The Cardinals have earned back the support of the best fans in baseball — for now

For far too long at Busch Stadium, public address announcer John Ulett's welcoming of St. Louis Cardinals fans to "baseball heaven" rang hollow. That commercial for Cardinals checking that waxed poetic about the magic in Cardinals Nation felt horribly outdated. But now, in a year where the average fan had no expectations for the team as it began a rebuild, the Cardinals' performance is beckoning fans back to the stadium.

The "tarps off" celebration electrified Busch Stadium during the I-70 series when the Kansas City Royals came to town, and it's already garnered national attention. The Cardinals' average attendance in 2025 was 27,778, and it's been roughly the same so far in 2026. But on May 16, fans appeared in droves, inspired by the raucous atmosphere that the shirtless Stephen F. Austin University students conjured up.

Manager Oli Marmol had a major effect on Saturday's vibes, as he had purchased the remaining tickets in the "tarps off" section to give away free to fans. They didn't disappoint, as the attendance shot up to 32,379, even after some Royals fans ruined the fun by claiming tickets of their own. The players also relished in the pandemonium, and Marmol invited the scantily clad denizens of Busch into the clubhouse fracas following the victory.

Rivalry Weekend around baseball is meant to drum up the enthusiasm that has permeated the ballpark over the last three days, and it was clearly a smash hit in St. Louis. Although some Cardinals fans have criticized the seemingly obvious omission of the Chicago Cubs opposing the Cardinals in such an endeavor, the current series may merely be a precursor to the ear-splitting ambiance to come when the hated baby bears arrive in the Gateway City.

Cardinals fans need to enjoy this attendance spike while it lasts

Fans wouldn't be on board like this if the Cardinals hadn't shown surprising success to this point on the season, but whether this level of excitement will last is a real question. President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom said on the "Dealin' the Cards" podcast that the team can't waver from its goals, and fans don't have to read too far between the lines to deduce that he's planning to deal some of the Cardinals' older pieces at the trade deadline for the sake of the organization's future.

Bloom's potential decision to cut ties with players such as Lars Nootbaar, Riley O'Brien, JoJo Romero, Ryne Stanek and Dustin May would likely hurt the Cardinals' production down the stretch and turn Bloom into a despised figure in St. Louis. Attendance would spiral, and opposing broadcasters would again lament about what's happened to the once-proud franchise.

If Bloom stays true to his path as he suggested, the Cardinals probably won't compete for a playoff spot in the vaunted National League Central, but if this recent frenzy has taught us anything, it's that when the Cardinals are ready to contend again, the fans will show up. After all, the St. Louisan's compass always points to Busch Stadium.

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