St. Louis Yearns for its Favorite Past Time

When you ask a local St. Louisan about their favorite memories, some say their first visit to The Zoo, their first bite of provel cheese, or experiencing the top of the Gateway Arch. Every person is different, but some of the most memorable moments in St. Louis history stem from sports, specifically baseball. St. Louis Cardinals fans have been labeled as "the best fans in baseball" and it couldn't be more true. Through the ups and downs, they always show up and support their team, but lately the team's struggles have changed a trip to the ballpark from routine to inconvenience. The Cardinals have not made the playoffs since 2022. The fans have grown impatient and are holding the management group accountable by refusing to attend games. Busch Stadium, arguably the most beautiful ballpark in baseball, saw record lows in attendance in 2025. Even one game versus the Pittsburgh Pirates had under 20,000 tickets sold, the lowest in Busch Stadium history. The heart of downtown St. Louis revolves around Anheuser-Busch beer, hot dogs, and Cardinal Red. Without a competitive team, the people are breaking their habits of visiting our beautiful city and experiencing our Midwest hospitality while watching homerun fireworks explode above the Arch. What needs to change? How does our city become a baseball town once again? With John Mozeliak out and new General Manager Chaim Bloom stepping in, the vibes are starting to shift in the right direction. Bloom is accepting a more direct approach and invites accountability from the fans saying, "Please come at me." Something about transparency between team and fans is reassuring. Especially after we begged Mozeliak to make a single move last season and he failed. I think new faces in the dugout brings attention back to the team. Fans will say, "This new guy is a heck of a player." With Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras traded and more trades involving players like Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan imminent, the team is starting a rebuild. I can feel the passion for baseball starting to come back because management is finally setting things in motion. St. Louisans don't just want good sports, they need it. The city needs it. Entertaining sports draws people out of the house to experience it with their own eyes. More bodies in Busch Stadium means more bodies supporting local businesses in the surrounding area. It is an inevitable domino effect and I cannot wait to see our sea of Cardinal Red soon again.