Shocking attendance stat shines harsh light on Cardinals, one unexpected contender

The St. Louis Cardinals' season has been defined by an overwhelming sense of mediocrity. This team isn't bad — at 69-68, St. Louis enters the stretch run a shade above .500 — but the Cardinals certainly aren't good, either. There's plenty of talent, but between underperforming vets and hit-or-miss youth, St. Louis has struggled to come by consistent production.

There's a real 'almost there' quality to this Cardinals team. The group is built to contend and we have seen flashes. St. Louis spent much of this season flirting with a Wild Card spot in the National League. With the Chicago Cubs surging and the regular season approaching its unceremonious conclusion, however, it's clear the Cards will not be featured in October.

Oli Marmol's seat has never been hotter, despite the ink still being wet on his extension. Even John Mozeliak, who has built his share of competitive teams since arriving in St. Louis, will have to work hard to convince ownership that he's the right voice to lead the Cardinals into the future.

The fandom has been holding St. Louis' feet to the fire, too. We are used to rollicking sellout crowds at Busch Stadium. It's one of baseball's truly historic ballparks, with a special group of fans that call it home. This season has been proof, however, that fans won't show up without a good reason.

There isn't a quicker way to send a message to Cardinals ownership than by axing ticket sales and hurting profits. It just so happens that Busch Stadium has been oddly quiet this season. St. Louis is experiencing record-low attendance, with ticket prices dropping as low as $0 (with fees) on third-party sites.

More damning is the attendance drop-off compared to last season. The Cardinals' attendence has declined by 11.3 percent compared to last season with an average stadium capacity of only 78.3 percent.

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Record-low Cardinals attendance should apply pressure to the front office

Despite their struggles, St. Louis has been in the Wild Card hunt for most of the season — or at least within striking distance. That makes this all the more troublesome from an ownership and management perspective.

Fandom can often feel like an afterthought when considering the thought process of a team's front office. The best general managers are able to operate with cold logic, drowning out the noise and parsing necessity from expectation.

That said, fandom is at the heart of professional sports. These teams wouldn't exist without the support of fans in St. Louis and around the globe. Therefore, it's a real testament to the Cardinals fanbase, in a way, that this storyline has taken root. We know how much St. Louis fans care about their baseball team. This reflects poorly on the players, the management staff, and ownership. Not those putting their hard-earned cash toward tickets every week.

Only two teams have experienced a steeper dropoff in ticket sales this season — the Chicago White Sox (-17.3 percent) and the New York Mets (-14.6 percent).

The White Sox aren't terribly surprising, as Chicago is putting together one of the worst regular seasons in MLB history. The Mets, however, are one game back of the Atlanta Braves for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League. For the first time in a couple years, there is genuine optimism surrounding this Mets team. Francisco Lindor is an MVP candidate! And yet, the Mets' attendance — no doubt influenced by last season's disappearing act — has been on a shocking downward spiral.

That one is a bit more of a mystery. For the Cardinals, there is no such ambiguity surrounding why fans are staying home on game nights. We know exactly why Busch Stadium is so eerily quiet, and there's only one way to fix it. Build a better team, top to bottom, and earn the fandom's trust back.