What will it take to excite Cardinal fans once again?

The St. Louis Cardinals haven't done much recently to give fans a reason to go crazy. In fact, 2022 was the last time I can remember the stadium being filled and fans going nuts, and most of that was related to the triumvirate of Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, and Adam Wainwright chasing history.

This year, Cardinal fans have experienced deflating losses and nerve-wracking wins. Outside of insane defensive plays from Masyn Winn and Michael Siani and one of the best closers in baseball in Ryan Helsley, there have been few energizing moments this season.

This discussion came to a head in one of Derrick Goold's most recent chats at the Post-Dispatch (subscription required). Goold asked fans in his chat what types of moves would excite the fanbase after a decrease in in-stadium attendance this year. While ticket sales have largely been similar to past years, the number of butts in the seats has clearly dropped off.

This is an interesting concept. I wanted to dig a bit deeper and posit concrete actions that ownership and the front office can take to rouse a lethargic fanbase that is searching for anything to cheer about.

Winning

This is the most obvious answer. When a team is winning, the fans will come out. The Arizona Diamondbacks had 1,605,199 total fans attend games in 2022 when they finished with a 74-88 record. Last year, they made it to the World Series, and their attendance total jumped to over 1.9 million fans. This year, they've already seen 1,546,703 fans come to games, and there are still 49 games left this year. Winning sure helped Arizona's attendance. The Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, and Houston Astros are other prime examples of winning boosting attendance figures.

If the Cardinals can get back to winning, and I mean winning at least 90 games a year, then fans will begin to return to the stadium to show their support. If the team continues to float around 85 wins or has losing seasons, then the DeWitt family should not expect attendance number to continue exceeding three million fans.

Birng back more legacy players

This may include future Hall of Famer Paul Goldschmidt, much to the chagrin of many fans. Paul Goldschmidt, at this point in his career, is equally as much a Cardinal as he was a Diamondback, and the odds of him going into Cooperstown with a Cardinal hat on increase each year. Bringing him back for a farewell tour, similar to what the team did with Albert Pujols but to a lesser degree, would probably bring some fans to the stadium.

If this is the route the team takes, the coaching staff will have to be measured with their actions. Pujols was playing quite well in 2022, so Oliver Marmol played him regularly. If Goldschmidt struggles while under a farewell contract, Marmol must not be afraid to sit him.

This path won't move the needle dramatically on attendance numbers, but it could help.

Lean into the youth

Masyn Winn. Jordan Walker. Tink Hence. Quinn Mathews. These four players could very easily be the cornerstones of a contending team come 2026. Perhaps pushing their full arrivals up to 2025 would energize a fanbase that is growing weary of aged, underperforming, and expensive veterans rounding out a roster. When the players are excited, so too are the fans. Very few people in baseball are as testosterone-enraged as a 20-something young player. That energy would be infectious for the fans.

Additionally, bringing these players on early will allow fans to become familiar with them over the course of their careers. Winn, Walker, Hence, and Mathews are probably the four best young players the organization boasts. Let the kids play.