The St. Louis Cardinals, once known for having one of Major League Baseball’s most passionate and dedicated fan bases, have seen that reputation slip significantly in just a few years.
From 1998 through last season, they consistently drew over three million fans each year, with only three exceptions: 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, and 2003, which still came within 89,600 of the mark.
This season, however, the Cardinals rank 13th in average attendance per game—down from 4th place as recently as 2023. Even more concerning is the steep decline in attendance from one year to the next. After 42 home games, the team is averaging 6,393 fewer fans per game than last year—a 21% drop. That follows a 15% decline the year before. Only the Tampa Bay Rays, who temporarily lost their stadium to a hurricane, have seen a bigger drop.
In 2023, St. Louis averaged 40,013 fans per game. This year, the number is down to 29,997—a decrease of 10,016 tickets sold per game. And that’s just tickets sold, not actual attendance; photos of sparsely filled stadiums suggest many fans aren’t even showing up. If this trend holds, the Cardinals are on pace for a season total of 2.4 million in ticket sales—their lowest since 1995.
Attendance continues to be a major issue for the Cardinals in 2025.
What’s behind the downturn? In 2022, the Cardinals sent five players to the All-Star Game. In 2023 and 2024, they had just one representative each year—and that was only because MLB rules require every team to have at least one. The absence of star power may be a factor.
Attending a game has also become far too expensive for many fans. A family of four now struggles to get in the door for under $250.
Then there’s the team’s stagnant ambition. Simply aiming to reach the playoffs is no longer cutting it. Despite consistent postseason appearances, the Cardinals haven’t actually won a playoff series since 2019—and fans are clearly aware of that.
It’s not just the crowds at Busch Stadium that are thinning. TV ratings have plummeted—from 7.3 in 2022, to 5.2 in 2023, and now a mere 3.9.
Fans are sending a clear message: they’re not satisfied.
In a recent piece, Katie Woo quoted Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. saying, “It’s a revenue game. If you have more revenue, you have an opportunity to spend more money.” But perhaps fans are flipping that logic on its head: suggesting the team should be spending in order to generate revenue.
Yahoo estimates the median Cardinals ticket now costs $83. With 430,000 fewer tickets sold this year, that’s a hit of roughly $37 million in ticket revenue alone—before factoring in lost income from concessions, merchandise, and more, which could double that figure.
Had the team invested an additional $30 million in the roster, could they have prevented this financial and fanbase erosion?
Maybe next year, DeWitt should consider a new motto: “If we spend more, we might earn more.” It’s worth considering.