Purina and St. Louis CITY SC Introduce New, Dedicated Dog-Friendly Space In CITYPARK for Fans and Their Furry Friends to Catch All of the Action
Purina Club is First Permanent Pet-Friendly Stadium Space in Major League Soccer
ST. LOUIS, April 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Purina and St. Louis CITY SC are bringing dogs to the CITYPARK experience with the Purina Club, a premium, dog-friendly section within CITYPARK where soccer fans and their furry friends can watch St. Louis CITY SC at home matches during the club's inaugural Major League Soccer season and beyond.
With sweeping views of CITYPARK, the Purina Club features four loges, each with space to accommodate two dogs and four humans. The space is the first permanent and dedicated pet-friendly section in an MLS stadium. Reservations for the Purina Club are now available, starting with the home match May 20 against Sporting Kansas City.
Several Purina pet experts, including Dr. Annie Valuska, a principal scientist with Purina focused on pet behavior and welfare, collaborated with stadium architects and CITY SC staff on the buildout of the Purina Club to ensure it delivers a positive and safe experience for both dogs and humans.
"At Purina, we believe pets and people are better together. It's incredibly exciting to work with St. Louis CITY SC to include dogs in their live match experience," said Valuska. "Ensuring the experience is as fun from a dog's perspective as it is for fans, all while being safe and comfortable, is our top priority."
From gaining insights through numerous consultations and stadium visits, to incorporating feedback from professional acoustical engineers at AcoustiControl, every aspect of the Purina Club's design is intentional to ensure dogs in the stadium have the same safe, enjoyable, engaging experience as any other fan. The premium space is located at midfield on the lower level of the east side of the stadium. Each section inside the Purina Club is completely covered from the elements and will be equipped with water bowls, toys, and treats. The club will also feature easy access to a dog relief area for when nature calls. Reservations in the Purina Club will come with a Purina gift bag with items like pet food coupons, exclusive Purina/CITY SC co-branded pet toys and popular brands of Purina pet treats.
"The Purina Club celebrates the love we have for our dogs and the love we have for soccer," said Matt Sebek, St. Louis CITY SC's Chief Experience Officer. "For many, pets are like family, and with Purina we are looking forward to bringing our fans this way to experience gameday with their furry best friends at CITYPARK."
To find out more about the Purina Club – including dog entry requirements, rules and regulations, and matchday guidelines – and to reserve, call 314-924-6800 or visit stlcitysc.com/tickets/premium/loge.
"Since announcing our partnership in March 2021, we've been working together to make CITY SC the most-pet friendly sports club in the world, and that starts with incorporating pets into the fan experience. The Purina Club is a unique and special way to connect our passion for pets and sports," said Andrea Faccio, President and Chief Growth Officer at Purina. "We appreciate all the groups who collaborated to bring the Purina Club to life. It took a true team effort."
Unveiling the Purina Club is the latest step the leader in pet care and the MLS expansion team are taking to put pets at the forefront of the fan experience. Before each home match, fans can expect to see performances from the Purina Incredible Dogs Team, experience other interactive games and special giveaways. The club has launched a Pet of the Match program, highlighting fans and their pets inside CITYPARK, on social media and the team app, and is selling an exclusive Purina/CITY SC pet jersey, for sale at CITY Pavilion, located at 2118 Market Street in downtown St. Louis.
About St. Louis CITY SC
St. Louis CITY SC, one of the few majority female-led ownership groups in all of professional sports, was awarded Major League Soccer's 28th expansion team in 2019 and plays at CITYPARK, an STLMade 22,500-seat world-class soccer-specific stadium. CITYPARK is part of a new stadium district which includes a practice facility, team store and team headquarters all within the same 30+ acre urban campus in downtown St. Louis to help further the region's continued growth and revitalization.
To stay up to date with St. Louis CITY SC, visit STLCITYSC.com and follow the club on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Purina
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina has helped dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering scientifically based nutritional innovations. Purina manufactures some of the world's most trusted and popular pet care products, including Purina Cat Chow, Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Fancy Feast and Tidy Cats. Our more than 10,000 U.S. associates take pride in our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands that feed 46 million dogs and 68 million cats every year. More than 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and nutrition. Purina promotes responsible pet care through our scientific research, our products and our support for pet-related organizations.
Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million towards organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help our communities and environment thrive. Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness. For more information, visit purina.com or subscribe here to get the latest Purina news.
SOURCE Nestle Purina PetCare
For further information: Michael Zerman 314-982-4875