Joe Puetz - Imagn Images
There’s no arguing that the St. Louis Cardinals have been the most consistent team in the National League in the 21st century. The NL’s all-time most winningest franchise has just two losing seasons since 2000 and has won four pennants, including two World Series crowns.
They were never the biggest spenders, but the front office was alwyas committed to putting a great product on the field for some of the most passionate baseball fans in the league. But, in recent years, they’ve pinched pennies, the team is no longer seen as a contender, and now fans are retaliating with low attendance.
St. Louis, per capita, is probably the best baseball town in America. Fans love their Cardinals, and Busch Stadium has been continuously packed since opening in 2005. The team has always been in the top ten in attendance, though they’ve slipped to 7th last year after nearly always being in the top 4.
The roster this year is simply not good. A diminished Nolan Arenado is the most notable player on the roster, and there is some promising youth. But,, even in a bad NL Central, the Cardinals are far from favorites, something this fan base isn’t used to.
Yes, it’s early in the season, and the high was a cloudy 54 degrees. But, Cardinals fans are making it known how they feel about this year’s team with record-low attendance.
The Cardinals are off to a good start this year, but that hasn't stopped fans from sending a message to ownership.
The announced attendance of 21,206 at Busch Stadium III tonight is the smallest crowd in stadium history. #STLCards
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) April 1, 2025
Last year, in the worst attendance year ever for the franchise, they averaged over 35,000 fans a game. This is a shot right at the DeWitt family which owns the team. Fans are expecting more investment in the team.
The Cardinals fell to the Angels, 5-4.