Cardinals Fan Revival: Martin Kilcoyne Demands Honesty in Podcast Call to Action

When Martin Kilcoyne told listeners on September 3, 2025, that the Cardinals needed honesty with their fans, he wasn’t just offering advice—he was echoing years of frustration from a fanbase that’s seen too many promises and too few plans. The comment, made during the latest episode of Scoops Sports Network’s podcast Great Talk with Danny Mac & Martin, landed like a gut punch in the digital stands. No stats. No spreadsheets. Just one blunt truth: if you want fans back, stop hiding the playbook.

What the Cardinals Are Losing—and Why It Matters

The Cardinals aren’t just any team. They’re one of baseball’s most storied franchises, with a history stretching back over 140 years and a loyal following that once packed Busch Stadium seven nights a week. But in recent seasons, attendance has dipped. Ticket sales have stalled. Social media engagement? Flatlining. And while no official numbers were released in the podcast episode, the subtext was clear: the team’s connection with its core audience is fraying. Kilcoyne’s warning wasn’t theoretical. It was the kind of thing longtime fans whisper in the parking lot after a loss.

What’s worse? The front office hasn’t been silent. They’ve been vague. Press releases talk about "building for the future" and "evaluating options." But fans don’t want jargon. They want to know: Are we rebuilding? Are we trading stars? Is the manager safe? When the answer is always "We’re looking at everything," trust evaporates.

The Podcast That Broke the Silence

The September 3 episode of Great Talk with Danny Mac & Martin didn’t just talk about the Cardinals. It gave voice to what so many fans feel but can’t say on official channels. Danny Mac, the podcast’s other co-host, didn’t interrupt. He didn’t push back. He just let Kilcoyne speak—and the silence after the quote spoke volumes.

"Honesty with the fans about the direction and plan of the team," Kilcoyne said. That line was repeated verbatim across Audacy, Sportspyder, and the podcast’s own website, scoopswithdannymac.com. That consistency isn’t accidental. It’s a signal: this isn’t just opinion. It’s a message meant to be heard.

And it’s not just one episode. The podcast’s schedule shows a clear pattern: September 16, September 25, October 28, November 4—each week, another deep dive into the team’s future. This isn’t a one-off rant. It’s a campaign. And it’s being distributed across six platforms: Spotify, Audacy, Listennotes, Everand, Sportspyder, and the network’s own site. That’s not just reach. That’s pressure.

Who’s Listening—and Who’s Being Watched

The Cardinals front office is definitely watching. They don’t have to be on the podcast to feel its impact. Fans are sharing clips. Reddit threads are exploding. Local radio shows are debating it. And while no team executive has responded publicly, insiders say internal meetings have shifted. The word "transparency" is now being used—quietly—in ownership discussions.

But here’s the twist: honesty doesn’t mean handing out press releases. It means admitting when you’re wrong. It means saying, "We’re not ready to contend this year," or "We’re trading X because we don’t believe in his fit." It means letting fans in on the ugly parts of rebuilding. That’s scary for management. But it’s the only thing that works.

Look at the Cincinnati Reds in 2022. They admitted they were tanking. They traded veterans. They told fans, "This will hurt for two years." And guess what? Attendance didn’t collapse. It stabilized. Because fans knew where they stood. The Pittsburgh Pirates did the same in 2023. Same result: loyalty returned, slowly but surely.

What Happens Next?

The next episode drops on September 16, 2025. If Kilcoyne and Mac double down—maybe even call out specific roster moves or front-office decisions—it could force the Cardinals to respond. Will they hold a town hall? Release a fan roadmap? Appoint a fan liaison? Those are the questions now.

What’s clear: the days of corporate-speak and vague promises are over. Fans aren’t asking for championships right now. They’re asking for truth. And if the Cardinals don’t give it to them? They’ll keep walking away. One ticket at a time.

Why This Isn’t Just About Baseball

This story isn’t just about the Cardinals. It’s about every sports franchise struggling with fan disengagement. The same dynamic plays out in hockey, basketball, even soccer. Fans aren’t irrational. They’re tired of being treated like afterthoughts. The podcast isn’t the problem—it’s the symptom. And it’s a loud one.

Organizations that survive the next decade won’t be the ones with the biggest budgets. They’ll be the ones brave enough to say, "We don’t have all the answers yet. But we’re going to tell you what we do know. And we’re going to listen when you disagree."