ST. LOUIS — A storm of controversy has erupted in MLB circles after a rival fan group took to social media to attack St. Louis Cardinals fans as “lazy, unpassionate, and low IQ.” The wave of outrage quickly grew, forcing Cardinals’ principal owner, Bill DeWitt Jr., to speak out strongly, turning this war of words into the center of the entire league.
“Don’t touch Cardinals fans. They are the heart and the motivation for us to fight every day. They are not only united, but they are the most passionate community in American sports,” DeWitt declared in an emergency press conference last night at Busch Stadium, his voice full of determination.
$10 million to “protect the honor of fans”
Not stopping at words, DeWitt stunned all the reporters present when he announced that he would spend $10 million to carry out a massive promotional campaign: a series of billboards, LED screens and electronic boards will appear throughout St. Louis, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles with the message:
“Cardinals Nation – United. Passionate. Unstoppable.”
This is not just a response, but also an affirmation: Cardinals fans deserve to be honored instead of insulted.
Controversy erupts
While Cardinals fans nationwide cheered with pride, some sports commentators said that DeWitt went too far:
“Spending $10 million on billboards to protect the feelings of fans – that is unprecedented. This is a big PR blow, but is it really necessary?” – an ESPN expert commented.
However, in the stands and on social media, a series of Cardinals fans expressed their emotions. One longtime fan wrote:
“We cried when he said that. Cardinals fans are not perfect, but they never stopped loving this team. Thank you for standing up for us.”
A challenging message
Before leaving the podium, DeWitt closed with a sentence that caused the entire audience to explode with applause:
“People can attack us on the field. But if you attack Cardinals fans — they will have to face an entire city.”
This move may just be the beginning of a long-term war between MLB fan communities, and also raises the question: are the Cardinals using fan pride as their strongest mental weapon this season?
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