Cardinals' season ticket holders speak on the state of the organization

The state of the St. Louis Cardinals organization appears to be in flux. Long-time front office member John Mozeliak is on his way out, the 2023 season featured the team losing its most games since 1990, and fan opinions on the historical franchise have begun to sway in the wrong direction.

Attendance numbers are down. A quick glance at social media will bring to light fan frustration. Rather than focus on the changing of the guard at the top of the team's hierarchy, I wanted to dive deep. I wanted to see what the fans, the stakeholders, thought about the organization. There's a group of fans present with every sports team that is the largest of stakeholders in a team: season ticket holders.

These are some of the most dedicated fans; they're willing to make a financial commitment prior to any results on the season. Some season ticket holders have had tickets passed down through generations while others are newcomers to the tradition. Some of these loyal patrons are now boycotting games to send a message to management, and a noticeable portion has canceled their season tickets altogether.

I set out on a goal to get a pulse on the fanbase. Oftentimes, what is said and heard in the cacophonous echo chamber that is social media can present a false image of reality. By putting my boots on the ground, so to speak, I thought I could get a diverse picture of the fanbase and its loyal (or no longer financially loyal) followers. My conversations with these fans would hopefully shed light on the state of the organization through their eyes.

I was able to speak with five different individuals of a variety of backgrounds. I'll share each person's general background and responses to the questions on each slide. For context, these are the questions I asked:

1. How long have you had season tickets?
2. What was your initial interest in getting season tickets?
3. As a stakeholder in the team, what are your thoughts and feelings on the current direction of the franchise and organization?
4. Have you ever considered cancelling your season tickets? If so, why? OR Why did you choose to cancel your season tickets?
5. What's your favorite memory as a Cardinal fan?

Through my conversations with these season ticket holders, I was able to see that the St. Louis Cardinals' franchise is as beloved as it is storied. Some fans touched on the recent malaise in my conversations, but they also spoke fondly on the history of the team during their respective lifetimes. They expressed hesitancy about the future, but they also expressed a love for the team and game regardless of the on-field performance.