Dismal viewership numbers and brutal 2023 season create lethal Cardinals concoction

There's a scene in an episode of "The Simpsons" called "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge" where, because of the declining quality of their beloved "Itchy & Scratchy" cartoon, the kids of Springfield engage in other activities and enjoy spending time outdoors with their peers. With viewership of the St. Louis Cardinals at an all-time low because of the mess that is the state of Bally Sports and televised baseball at large, the Cardinals could be nearing a point of no return when it comes to attracting eyes.

Major league blackouts and Bally Sports' inaccessibility for many fans have led the Cardinals' viewership numbers to plummet in 2024. Over the first half of the season, local television ratings for the Cardinals are down 25% from the same point last season, according to an article from STLToday (paid subscription required). The 2023 season was the Cardinals' lowest-rated season in recorded television history, dating back to 1990.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has emphasized the need for baseball to draw younger fans into the game, and the sport has implemented a number of rule changes in an attempt to speed up the pace of play. But because younger people are the ones who are more prone to forgoing the cable package and turning to streaming services, it's not a giant leap of faith to assume that the number of youths watching baseball is likely to skyrocket if the game were made more accessible.

But even if the disaster that is regional television broadcasts is sorted out, the Cardinals front office still needs to put a strong team on the diamond. Another contributor to 2023's poor numbers was undoubtedly the Cardinals' horrific performance, as they finished the season with a 71-91 record. Many fans who were able to watch the games likely tapped out around midseason or even earlier when it was obvious that the Cardinals were not going to contend.

The Cardinals have improved in 2024, but some damage might have already occurred. Given the television shenanigans in 2023, they picked a bad year to descend into the league's basement. St. Louis is a notably loyal city for sports fans, but whether fans will return if the broadcasting situation is remedied is far from a sure bet. If the Cardinals were to move to their own streaming network but fail to put a consistent winning team on the field, the more casual fan would be unlikely to shell out money for the service.

If the Cardinals continue to only be viewable to a small section of the population, the team and the sport will be in dire straits, if they aren't already. There are a multitude of lapsed fans who realized that they didn't actually miss baseball when they bailed on the Cardinals in 2023. But in that "Simpsons" episode, once "Itchy & Scratchy" returns to its former glory, the kids abandon the playgrounds and are parked in front of the television once again. The Cardinals can only hope that life will imitate art.