These days, Joe Buck doesn’t give the St. Louis Cardinals accolades. The veteran announcer, who has been associated with the club for the most of his life due to his work and his father Jack Buck’s induction into the Hall of Fame, attacked the organization after witnessing Busch Stadium appear more like a deserted place than the baseball cathedral that formerly held throngs of people.
Buck recently shared a picture of the half-empty stands from a game on X with the scathing remark, “Welcome back to the 1970s.” This is how it used to seem. I was present. Before Whitey. Purchase shag carpet right now. There should be a significant roster and trust rebuild soon. There is only hope.
Buck understood the point. He didn’t criticize the supporters. He criticized the group. Currently sitting 17 games out in the NL Central, St. Louis doesn’t resemble the formidable team that used to terrify opponents in September. Additionally, Buck, who is always calm when discussing his home club, declined to sugarcoat it.
Fans Aren’t the Problem
Buck responded to an internet follower’s question about whether he blamed the humiliating attendance on the audience. To be clear, he said, “I am not blaming the fans.” “I hope the loud message from the fans is getting through. How is that possible? Turn the page and believe that Chaim Bloom will have the freedom to genuinely transform this team and, ideally, the minor league infrastructure. If not, I’m afraid of where it may go.
It was a warning, not just a case of minor annoyance. The message was powerful for a broadcaster who has called World Series games and seen sellout crowds at Busch for decades: the Cardinals had lost the confidence of their fans. Baseball is a symbol of civic pride in St. Louis, so management cannot afford to overlook that condemnation.
Buck has witnessed this collapse before, thus his remarks are more impactful than those of most opponents. Prior to Whitey Herzog’s tenure, the Cardinals fell into mediocrity in the 1970s, and supporters left the stadium. Comparing 2025 to that era isn’t nostalgic; rather, it serves as a sobering reminder that the squad is once again on the verge of being irrelevant.
The Cardinals No Longer Intimidate
In Buck’s opinion, the most cruel fact is straightforward: nobody is intimidated of the Cardinals anymore. Now, empty seats represent a squad that has lost its identity. Fans are shouting loudly by remaining at home, and the atmosphere that once carried St. Louis well into October is vanished.
Sellouts, postseason runs, and a pipeline that consistently produced stars were previously the Cardinals’ main sources of success. The farm system has to be reset, the fan base has stopped purchasing what ownership continues to offer, and stillness now permeates Busch Stadium.
Even though he no longer calls many baseball games, Joe Buck was able to capture the moment without a microphone. His message was clear and concise: Busch Stadium would continue to look like it belongs in the 1970s unless the Cardinals restore their roster and their trust.
