Cardinals Attendance Decline at Busch Stadium
Cardinals Attendance Decline at Busch Stadium: Team Performance, Downtown Challenges, and High Taxes All Play a Role
ST. LOUIS, MO (STL.News) For decades, the St. Louis Cardinals have been more than a baseball team. They have been an institution — a civic pride point, a family tradition, and an economic engine for downtown St. Louis. Busch Stadium, located in the heart of downtown, has typically been one of the busiest ballparks in Major League Baseball. Until recently, crowds filled the stands regardless of opponent or standings, and downtown businesses enjoyed a reliable stream of foot traffic.
But the story of 2025 has been different. Attendance has dropped sharply, concession sales are down, and businesses surrounding the stadium are reporting softer revenues. The reasons are layered: the Cardinals’ recent performance struggles, lingering perceptions of safety issues downtown, and the high costs of attending a game — costs that are inflated in part by St. Louis’ sales tax rates that often exceed 10%.
This combination has left many asking: Is Busch Stadium traffic falling because of baseball, crime, or government policies? The answer is that it’s all of the above, working together to reshape the game-day economy.
Cardinals Team Performance: The Primary Driver
The Cardinals Are No Longer a Sure Thing
At the core of the attendance problem is the Cardinals’ product on the field. Fans in St. Louis are among the most loyal in the country, but their loyalty has been consistently reinforced by decades of intense competitiveness. Seasons filled with postseason appearances, MVP candidates, and thrilling pennant races built Busch Stadium’s reputation as one of baseball’s must-see venues.
In 2025, however, the narrative has changed. The team has struggled to string together wins, injuries have disrupted consistency, and roster rebuilding has dampened enthusiasm. Ticket sales always correlate closely with win-loss records, and this season, Busch Stadium reflects that truth. Fans aren’t as motivated to spend money when the outcome feels predictable and disappointing.
Cardinals – Declining Marginal Attendance
Even dedicated fans who still love the team are skipping more games. Instead of attending 10 or 15 games a year, some season-ticket holders have trimmed that down to just a handful. The casual fans — families, tourists, or corporate outings — are even more sensitive to performance. Without the excitement of a playoff chase, they are less inclined to pay for the experience.
Downtown Safety: Perception vs. Reality
Crime Numbers vs. Public Fear
St. Louis has long wrestled with its reputation regarding crime. In 2024, city leaders pointed to positive data: homicides hit an 11-year low, and overall crime was down roughly 15%. But perception does not always follow statistics. High-profile incidents, viral videos, and social media posts continue to amplify concerns about downtown safety.
For suburban fans, especially families, these stories weigh heavily in the decision-making process. Even if crime is trending downward, the fear of car break-ins, violence, or disorderly crowds makes a night at Busch Stadium feel less secure than it once did.
A Confidence Gap for Visitors
Businesses near the stadium also report that suburban customers are more reluctant to venture downtown after dark. This affects not just game attendance but also dining, shopping, and nightlife in the area. Confidence in public safety is a crucial part of downtown’s vitality, and when that confidence erodes, it reduces overall demand.
High Sales Taxes: A Hidden Barrier
St. Louis’ Sales Tax Burden
One of the most overlooked contributors to Busch Stadium’s traffic decline is the cost environment shaped by local government policies. In many parts of downtown, the combined sales tax ranges from 9.68% to 11.68%. That puts St. Louis among the highest-taxed metro areas in the nation when it comes to consumption.
When fans pay for tickets, concessions, merchandise, and meals before or after games, the taxes add to the already high sticker prices. A family of four buying hot dogs, sodas, and souvenirs can easily see their bill jump by an additional $10–$20 in taxes alone.
The Psychology of Value
It’s not just the absolute dollars — it’s the perception of value. Fans are acutely aware that their experience at Busch Stadium costs more than it once did, and that the incremental enjoyment isn’t keeping pace. When the team is losing, the feeling of being overcharged becomes even sharper. For some, the high sales tax rate is the final nudge that convinces them to stay home and watch on television.
Cardinals – Impact on Downtown Businesses
Restaurants, Bars, and Retail Suffer
The decline in attendance has ripple effects across downtown. Bars and restaurants that once thrived on pre- and post-game crowds now report uneven sales. Business owners note that even when attendance is moderately healthy, customers are spending less per outing.
High tax rates contribute here as well. Visitors who already paid 10–11% tax at the ballpark are less inclined to spend freely at a restaurant afterward. Meanwhile, restaurants themselves face the same tax climate, passing costs along to customers in menu prices that are already under pressure from inflation.
Lost Tourism and City Revenue
Fewer visitors to Busch Stadium also means less money flowing into hotel stays, parking garages, and city revenue streams tied to the hospitality industry. St. Louis depends heavily on event-driven tourism, and a weak Cardinals season combined with policy-driven costs undercuts a revenue source the city can ill afford to lose.
Cardinals – Comparing St. Louis With Other Markets
Other MLB cities illustrate the same patterns: winning teams draw crowds, while losing teams see sharp attendance drops. But cities with lower tax rates or more vibrant entertainment districts sometimes weather slumps better, because fans feel they are still getting value from the total experience.
For St. Louis, the challenge is compounded: a struggling team, a downtown environment that many perceive as risky, and one of the nation’s higher effective tax rates. Each factor reinforces the other, making it harder for Busch Stadium to bounce back quickly.
What Can Be Done?
Team Improvements
The fastest path to stronger attendance is obvious: field a competitive team. If the Cardinals rebuild successfully and return to playoff contention, crowds will return regardless of taxes or perceptions of safety. Winning cures many ills, and St. Louis fans have shown time and again that they will support a contender.
Safety Initiatives
City leaders must also continue efforts to improve public safety and — equally important — communicate those improvements effectively. Fans need to feel confident, not just be told they are safer. Visible security, improved lighting, and proactive policing can help restore trust.
Rethinking the Tax Burden
Finally, local government should re-examine the layers of sales tax that burden downtown visitors. Even a modest rollback or restructuring could send a signal that the city values affordability and wants to encourage attendance. When combined with competitive baseball and safer streets, a lighter tax load could make Busch Stadium outings more attractive again.
Conclusion
A single issue does not cause the decline in Busch Stadium attendance. It is the product of several interlocking challenges: a team struggling to deliver wins. This downtown area still struggles with a reputation for crime, and a cost structure inflated by one of the highest sales tax rates in the country.
Each factor on its own might be manageable, but together they create a powerful deterrent. Fans weigh performance, safety, and affordability when deciding how to spend their entertainment dollars. Currently, too many of those calculations are working against the Cardinals and downtown St. Louis.
For the Cardinals organization, city leaders, and local businesses, the solution will require coordinated action. The team must restore its competitive edge, the city must continue to address both real and perceived safety issues, and policymakers must confront the hidden tax burden that makes every hot dog, beer, and souvenir feel like a luxury purchase.
Only by tackling all three factors can Busch Stadium return to its place as one of baseball’s most vibrant and reliable destinations — and ensure that the economic benefits of Cardinals baseball continue to flow across downtown St. Louis. In summary, the consumer is tapped out.
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