The St. Louis Cardinals, known for their strong and loyal fan base, have struggled to fill Busch Stadium during the 2025 season.
After a highly successful period from 2000-2015 where they made 11 playoff appearances and won a World Series, the team has only reached the postseason four times in the last ten years and hasn’t been back since 2022.
Two former Cardinals and multi-time All-Stars, outfielder Matt Holliday and pitcher Lance Lynn, recently shared their perspectives on the decline in attendance.
Lynn suggested several reasons for the low turnout, stating, “It’s a couple different things: the team isn’t contending, fans are a bit disgusted with how the organization has handled the season by not adding talent and instead subtracting at the trade deadline, and school is back in session. When all those factors combine, you’re not going to get fans in the stands, no matter who you are.”
Holliday agreed, adding that it’s unusual to see so many empty seats in St. Louis. He said, “I think the fan base is still there, but people are frustrated. It’s been a few years now where they don’t feel there’s a real chance to win a World Series. Despite the organization talking about a transition or rebuild, people want to go to meaningful games, and the team has struggled lately.”
Through 73 home games, the Cardinals are averaging 27,834 fans per game. This is the team’s lowest average attendance since 1995, excluding the 2020 season affected by COVID-19. The frustration with the team’s performance is now directly impacting attendance figures.
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