Does anybody really care about cardinal baseball anymore?

[BleedingBleu]

The people on this forum I would say truly do, but the upcoming generations sadly do not.One reason for this is, the taking the family to the cardinal games was a tradition, but since the team has stunk for the last several years and instead of wasting money on going to a game they choose other entertainment.Going to the game was not just to see a game but a family experience that was fun and now they choose other entertainment.Whats your sign cardinals, all the empty seats, get back to the basics and put a team on the field that can do more than play for a wildcard game.You ask us to pay more for tickets. We ask you spend the money to get the top players here instead of just getting by.

I’ve taken my girls to several Cardinals Games, despite the deteriorating quality of play the last few years. Even in the best times, they could still lose a Home Game.

The first game I took my oldest to was a Start by Adam Wainwright, had Albert on the team, and saw Molina smack two Home Runs. That 2022 club was actually having a season for the ages and the particular matchup was saw the Cardinals (81-57) hosting the Washington Gnats (49-89). Unfortunately, the Cardinals got smoked 11-6.

She doesn’t remember any of that. What she does remember is going downtown, going to the stadium, getting a build-a-bear, and playing in the kid zone, and having fun. Some of that memory is from having a tangible stuffed animal and reinforcing the memory from continued visits. However, it was a positive experience because I helped make it one with a plan and enthusiasm.

I repeated that strategy with the youngest, and true to its nature, she has a fond memory. That particular game witnessed Dylan Carlson smack 2 dingers from either side of the plate. Last year, my wife and I have made it a tradition to take our little family and make a day of it. It was the only game I went to last year that they won (1-3).

The tickets haven’t been cheaper. If you’re worried about the cost of concessions, stop off at Gus’s Pretzels before the game. If you’re worried about getting mugged, then hit the weight room or something, because I’ve been downtown most of my life and never had a problem.

If you want to maintain a tradition, it’s not on the Cardinals to keep it alive for you.

[Bomber1]

Btw, the term boomer itself is ridiculous and shows a disregard for the opinions of and traditions of the past. And im not even from the baby boom generation. This mindset also goes hand-in-hand with the lack of interest of anything historical. Believe it or not, things happened before Generation Y, Millennial, or Gen Z. Baseball is a game steeped in history. That is what makes it great.

As for saying Tatis, Harper, or whoever else wouldn't be celebrated by Cardinals fans, that's nonsense. They are stars the perform. Cardinals fans would love that.

I'm sorry, but this is the absolute wrong mentality. The game HAS to be catered to young people: more action, more modern, faster paced, more diverse (not only in culture/ethnicity, but mindset). The Cardinals almost obstinately market against that: "Baseball Like It Oughta Be," "Where Tradition Meets Today," etc. It's ridiculous. Today's kids absolutely do not care about Stan Musial, or Bob Gibson, or Ozzie Smith. Should they? They should know about them, like they should know about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. But you're not going to convince a kid he or she should be a Cardinals fan because they won three World Series 80 years ago. A market that drapes itself in history and constantly looks backward isn't going to go anywhere.

And by the way, the oldest Millennial turns 45 next year. They're not kids drinking Starbucks and eating avocado toast.

If this club had won anything during the past 10 years your take would be immaterial.
But you’re right in that the idiotic marketing dept headed up by Fredo can’t let go.
Young people won’t attend a game to get a Bruce Sutter or a Scott Rolen bobblehead.

They need to put a solid winning team on the field and fans both young and old will support it.

[sikeston bulldog2]

Btw, the term boomer itself is ridiculous and shows a disregard for the opinions of and traditions of the past. And im not even from the baby boom generation. This mindset also goes hand-in-hand with the lack of interest of anything historical. Believe it or not, things happened before Generation Y, Millennial, or Gen Z. Baseball is a game steeped in history. That is what makes it great.

As for saying Tatis, Harper, or whoever else wouldn't be celebrated by Cardinals fans, that's nonsense. They are stars the perform. Cardinals fans would love that.

I'm sorry, but this is the absolute wrong mentality. The game HAS to be catered to young people: more action, more modern, faster paced, more diverse (not only in culture/ethnicity, but mindset). The Cardinals almost obstinately market against that: "Baseball Like It Oughta Be," "Where Tradition Meets Today," etc. It's ridiculous. Today's kids absolutely do not care about Stan Musial, or Bob Gibson, or Ozzie Smith. Should they? They should know about them, like they should know about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. But you're not going to convince a kid he or she should be a Cardinals fan because they won three World Series 80 years ago. A market that drapes itself in history and constantly looks backward isn't going to go anywhere.

And by the way, the oldest Millennial turns 45 next year. They're not kids drinking Starbucks and eating avocado toast.

If this club had won anything during the past 10 years your take would be immaterial.
But you’re right in that the idiotic marketing dept headed up by Fredo can’t let go.
Young people won’t attend a game to get a Bruce Sutter or a Scott Rolen bobblehead.

They need to put a solid winning team on the field and fans both young and old will support it.

I don’t know. It started at the Roman Colliseum. They couldn’t find a ticket. Sold out. Every Sunday.

What did the Romans want that we still have today- physical contact. Humans love action.

Football. Even a bad game is good. Basketball. None stop. Soccer. The same. Edge of seat. Play by play.

Baseball. Moves like pond water. Rarely holds an interest.
That’s why they are trying to inject action into baseball with all these threads that offensive changes.

Baseball if not real careful may become a true pass time.

[desertrat23]

Btw, the term boomer itself is ridiculous and shows a disregard for the opinions of and traditions of the past. And im not even from the baby boom generation. This mindset also goes hand-in-hand with the lack of interest of anything historical. Believe it or not, things happened before Generation Y, Millennial, or Gen Z. Baseball is a game steeped in history. That is what makes it great.

As for saying Tatis, Harper, or whoever else wouldn't be celebrated by Cardinals fans, that's nonsense. They are stars the perform. Cardinals fans would love that.

I'm sorry, but this is the absolute wrong mentality. The game HAS to be catered to young people: more action, more modern, faster paced, more diverse (not only in culture/ethnicity, but mindset). The Cardinals almost obstinately market against that: "Baseball Like It Oughta Be," "Where Tradition Meets Today," etc. It's ridiculous. Today's kids absolutely do not care about Stan Musial, or Bob Gibson, or Ozzie Smith. Should they? They should know about them, like they should know about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. But you're not going to convince a kid he or she should be a Cardinals fan because they won three World Series 80 years ago. A market that drapes itself in history and constantly looks backward isn't going to go anywhere.

And by the way, the oldest Millennial turns 45 next year. They're not kids drinking Starbucks and eating avocado toast.

If this club had won anything during the past 10 years your take would be immaterial.
But you’re right in that the idiotic marketing dept headed up by Fredo can’t let go.
Young people won’t attend a game to get a Bruce Sutter or a Scott Rolen bobblehead.

They need to put a solid winning team on the field and fans both young and old will support it.

Very true. But there’s been little to no willingness to do that.

[desertrat23]

The people on this forum I would say truly do, but the upcoming generations sadly do not.One reason for this is, the taking the family to the cardinal games was a tradition, but since the team has stunk for the last several years and instead of wasting money on going to a game they choose other entertainment.Going to the game was not just to see a game but a family experience that was fun and now they choose other entertainment.Whats your sign cardinals, all the empty seats, get back to the basics and put a team on the field that can do more than play for a wildcard game.You ask us to pay more for tickets. We ask you spend the money to get the top players here instead of just getting by.

Preaching to the choir here. The younger generation doesn't care about watching an entire game in any sport. They watch highlights on their phones. They only know the players or teams that are hyped by the media. And believe me, most of the younger generation has no interest in the history of sports, teams, or players from the past.

Sadly Juan, you are spot-on. A lot of this is fantasy baseball. A lot of it is over watered down TV and internet.

The younger age group that "should" be buying tickets, are just checking stats for their players, or prop bets.

The generation younger than thatvare the ones who should be in love with the game. Outside playing it until dark, like my generation did. There was no such thing as internet. And besides the home town TV games, there was only Saturdays game of the week.

I never see kids playing pick-up games at the school field, park, or streets. They just dont do it. Its all about social media and influencer.

Watching baseball was special. Now, you can watch any game, any day of the week.

Its not just Cardinal baseball. The up and coming generation will not be filling the stands in almost all of the stadiums.

The irony in this thread is striking. We have posters confidently declaring what "the younger generation" thinks and does, yet there's zero evidence any of you actually talk to younger people about baseball, watch youth sports, or follow attendance demographics beyond anecdotal observation.
Youth baseball and softball participation has remained strong. MLB attendance issues are complex and tied to ticket pricing, streaming access, game length, and team performance, not generational moral failings. Plenty of young fans engage deeply with baseball through analytics, social media communities, and yes, even attending games.
This kind of "kids these days" rhetoric is exhausting and unfortunately far too common on this forum. Making sweeping generalizations about entire generations you clearly don't understand doesn't make you insightful, it makes you out of touch.
Maybe instead of lamenting what you assume young people don't care about, consider the actual barriers they face. Current average ticket prices today are 3x what they were 40 years ago. That's AFTER adjusting for inflation. Taking a family of four to a game is significantly more expensive than ever before. Again, this after adjusting for inflation.
Younger generations are dealing with student debt, housing costs that have far outpaced wages, and entertainment costs that have exploded compared to what older fans paid at the same life stage. Perhaps the issue isn't that they don't care, it's that the economics have fundamentally changed, and dismissing them as phone-obsessed and historically ignorant is both inaccurate and unhelpful.

This is so wonderfully said I wish I had said it. But — the Boomer mentality is often characterized by an inability to accept that they’re not the main character in life anymore. This thread and most others like it is proof positive.

[juan good eye]

Sporting events are too expensive for the average person these days. Prices have soared on almost literally everything over the past 5 years. People do their own cost-benefit analysis and determine its not beneficial to spend hundreds of dollars for a couple hours of potential entertainment. Bring prices down and/or put a competitive team on the field and people will come back.

Prices aren’t the real problem when young people — those with very limited $ — often pay hundreds on concert tickets.

[Jeff Goldblum]

Sporting events are too expensive for the average person these days. Prices have soared on almost literally everything over the past 5 years. People do their own cost-benefit analysis and determine its not beneficial to spend hundreds of dollars for a couple hours of potential entertainment. Bring prices down and/or put a competitive team on the field and people will come back.

Prices aren’t the real problem when young people — those with very limited $ — often pay hundreds on concert tickets.

Apples and oranges. Id pay significantly more to see a band that i like that may be coming through town once every few years vs a baseball game 81 times a year.

[11WSChamps]

The people on this forum I would say truly do, but the upcoming generations sadly do not.One reason for this is, the taking the family to the cardinal games was a tradition, but since the team has stunk for the last several years and instead of wasting money on going to a game they choose other entertainment.Going to the game was not just to see a game but a family experience that was fun and now they choose other entertainment.Whats your sign cardinals, all the empty seats, get back to the basics and put a team on the field that can do more than play for a wildcard game.You ask us to pay more for tickets. We ask you spend the money to get the top players here instead of just getting by.

I’ve taken my girls to several Cardinals Games, despite the deteriorating quality of play the last few years. Even in the best times, they could still lose a Home Game.

The first game I took my oldest to was a Start by Adam Wainwright, had Albert on the team, and saw Molina smack two Home Runs. That 2022 club was actually having a season for the ages and the particular matchup was saw the Cardinals (81-57) hosting the Washington Gnats (49-89). Unfortunately, the Cardinals got smoked 11-6.

She doesn’t remember any of that. What she does remember is going downtown, going to the stadium, getting a build-a-bear, and playing in the kid zone, and having fun. Some of that memory is from having a tangible stuffed animal and reinforcing the memory from continued visits. However, it was a positive experience because I helped make it one with a plan and enthusiasm.

I repeated that strategy with the youngest, and true to its nature, she has a fond memory. That particular game witnessed Dylan Carlson smack 2 dingers from either side of the plate. Last year, my wife and I have made it a tradition to take our little family and make a day of it. It was the only game I went to last year that they won (1-3).

The tickets haven’t been cheaper. If you’re worried about the cost of concessions, stop off at Gus’s Pretzels before the game. If you’re worried about getting mugged, then hit the weight room or something, because I’ve been downtown most of my life and never had a problem.

If you want to maintain a tradition, it’s not on the Cardinals to keep it alive for you.

I have daughters as well and the memory is them being with their father and uncle and going somewhere to eat before the game. Experiencing the crowds and the noise and the stories my brother and I would tell was enjoyable for them as well.

The results of the game itself were immaterial for them. They probably felt bad for dad if they lost but I assured them the time together and having some laughs meant more than the score of a ballgame.

The memories of all the franchise's success and what might become of that is the biggest concern but things change and the girls are all grown up and going to games could be a thing of the past but we'll still get to a few games year if possible.

[PregnantNun]

The people on this forum I would say truly do, but the upcoming generations sadly do not.One reason for this is, the taking the family to the cardinal games was a tradition, but since the team has stunk for the last several years and instead of wasting money on going to a game they choose other entertainment.Going to the game was not just to see a game but a family experience that was fun and now they choose other entertainment.Whats your sign cardinals, all the empty seats, get back to the basics and put a team on the field that can do more than play for a wildcard game.You ask us to pay more for tickets. We ask you spend the money to get the top players here instead of just getting by.

Baseball isn't the sport it used to be either. There's little nuance now. The homerun is all that matters. It isn't my kids' fault that they get bored by baseball when a couple innings goes by without someone hitting a homerun, and it isn't because they're playing on their phones. It's the MLB's fault because that's the game they've created, and that's the expectation that they've created. Not to mention that the rich teams win all the games and sign all the best and most exciting players. And if I may get on my soapbox, even for those who follow baseball, advanced stats have created an alternate reality where bad players are good, good players are bad, and players like Juan Soto are tagged "generational" even as they struggle to bat .260. Learning the game's history isn't even fun anymore because the mystique of players like Babe Ruth wears off when you read that if you adjust for the park he played in and estimate bat speed, he would probably just suck in 2025. It doesn't help that the Cardinals have been bad for so long. Kids don't want to watch a so-called storied franchise lose for years on end, and the Cardinals as an organization will never connect the present to the past unless they start winning pennants. Not games. Pennants.

I'm just super disenchanted with baseball right now and my kids would rather watch hockey. I say this living in Hawai'i where grassroots baseball is huge and year-round and both of them play every season. My kid will still ask me from the dugout if the Blues are winning or not. There's just nothing fun about baseball anymore, and I know I sound like an old curmudgeon. All I can do is show them Jim Edmonds and Albert Pujols highlights and hope one day the Cardinals can give them the same joy that they gave me. But it doesn't look promising.

[nighthawk]

In the dead of winter? Probably not. Should they?

[CorneliusWolfe]

The people on this forum I would say truly do, but the upcoming generations sadly do not.One reason for this is, the taking the family to the cardinal games was a tradition, but since the team has stunk for the last several years and instead of wasting money on going to a game they choose other entertainment.Going to the game was not just to see a game but a family experience that was fun and now they choose other entertainment.Whats your sign cardinals, all the empty seats, get back to the basics and put a team on the field that can do more than play for a wildcard game.You ask us to pay more for tickets. We ask you spend the money to get the top players here instead of just getting by.

Baseball isn't the sport it used to be either. There's little nuance now. The homerun is all that matters. It isn't my kids' fault that they get bored by baseball when a couple innings goes by without someone hitting a homerun, and it isn't because they're playing on their phones. It's the MLB's fault because that's the game they've created, and that's the expectation that they've created. Not to mention that the rich teams win all the games and sign all the best and most exciting players. And if I may get on my soapbox, even for those who follow baseball, advanced stats have created an alternate reality where bad players are good, good players are bad, and players like Juan Soto are tagged "generational" even as they struggle to bat .260. Learning the game's history isn't even fun anymore because the mystique of players like Babe Ruth wears off when you read that if you adjust for the park he played in and estimate bat speed, he would probably just suck in 2025. It doesn't help that the Cardinals have been bad for so long. Kids don't want to watch a so-called storied franchise lose for years on end, and the Cardinals as an organization will never connect the present to the past unless they start winning pennants. Not games. Pennants.

I'm just super disenchanted with baseball right now and my kids would rather watch hockey. I say this living in Hawai'i where grassroots baseball is huge and year-round and both of them play every season. My kid will still ask me from the dugout if the Blues are winning or not. There's just nothing fun about baseball anymore, and I know I sound like an old curmudgeon. All I can do is show them Jim Edmonds and Albert Pujols highlights and hope one day the Cardinals can give them the same joy that they gave me. But it doesn't look promising.

I still love the game buy I’m holding out hope that some team(s) will go back to more strategic methods that rely more on speed, defense, line drive hitting, situational hitting etc. and dominate and cause a larger cyclical shift back to that style.

Wholeheartedly agree with your statement about advanced stats and “alternate realities” lol. Tired of seeing good player’s accomplishments being marginalized because it “shouldn’t have happened” or they got lucky, while other guys are touted for their peripherals, yet never seem to actually produce.

What is between player’s ears has always made a world of difference on which guys are actually winners despite how athletically gifted they are or aren’t.

[juan good eye]

Sporting events are too expensive for the average person these days. Prices have soared on almost literally everything over the past 5 years. People do their own cost-benefit analysis and determine its not beneficial to spend hundreds of dollars for a couple hours of potential entertainment. Bring prices down and/or put a competitive team on the field and people will come back.

Prices aren’t the real problem when young people — those with very limited $ — often pay hundreds on concert tickets.

Apples and oranges. Id pay significantly more to see a band that i like that may be coming through town once every few years vs a baseball game 81 times a year.

What isn’t apples and oranges tho is the set amount of money and time many budget for fun. Do Cardinals (and MLB) get dumped?

If the product is bad the Cards won’t be able to give away tickets.

OTOH if the product is great my fellow Americans will gladly live beyond their means to have the experience.

[Cbsbll88]

No

[BleedingBleu]

The people on this forum I would say truly do, but the upcoming generations sadly do not.One reason for this is, the taking the family to the cardinal games was a tradition, but since the team has stunk for the last several years and instead of wasting money on going to a game they choose other entertainment.Going to the game was not just to see a game but a family experience that was fun and now they choose other entertainment.Whats your sign cardinals, all the empty seats, get back to the basics and put a team on the field that can do more than play for a wildcard game.You ask us to pay more for tickets. We ask you spend the money to get the top players here instead of just getting by.

I’ve taken my girls to several Cardinals Games, despite the deteriorating quality of play the last few years. Even in the best times, they could still lose a Home Game.

The first game I took my oldest to was a Start by Adam Wainwright, had Albert on the team, and saw Molina smack two Home Runs. That 2022 club was actually having a season for the ages and the particular matchup was saw the Cardinals (81-57) hosting the Washington Gnats (49-89). Unfortunately, the Cardinals got smoked 11-6.

She doesn’t remember any of that. What she does remember is going downtown, going to the stadium, getting a build-a-bear, and playing in the kid zone, and having fun. Some of that memory is from having a tangible stuffed animal and reinforcing the memory from continued visits. However, it was a positive experience because I helped make it one with a plan and enthusiasm.

I repeated that strategy with the youngest, and true to its nature, she has a fond memory. That particular game witnessed Dylan Carlson smack 2 dingers from either side of the plate. Last year, my wife and I have made it a tradition to take our little family and make a day of it. It was the only game I went to last year that they won (1-3).

The tickets haven’t been cheaper. If you’re worried about the cost of concessions, stop off at Gus’s Pretzels before the game. If you’re worried about getting mugged, then hit the weight room or something, because I’ve been downtown most of my life and never had a problem.

If you want to maintain a tradition, it’s not on the Cardinals to keep it alive for you.

I have daughters as well and the memory is them being with their father and uncle and going somewhere to eat before the game. Experiencing the crowds and the noise and the stories my brother and I would tell was enjoyable for them as well.

The results of the game itself were immaterial for them. They probably felt bad for dad if they lost but I assured them the time together and having some laughs meant more than the score of a ballgame.

The memories of all the franchise's success and what might become of that is the biggest concern but things change and the girls are all grown up and going to games could be a thing of the past but we'll still get to a few games year if possible.

+1

Exactly. I’ve always felt baseball is a social sport. You go to watch a game and have a conversation in between pitches. Often the game provides topics for the discussion.

<<Now batting, the number three hitter>>
“This guy was on quite a hot streak entering this game, but Ace Pitcher has really handled him well. He’s settled in quite nicely and really found a groove by locating his slider. If he can maintain his velocity, he’ll get out of the inning and possibly close it out!“
<<Crack>>
“Whew, we were fortunate that one went foul. Ace Starter might be showing signs of fatigue. Better get the Pitching Coach out there before this one slips away.”
<<Crack>>
“F#%^&$@!!! I knew it! This manager is U-S-E-L-E-S-S!”

If people are constantly on their phone at the park, I wonder who they’re actually hanging with. I can accept using it to look up stats, snap a picture, or send a quick text. However, baseball has always been a beer garden social hour

[fullswing]

No. Probably about 3 people.