What will it take to fill the stands?

[scoutyjones2]

What will it take for the best fans in baseball to return? 1st place in the Cental by June? 10 games over .500? 15 games?

LoL. Self prescribed "BFIB.". Pathetic.

I don't care. Why should you?

[desertrat23]

Well, look. I'm as happy as anyone about how this season has turned. That said, we're in the middle of May here and the Cardinals are 6 games over .500. A quarter of a season isn't going to erase a decade of (right or wrong) perceived failures all around as an organization.

This post should be pinned to the top of the homepage. It would save us dozens of pages. Why the last sentence especially isn’t common sense is beyond me.

[3dender]

It'll take time.

Fans didn't really respond to the 2023 atrocity until well into 2024. There's a several month lag in both directions, especially given how uninspiring the FO was this past winter in both word and deed.

A lot of fans make plans months in advance. Plenty have probably allocated their vacation time and money elsewhere for this year, and they'll be back next year if they estimate it'll be worth their while.

[Dazepster]

What will it take for the best fans in baseball to return? 1st place in the Cental by June? 10 games over .500? 15 games?

I would assume the best fans in baseball would still be with their team, thick and thin.

Right?

Bad premise. The best fans in baseball didn’t abandon their team. They abandoned an owner who that stopped investing in his product and an incompetent POBO.

Agree 100 Percent!!!

[Monsieur De Treville]

What will it take for the best fans in baseball to return? 1st place in the Cental by June? 10 games over .500? 15 games?

Well Marshall...I'd say three key ingredients here...

1. A return to winning baseball.
2. Better weather.
3. Summer vacation (kids out of school).

[Monsieur De Treville]

What will it take for the best fans in baseball to return? 1st place in the Cental by June? 10 games over .500? 15 games?

I would assume the best fans in baseball would still be with their team, thick and thin.

Right?

“Best” means “smartest,” not “most blindly loyal.”

To answer the question, if the team keeps playing well and the old, white, Safe Charles crowd realizes that traveling downtown isn’t an immediate death sentence, the stands will fill.

Ummm people have been shot and killed leaving the Cards games, you know this correct? I don't blame anyone for having trepidation when it comes to going downtown.

Until they make a safety a top priority I don't blame anyone not wanting to go.

I went to see the St Louis Symphony at Stiffel last night with a lady friend. I didn't feel particularly unsafe, however a couple of things I noticed as someone who once spent a lot of my work day in the downtown area.

1. I did not see a single St Louis Police Officer. WTF? Not one.

2. I did see dozens of homeless on Market St (Kiener Plaza) and tons of trash everywhere.

Our beloved City is filthy these days. And not a very particularly welcoming environment. Other than sporting events and special events like the symphony, there is very little to draw people downtown.

[thetank2]

Well, look. I'm as happy as anyone about how this season has turned. That said, we're in the middle of May here and the Cardinals are 6 games over .500. A quarter of a season isn't going to erase a decade of (right or wrong) perceived failures all around as an organization.

Then find another team.

[dhsux]

What will it take for the best fans in baseball to return? 1st place in the Cental by June? 10 games over .500? 15 games?

I would assume the best fans in baseball would still be with their team, thick and thin.

Right?

Bad premise. The best fans in baseball didn’t abandon their team. They abandoned an owner who that stopped investing in his product and an incompetent POBO.

Well since I never bought into "the best fans in baseball" to begin with I'm hardly being obtuse now.

Sarcastic covers it.

[Cranny]

What will it take for the best fans in baseball to return? 1st place in the Cental by June? 10 games over .500? 15 games?

I would assume the best fans in baseball would still be with their team, thick and thin.

Right?

Bad premise. The best fans in baseball didn’t abandon their team. They abandoned an owner who that stopped investing in his product and an incompetent POBO.

Agree 100 Percent!!!

Who put together this team that’s on fire right now, Daze?

[JDW]

It'll take time.

Fans didn't really respond to the 2023 atrocity until well into 2024. There's a several month lag in both directions, especially given how uninspiring the FO was this past winter in both word and deed.

A lot of fans make plans months in advance. Plenty have probably allocated their vacation time and money elsewhere for this year, and they'll be back next year if they estimate it'll be worth their while.

This, but I think the lag is a shorter timeframe and think the trend in attendance will show up soon, maybe as soon as the next homestand.
Not saying sellouts, but better crowd numbers than what we've seen so far.
Fans can get energized, and that is surely happening now with this recent great run in W's and mostly good play.

[CorneliusWolfe]

What will it take for the best fans in baseball to return? 1st place in the Cental by June? 10 games over .500? 15 games?

Well Marshall...I'd say three key ingredients here...

1. A return to winning baseball.
2. Better weather.
3. Summer vacation (kids out of school).

Shady-Guy, is that you? Just be yourself buddy. You’re an odd duck but we don’t hate you. Except maybe Scouty.

Cardinal fans not BFIB. Maybe best fans “of” baseball. No one appreciates hard-nosed and fundamentally sound play and recognizes when it’s not than STL fans.

BFIB? Hate to say it but probably Cub fans. No matter how bad they are they pack the house. You don’t earn the name “Loveable Losers” for nothing.

[Melville]

What will it take for the best fans in baseball to return? 1st place in the Cental by June? 10 games over .500? 15 games?

A different downtown and an economy not plaguing consumers with a high cost of goods and services might help as well.

Doesn’t that affect every city? Boston, KC etc aren’t as sparsely attended

True.
But KC does not have a downtown stadium and the area around Fenway is not like downtown STL.
And remember, we are talking about drawing people BACK to the stadium after driving 60% of them away.
Different dynamic.
Much harder to get angry customers back after intentionally driving them away - and expecting them to pay a 25% premium for the privilege.

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Well, look. I'm as happy as anyone about how this season has turned. That said, we're in the middle of May here and the Cardinals are 6 games over .500. A quarter of a season isn't going to erase a decade of (right or wrong) perceived failures all around as an organization.

Then find another team.

I think a lot of people think that is the attitude of the FO and they don't like that either. Either accept whatever we give you, show up, and like it, or find another team. Well, you see how that is turning out.

And I'm saying this as someone who a lot of people here would consider a defender of the front office. I would consider myself one as well. But you have to be willing to admit when there's flaws. Obviously, something isn't right for the stadium to be this empty, right? Or are all these people just stupid and need to find another team?

[peterman'srealitytour]

Well, look. I'm as happy as anyone about how this season has turned. That said, we're in the middle of May here and the Cardinals are 6 games over .500. A quarter of a season isn't going to erase a decade of (right or wrong) perceived failures all around as an organization.

Then find another team.

Find another forum.

[rockondlouie]

Simple

1 - Winning (duh)

2 - BDWJr allowing Mo/Bloom to ADD a piece or two at the trading deadline if the Cardinals are in or near 1st place in the NLC

I know there's a segment that wants to just punt 2025 and selloff anyone they can (Helsley, Fedde, NADO, Matz, ect...).

On one hand they have a point.

On the other the return for those players is NOT going to be a teams Top 10 prospect so it's really a c r a p shoot if dealing them ever leads to even one player being a big contributor for the Cardinals down the road.

Selling would guarantee Dewitt 10-12,000 per game for the rest of the season or a disaster!

And who knows what's going to happen, there's no guarantee the Dodgers or Mets or Yankees are winning the WS this season.

If they're where they are now or in 1st place, then ADD a piece or two Dewitt and you'll start seeing those 35-40,000+ size crowds again!

JMO

[WLTFE]

Glad to see front office (donkey) kissers are up early and attempting to hijack another thread...