One consistent element of the St. Louis Cardinals’ formula of success over the two decades of the current ownership has been playing winning baseball at home – first at Busch Stadium II and since 2006, at the new Busch III.
That winning baseball leads to consistent attendance of over three million fans per season, second only to the Dodgers in recent annual totals and a key factor in profitable operations for the mid-market team.
The three million mark is again assured in 2016, the Cardinals’ 19th consecutive season above that level, however, the story is not so good for the team’s results in St. Louis in front of those throngs of fans.
With the Cardinals dropping two of three to the Chicago Cubs this week, St. Louis’ home record has fallen to 33-41. With only seven home dates remaining on the schedule, the Cardinals are assured of a losing mark at Busch in 2016.
That officially breaks the string of 17 straight years of winning records at home. The Cards’ last and only losing home season under the current ownership group was in 1999 – which was just their fourth season running the team.
Further, the current Cardinals have the dubious distinction of being on track to post the worst home record under the DeWitt group at .446, a year after having the best home mark at .679, 29 games over .500.
Will this negative home record in 2016 translate to a drop in attendance in 2017? Only time will tell.
| Cardinals | Attendance | YTY | Home W | Home L | Pct. | vs .500 | YTY |
| 2016 (thru 73G) | 3,124,443 | TBD | 33 | 41 | 0.446 | -8 | -37 |
| 2015 | 3,520,889 | -0.6% | 55 | 26 | 0.679 | 29 | 8 |
| 2014 | 3,540,649 | 5.1% | 51 | 30 | 0.630 | 21 | -6 |
| 2013 | 3,369,769 | 3.3% | 54 | 27 | 0.667 | 27 | 8 |
| 2012 | 3,262,109 | 5.4% | 50 | 31 | 0.617 | 19 | 10 |
| 2011 | 3,093,954 | -6.3% | 45 | 36 | 0.556 | 9 | -14 |
| 2010 | 3,301,218 | -1.3% | 52 | 29 | 0.642 | 23 | 12 |
| 2009 | 3,343,252 | -2.6% | 46 | 35 | 0.568 | 11 | 0 |
| 2008 | 3,432,917 | -3.4% | 46 | 35 | 0.568 | 11 | 6 |
| 2007 | 3,552,180 | 4.3% | 43 | 38 | 0.531 | 5 | -13 |
| 2006 Busch III | 3,407,114 | -3.7% | 49 | 31 | 0.613 | 18 | -1 |
| 2005 Busch II | 3,538,948 | 16.1% | 50 | 31 | 0.617 | 19 | -6 |
| 2004 | 3,048,427 | 4.7% | 53 | 28 | 0.654 | 25 | 10 |
| 2003 | 2,910,386 | -3.4% | 48 | 33 | 0.593 | 15 | -8 |
| 2002 | 3,011,756 | -3.1% | 52 | 29 | 0.642 | 23 | -3 |
| 2001 | 3,109,578 | -6.8% | 54 | 28 | 0.659 | 26 | 7 |
| 2000 | 3,336,493 | 3.4% | 50 | 31 | 0.617 | 19 | 23 |
| 1999 | 3,225,334 | 0.9% | 38 | 42 | 0.475 | -4 | -18 |
| 1998 | 3,195,691 | 21.3% | 48 | 34 | 0.585 | 14 | 13 |
| 1997 | 2,634,014 | -0.8% | 41 | 40 | 0.506 | 1 | -14 |
| 1996 | 2,654,718 | 48 | 33 | 0.593 | 15 |
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