“Way better than your crap” – Rams owner Stan Kroenke catches strays after Battlehawks’ record-breaking XFL night in St. Louis

By Bethany Cohen

Published Mar 13, 2023 16:03 GMT

The St. Louis Battlehawks hosted their home opener this weekend and packed the stadium, showing that their love for football is still high.

The XFL's St. Louis Battlehawks finally hosted their home opener this past weekend, and their fan base definitely showed up for the occasion. The Battlehawks packed The Dome for the return of football to the city and exceeded any and all expectations with attendance surpassing 38,000 fans.

Just days before the home opener, The Dome announced that they would be opening the 400-level section of the stadium for fans to purchase tickets.

It's a good sign for not only the XFL but also for St. Louis, which has tried to emphasize over the last few years that it is a football city. The loss of the Rams in 2016 hit the economy and the fan base hard. Now, the city has a new team to cheer for, and they eagerly showed their support.

As pictures of the packed stadium circulated around social media this weekend, many were quick to judge Rams team owner Stan Kroenke for removing the team from St. Louis. During that time, he said the move was due to a lack of fan interest and attendance. As many noted, perhaps the fans weren't showing up because Kroenke didn't put together a good enough team to watch.

Others mentioned that SoFi Stadium, which was built just a few years ago solely for the Rams and Chargers, doesn't have that high of an attendance, and when it does, it's typically for the away team.

XFL attendance figures see sharp rise in Week 4 during Arlington Renegades vs. St. Louis Battlehawks

When Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson bought the XFL after its collapse in 2020, he vowed to make it bigger and better. Some tweaking of host cities and the business end of the operation was what Johnson's new game plan included. And so far, it appears that fans across the country are embracing the new season.

The St. Louis Battlehawks, led by former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback A.J. McCarron, have taken the league by storm. The Battlehawks finally hosted their season opener on Sunday after weeks of playing on the road. And the fans didn't disappoint.

Playing at The Dome, the former home to the St. Louis Rams, the Battlehawks tickets began selling out weeks ago. So much so that on Friday, the league announced that due to the lower bowl of the stadium being sold out, they would now be selling tickets for the upper levels. This is something that is not typically done throughout the XFL.

Taking on the Arlington Renegades, another team with a loyal fan base, the Battlehawks' attendance was over 38,000 fans, breaking an XFL record for ticket sales. St. Louis pulled off the 24-11 win at home, which should have fans excited to continue cheering for their 3-1 team.

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

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