MLS.

“We are honored and excited to see a very unique collaboration recognized by the MLS for this first-of-its-kind space,” said Matt Poling, vice president of corporate partnerships at St. Louis CITY SC. “Since welcoming Purina as our first founding partner, we’ve been working together to make CITY the most pet-friendly sports club in the world. The Purina Club creates a tangible matchday experience with our pets in mind. This activation has been a resounding success thanks to the teamwork of so many – both at the Club and Purina – who worked tirelessly to ensure every detail, from fan experience to pet safety, was thoughtfully included.”

The Mark Abbott MLS Club Awards recognize clubs and individuals driving business, fostering innovation, and delivering value to fans and communities. The year-end accolades are named in honor of Abbott, former MLS President and Deputy Commissioner, who retired from his role at the end of the 2022 season.