• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Cards’ Offseason Changes Help Attendance Numbers

Apr 9, 2019; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals fans cheer after catcher Yadier Molina (4) hit a two run double during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Cardinals fan experience
Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

With October baseball looming in the distance, the St. Louis Cardinals are still in playoff contention. Regardless of how they finish their season, the Cardinals can find solace in knowing that fans still showed up to Busch Stadium in 2019. 

According to a proprietary attendance-modelling formula from Two Circles, WPP’s sports property-facing agency, St. Louis had an average home attendance of 42,019 in 2018 – a decline of roughly 1.2% year-over-year. This season, not only are the Cardinals expected to have home attendance numbers rise to 42,686 – a 2% increase year-over-year – they will retake their position behind the Los Angeles Dodgers as the second most-attended team in MLB.

Reflecting on that attendance decline last offseason, Joe Strohm, St. Louis’ vice president of ticket sales, said much was discussed by the team during the 2018 offseason to address Busch Stadium’s fan amenities. Since opening in April 2006, the venue had undergone few renovations. 

Heading into 2019, Strohm mentioned that offseason improvements were made to the stadium’s premium suites and exclusive areas. With 3,000 tickets per game in those areas that include food, beverage, and access to private areas, Strohm wanted to provide a more modern in-stadium experience to visitors. 

Most importantly though, Strohm didn’t want Cardinals’ tickets in 2019 to be cost prohibitive. With the MLB average ticket price up to $32.99, he and the Cardinals created unique, fan-friendly ticketing deals. 

According to Strohm, the 2018 Cardinals offered game day tickets ranging in price from $5 to $10. Strohm estimates that 90% of these games had tickets selling under $10, and continued this into 2019.

St. Louis also renewed its partnership with KMOX 1120 AM, the team radio station, to bring back the “First Pitch Tickets” program. Held at every regular-season game day, the first 275 fans to arrive at the ballpark’s Eighth Street ticket window are able to purchase a pair of tickets to that day or evening’s game for $11.20.

READ MORE: Twins’ Focus On Fans Leads To Rise In Attendance

Not only did fans could spend little on tickets, but they could also avoid spending more on concessions. According to Strohm, Busch Stadium is one of the few MLB stadiums that allows fans to bring food and drinks inside. When factoring that into the low ticket prices, Strohm says that this helps fans attend games on a low budget – while maintaining a quality experience.

“Our philosophy here in St. Louis, from a ticketing perspective, is that we believe in maximizing revenue by maximizing sales,” said Strohm. “We think any unsold ticket is a missed opportunity to grow our brand. We do not want the price of a ticket to be a reason for not coming to the ballpark at Busch stadium. There may be other reasons people choose not to come, but we do not want the price of the ticket to be a factor in not coming to the ballpark.”

Sam Yardley, Two Circles senior vice president of consulting, said that the Cardinals’ emphasis on topics such as fan experience, flexible ticketing options, and its brand have helped them thrive attendance-wise while MLB continues to struggle. By better managing these, Yardley says that the Cardinals – despite not making the playoffs since 2015 – should be used by other teams as a model on how to attract fans to games.

“Their record on the field is not fantastic, yet they still consistently come in the top two or three nationwide in terms of [average home] attendances,” said Yardley. “That tells me that the brand of the Cardinals is really, really strong on people. I think they’ve done a great job in terms of the brand of the Cardinals and the tangible elements of that, which I think are really important – and a lot of other teams can learn from.”

As of August 14, the Cardinals – at 62-55 – are still in the hunt for a playoff berth. If the season ended today, they would hold the second wild-card spot and square off against the Washington Nationals in a one-game playoff to advance to the National League Divisional Series.

READ MORE: MLB Ticketing Revenue Expected To Increase in 2019, Amid Another Attendance Drop

Even if its 2019 campaign doesn’t extend beyond September, Strohm believes that the team’s loyal – and wire-spread – fanbase will stick by its side – now, and for seasons to come. 

“We have a fan base that’s basically throughout the United States because you know how baseball it – it’s generational, passed down from one generation to the other,” said Strohm. “You put all that together, being a regionally drawn team, it makes it a little bit unique over some other markets that are out there.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

MLB, NBC Leaders Say Broadcast TV Still Matters in Streaming Era

The network and league tout the forthcoming rights deal.
Sep 10, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper (3) watches his ball clear the wall for a home run against the New York Mets during the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park

Rob Manfred Says Any Talk of MLB Salary Cap Is Premature

“No decisions” have been made regarding an MLB salary cap.

Manfred Says New MLB Rights Deal ‘Replicated’ Money From ESPN Opt-Out

Rob Manfred spoke at the Front Office Sports Tuned In summit.

Pitaro: ESPN, MLB Making Progress on New Deal Talks

The network and league ended their deal earlier this year.

Featured Today

Premier Lacrosse League

‘The Circus Is Coming to Town’: Why Upstart Leagues Start on Tour

In their ambitious plans, a traveling schedule is only temporary.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 19: A detailed view of the MLB Debut patch on the jersey of Patrick Monteverde #44 of the Miami Marlins prior to game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
September 13, 2025

The Tiny Jersey Patch at the Center of the MLB Rookie Card..

Autographed cards containing a piece of baseball history have upended the market.
September 11, 2025

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.
September 10, 2025

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.
Sponsored

Game the Green: Transforming Fan Experiences at TPC Sawgrass

As fans gather at THE PLAYERS Championship, Comcast Business will be keeping spectators and the PGA TOUR connected like never before.
Sponsored

How Sportradar and the NBA Are Shaping the Future of Immersive Fan..

By transforming raw data into tailored, interactive content, Sportradar helps turn the NBA’s enormous fanbase into active participants.
February 3, 2025

Super Bowl Ticket Prices Crash As Hotel Rooms See Historic Rate Hike

Prices sink by about 30%, due in part to a lodging crunch.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
October 8, 2024

NBA GMs Rank Salary-Cap Apron As Rule That Needs to Change Most

Schedule changes finished second with 17% of the vote.
Sponsored

Trend Report: Chiefs-Chargers, Tobacco Road Rivalry, Nebraska Sellout Streak

According to data from TickPick, some games this week will prove to be wallet-busters, climbing into the four figures.
September 8, 2024

US Open Breaks Attendance Record

Top-seeded Jannik Sinner beat No. 12 Taylor Fritz in straight sets Sunday.
Sponsored

Mastercard’s Foodies & Fairways: Where Golf Meets Gourmet at the TOUR Championship

This year’s TOUR Championship in Atlanta isn’t just about world-class golf—it’s also a celebration of local flavors.