United Football League’s co-owner Mike Repole has floated the idea of relocating the St. Louis Battlehawks from The Dome at America’s Center to Energizer Park, the home of St. Louis City SC. This suggestion comes as part of Repole’s broader vision to enhance the league’s atmosphere by prioritizing smaller, more intimate venues that foster sold-out crowds and high-energy environments.
Repole, a billionaire entrepreneur known for founding Vitaminwater and BodyArmor, joined the UFL ownership group in 2025 and has quickly taken charge of business operations. His investment signals a commitment to elevating spring football, with St. Louis emerging as a cornerstone market. During recent discussions, Repole praised the Battlehawks’ fan base, dubbing them “America’s Team” in the UFL, while emphasizing the need for strategic changes to sustain growth.
The proposal stems from Repole’s observation that while the Battlehawks lead the league in attendance—averaging around 30,000 fans per game in the 67,000-seat Dome—the vast space can sometimes result in a half-empty appearance, potentially diminishing the on-TV vibe and overall excitement. Energizer Park, with its 22,423-seat capacity, offers a more compact setting where demand could outstrip supply, creating ticket scarcity and a packed-house atmosphere that Repole believes would energize both players and viewers.
“Is it better to be fighting to be one of the 22,000 in a smaller stadium and building demand, and that place is sold out, and that place is going crazy, what’s a better atmosphere?” Repole said.
Repole’s strategy aligns with his earlier efforts to overhaul the UFL, including relocating teams to smaller stadiums to avoid the “COVID game” feel of sparse crowds in oversized venues. He has already initiated early talks with St. Louis City SC about the potential move, highlighting his preference for environments where fans are “fighting for tickets.”
St. Louis CITY SC has confirmed that its leadership has had conversations with the UFL regarding the Battlehawks potentially moving to Energizer Park, and the club stated it is open to having such discussions. However, the club added that it has not yet found a way to accommodate football games while adequately protecting the playing surface for its MLS soccer matches.
Battlehawks head coach Ricky Proehl has voiced opposition to the idea. “I understand from a business standpoint, what he wants to do, to create an atmosphere, where the stadium is full, it’s at capacity, but hey, why can’t we do that in the Dome?”
He said that if the Battlehawks attendance grows to 40,000 this year, it would likely end all speculation. “I might need to bring Mike to a game end educate him.”
This isn’t the first time Repole has pushed for venue optimizations in the UFL. His broader plan includes market shifts and expansion, with a focus on complementing MLS stadiums like Energizer Park to boost engagement. For St. Louis, a city starved for professional football since the Rams’ departure, the Battlehawks represent more than a team—they’re a symbol of resilience. Whether this potential shift enhances that spirit or disrupts it remains to be seen, but Repole’s involvement promises an exciting chapter for the UFL. As the 2026 season approaches, all eyes will be on how this debate unfolds.
1 comment
Typical for a new league investor trying to fix what isn’t broken in St. Louis. The Battlehawks are four-time leading attendance leaders for the XFL and UFL. Moving to Energizer Park would be a terrible idea.
Repole should know what’s best, knowing his role, and shutting up his jabroni mouth…because what’s going on in Battlehawks Country isn’t broken, but the league does need to do more marketing to boost game attendance. It shouldn’t just rely exclusively on us media guys alone.
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