The St. Louis Cardinals took on three of last season's playoff teams in a four-series stretch that has shifted how the fans have looked at the team. A slow start attendance trickle to start the season made Busch Stadium look more like baseball purgatory than Baseball Heaven, but things have turned the corner. Fans are once more walking through the gates at Busch Stadium.
Cardinals fans have been frustrated for back-to-back seasons without the bright lights of October, and many decided that they were not going to spend their money when the team was subtracting from its investment in the on-field product. That may very well have just changed, with a four-series stretch that saw the Cardinals come out with a record of 8-4 over the 12 games.
The Cardinals struggled to bring in 30,000 fans to the stadium consistently for the first time during the Busch Stadium III era. With the average attendance currently sitting at 29,444 and the Cardinals' offense performing towards the top of the league and the team's bullpen turning the corner, the fans have begun to return.
Cardinals fans returned to Busch over the weekend, with the lowest attendance being 34,214 during the weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Cardinals sideline reporter Jim Hayes tweeted that “Busch Stadium was noticeably louder” following Sunday’s game that completed the sweep of the Diamondbacks. Hayes also said that “a number of players noticed it and said they feed off of it.” Willson Contreras had previously expressed his dislike of fans not showing up for games, but after the series against the Diamondbacks the fans may be returning in full force.
Crowds at Busch stadium were noticeably louder and more energetic the last couple of games. A number of players noticed it and said they feed off of it. #STLCards
— Jim Hayes (@RegionalTVCat) May 25, 2025
With the Cardinals playing exciting baseball and being right in the hunt for the National League Central, the fans have begun to return to their seats at Busch. If all goes well and the Cardinals stay on this track, the fans' outrage with the organization may not last much longer.