Cardinals ownership can learn 3 lessons from the Phillies' long rebuild to prominence

Winning and postseason victories

This is the best way to bring fans back to Busch Stadium. When the Cardinals were consistently winning, fans were consistently coming to the ballpark.

The Cardinals drew three million or more fans every year from 2004 until 2024 (2020 and 2021 excluded). In those 18 seasons, the Cardinals made the postseason 11 times. They finished first in the division nine times. They went to the World Series four times and won twice. Not many other teams can match that level of organizational success, and fans rewarded the club's success by attending games often and in high volumes.

The Phillies' first season above .500 after the 2011 season came in 2021 when they finished second in the division with a n 82-80 record. Stadiums were still limiting capacity at this time, so we can't use that season as a barometer in total numbers. The Phillies ended up finishing ninth in the National League in total attendance that year, so they still hadn't recouped much of their fanbase.

In 2022, the Phillies lost in the World Series to the Houston Astros; they made the playoffs via the Wild Card. That year, they drew only 2,276,736 fans, a far cry from their peak in 2010. After seeing three million fans for the final time in 2013, it took Philadelphia a full decade to reach that watermark once more. It took two consecutive winning seasons and a World Series appearance to get back to three million fans in 2023.

The Cardinals are just two seasons into failing to hit three million fans. They reached only 2,878,115 fans last year, and they're on pace to finish right around 2.1 million fans this year. That's still an admirable number of tickets sold, but it pales in comparison to past eras of Cardinals' baseball.

The Cardinals finished with an 83-79 record last year, but they weren't close to making the playoffs. If it took Philadelphia 10 years to get back to full support of their team once they started winning again, how long would it take to get the Cardinals fans back to supporting their own club?

When talking about ways to get fans back to Busch Stadium, the conversation should always start with winning and postseason success. Conscious efforts from ownership will also go a long way in regaining the trust of the fanbase.

If the DeWitt family wants to see three million fans in the seats once more, they should look to the Philadelphia Phillies model over the last five or six years.