St. Louis, MO – Just 48 hours after Spectrum’s damning report on Busch Stadium’s attendance collapse shook Cardinals Nation, owner Bill DeWitt Jr. has fired back with a $5 million counteroffensive aimed at killing the viral “lazy fans” smear once and for all.
“This city’s passion hasn’t died — it’s being tested,” DeWitt declared Friday morning, announcing a sweeping multi-platform campaign designed to “remind the baseball world that St. Louis still bleeds Cardinal red.”
The spending spree includes:
$2 million in ticket subsidies for 2026, slashing upper-deck seats to as low as $5.
$1.5 million in fan engagement projects, from Busch renovations to new family zones, promising what DeWitt called “a ballpark that feels alive even in a rebuild.”
$1 million in regional ads and national PR, including a “We Never Quit” documentary series highlighting generational loyalty — from Stan Musial’s era to Yadi & Waino.
$500K in direct fan relief, covering parking discounts and food vouchers for season-ticket holders burned by 2025’s lackluster slate.
The message is blunt: don’t you dare call Cardinals fans “lazy.”
The campaign comes after social media exploded this week with dueling takes — one side blasting fans for ghosting games mid-rebuild, the other accusing ownership of peddling a “boring product.” Wednesday’s finale against the Reds drew just 23,462 — a stadium that once shook with 45,000 sounded more like a mausoleum.
DeWitt, facing his sharpest public backlash in three decades, doubled down:
“This fanbase is the soul of baseball. Empty seats don’t mean apathy, they mean hurt. And it’s on us — ownership and front office — to heal that hurt. We will.”
The $5 million blitz is already sparking debate. Some see it as a heartfelt olive branch; others call it a “Band-Aid on a bullet wound” unless the front office delivers star power this winter. “Great, $5 hot dogs, but where’s Juan Soto?” one viral Reddit thread mocked.
Still, DeWitt’s move signals urgency. Insiders whisper this is part of a broader win-back war, with new president of baseball ops Chaim Bloom under pressure to prove his “youth runway” isn’t just code for mediocrity.
Downtown businesses are cautiously hopeful. “If this brings even 5,000 more through the gates nightly, it saves us,” said Kayla Roberts, owner of K’s Unique Dogs, who watched sales nosedive in 2025.
For now, the battle lines are drawn. Busch is no longer just a ballpark — it’s a referendum.
Lazy fans? Or a loyal city waiting to be inspired again?
One thing is certain: DeWitt just put $5 million on the table to make sure history doesn’t write St. Louis off.
Leave a Reply