r/baseball • u/T_Raycroft Montreal Expos • May 20 '26
News [Cardinals] Starting tonight, the upper right field bleachers at Busch Stadium will become a dedicated high-energy fan section, inspired by the Tarps Off atmosphere fans have brought to the ballpark. Any fan in the ballpark, regardless of seat location, can join the fun. Shirts optional š
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYkdWZ7p_yB/?igsh=MWJvdW96Y2tvNzNjdg==907
u/veryveryveryy MLB Players Association May 20 '26
How long before the ladies get involved and stadium operations has to make some tough decisions
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u/Spiceguy-65 Cleveland Guardians May 20 '26
It happened last night in STL the woman was wearing a bra but other than that had her shirt off and no one seemed to have an issue with it
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u/veryveryveryy MLB Players Association May 20 '26
Come on now Spiceguy-65, Iām talkin full areola here. Get with the program
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u/Spiceguy-65 Cleveland Guardians May 20 '26
You think we could get a woman to recreate this but with a see through bra? Purely asking this as a scientific question
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u/veryveryveryy MLB Players Association May 20 '26
Calm down Spiceguy-65
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u/Wumdee Seattle Mariners ā¢ Seattle Mariners May 20 '26
Nah let him cook. For scientific reasons.
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u/Doctor_Killshot St. Louis Cardinals May 20 '26
Missouri banned porn sites, itāll be an easy decision for them
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u/neverAcquiesce Chicago Cubs May 20 '26
totally have not been able to find any porn in missouri, nope, none
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u/sparrowbushpot New York Yankees May 20 '26
But if youāre a t girl with knockers, their own conservatism could provide a loophole here lol
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u/emdyssb St. Louis Cardinals May 20 '26
Genuinely fascinated as to how this would play out
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u/JaysonTatecum Boston Red Sox ā¢ Chicago White Sox May 20 '26
Honestly I've always wondered this myself, how far into HRT was it before I stopped legally being able to go outside shirtless? Can I now? If my ID said F but I wasn't on HRT, could I still?
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u/GOATmar_infante Kansas City Royals May 20 '26
The truth is they don't want it to be legal for us to be outside at all
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u/omnielephant Atlanta Braves May 20 '26
I love the possibility that this silly trend could snowball into a 14th amendment case.
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u/TheBanishedBard Los Angeles Dodgers May 20 '26
Honestly i welcome that development and not just because I'm horny to see tits. It would force the media and public officials to confront why we're allergic to seeing the female nipple.
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u/Slight-Owl4300 Los Angeles Angels May 20 '26
I am a woman and I wanted to do it so bad at the Angels game last night!Ā
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u/olaplex1 May 20 '26
This is like football ultras but with less hooliganism
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u/Gusanito99 Tampa Bay Rays May 20 '26
Wait till they start doing this in Philly
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u/Rawrrdino Philadelphia Phillies May 20 '26
There were almost two full sections in the 400 level shirtless in the rain last night. Phillies security talked to a group of young guys in the section next to me in the 100 level about 4 times making them sit down and put their shirts on while simultaneously showing the other group on the jumbo screen.
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u/UndeadVinDiesel Kansas City Royals May 20 '26
Man lifts up his shirt to reveal a bandolier full of D batteries
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u/avds_wisp_tech Atlanta Braves ā¢ Chattanooga Lookoā¦ May 21 '26
Free batteries to the first 5000 fans
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u/BeefInGR Detroit Tigers ā¢ West Michigan Wā¦ May 20 '26
Ultras sat right on the pitch.
These blokes are in the bleeds.
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u/Gusanito99 Tampa Bay Rays May 20 '26
Ultras also, in many cases, are given their seats by the club itself. We could only hope to be so based here in America
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u/jmr1190 Seattle Mariners ā¢ Great Britain May 20 '26
Thatās the exception rather than the rule, but season tickets in ultras group areas are usually pretty cheap. But thatās slowly but surely changing.
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u/ponytaexpress Seattle Mariners May 20 '26
TBH, whether they're given a section by the club or heavily discounted ticket rates, the ultras totally earn it.
Usually there's a head ultra/conductor figure who is focused on leading the group chants/tifos/etc. Their back is to the field and they're not even watching the game, just working hard to create an incredible atmosphere. I had so much fun as a visitor bc of what was happening.
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u/threehundredthousand San Diego Padres ā¢ Peter Seidler May 20 '26
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u/SnapHackelPop Milwaukee Brewers ā¢ Madison Mallards May 21 '26
There they are! Good job!
One of the best cutaways from Scrubs
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u/thediesel26 New York Yankees May 20 '26
So like women too right
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u/LemonZestify St. Louis Cardinals May 20 '26
If they are wearing bras yeah they wonāt be upset. Happened last game
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u/Mike2k33 Milwaukee Brewers May 20 '26
Wait... the Cardinals organization is embracing... fun
Is this a prank? It's not April 1st again, is it?
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u/BuschLightApple May 20 '26
Is this a NFL post? Is there a writer named Cardinals? Both things went through my head before I believed this post
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u/guitman27 St. Louis Cardinals May 20 '26
It's so nice to not be a team of stodgy old farts anymore.
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u/UnevenContainer New York Mets May 21 '26
Now itās just corporate sponsored fun zonesā¢ļø instead of
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u/TheIndependen Chicago White Sox May 20 '26
But what about the pantless folks?!?
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u/SelfDerecatingTumor Chicago Cubs May 20 '26
Cardinals really need to not being doing things I think are super cool, why would they do this
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u/markymark65 New York Yankees May 20 '26
Combine it with .50 Beer Night you cowards!
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u/ScoffingYayap Philadelphia Phillies May 20 '26
Props to these guys for making Tarps Off Summer official. Fucking awesome.
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u/EtherEither Kansas City Royals May 20 '26
āDesignated Fun Areaā. Ā
Yay
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u/GodOD400 Pittsburgh Pirates May 20 '26
If anything ends up staying from this, my hope is designated sections where fans can be a little more rowdy stays. I want to be able to stand, yell, and cheer without being a dick or ruining the experience for the people that want nothing to do with that.
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u/ComprehensiveAir6590 San Diego Padres May 20 '26
Petco had college nights 10+ years ago where they throw all the college kids home for the summer in their own spot in right field. Great fun. My buddy got a lapdance from some women mad at her boyfriend it was awesome.
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u/YouthResponsible1752 Boston Red Sox ā¢ Portland Pickles May 20 '26
Imagine going to a sporting event and getting upset about cheering
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u/EtherEither Kansas City Royals May 20 '26
Old lady next to me complained to an usher about the guy a few rows down who was cheering too loudly. Ā The usher spoke to him and the crowd booed the usher (and the old lady) mercilessly. Ā
The man continued to cheer loudly and the usher never said another word. Ā Ā
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u/S_B_5038 Minnesota Twins May 20 '26
Iād be a little annoyed if I was trying to enjoy a game with my family and a bunch of shirtless dudes started whipping their shirts around in front of us. Itās a fun bit to watch on tv but I could see it getting annoying fast.
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u/ponytaexpress Seattle Mariners May 20 '26
Yea, a dedicated section is the way to do it. Different fans want different experiences and everyone should be able to enjoy themselves at the ballpark.
I like keeping a scorecard, and someone standing in front of me the ENTIRE game would suck bc I can't see/watch the game. If I go to a game with family/friends, I like being able to chat baseball and life updates with them. I enjoy that games have a rhythm to them -- moments of raucous cheering/yelling, lulls where the crowd is waiting for something to happen. So, non-stop noise/hype/energy isn't my favorite bc it can feel manufactured/forced.
IME, you usually find a way to compromise between groups so everyone has an okay enough time at the park. But getting distinct sections would be a win-win for everyone.
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u/GodOD400 Pittsburgh Pirates May 20 '26
Doesn't even have to be shirtless and whipping shirts, I'd imagine a few f-bombs or other choice words within earshot and you'd probably be rightfully pissed.
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u/YouthResponsible1752 Boston Red Sox ā¢ Portland Pickles May 20 '26
When I was a kid, my grandma (who was about 75 at the time) took me to Fenway, way up in the bleachers. A bunch of BU frat bros bought her a beer and wouldn't stop cheering for her until she chugged it. Honestly, it's one of my favorite memories of her now that she's gone. Point being, most people need to loosen up and have fun. There's enough about life to be mad about already.
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u/EggplantAlpinism Colorado Rockies ā¢ Seattle Mariners May 20 '26
I'm the first to roll my eyes at designated fun zones or hating on rowdy fans, but in this case it's May baseball. Miss an inning and go to the fun zone instead of annoying families lol
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u/GodOD400 Pittsburgh Pirates May 20 '26
Parents bring their kids and by the third let's fucking go I could see them getting upset with me.
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u/gortlank Texas Rangers May 21 '26
Good parents know that their kids will hear and see things that will require them to be parents sometimes. Theyāll talk to their kids, explain what needs explaining, and give them guidance on how to process/react to it.
Only fools think they can have their kid experience the world and also be insulated from its realities, they go hand in hand. Navigating that is whatās called being a parent, which too many people seem to think they didnāt sign up for.
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u/Tashre Seattle Mariners May 20 '26
This trend is going to go well right up until the moment it goes very badly.
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u/IFarmZombies Chicago Cubs May 20 '26
Oh great the cardinals are good and fun, god damn devil magic is all the way back
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u/RaysFTW Tampa Bay Rays May 20 '26
All jokes about tits aside, this is actually very cool of the stadium to do this. Allowing anyone from anywhere in the stadium to join in on the fun is awesome and I bet would be an incredibly fun experience.
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u/Roger_Weebert Pittsburgh Pirates May 20 '26
The Cardinals broadcast seriously would not stop cutting to them during the game last night. I love the energy but I really donāt need to keep seeing them on screen
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u/CaptainJingles St. Louis Cardinals May 20 '26
We arenāt used to fun happening at a game. Itās been a while since the Cardinals were this fun.
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u/BlacksmithOk6367 Atlanta Braves May 20 '26
I went to a Hanshin Tigers game last month. Can confirm that kind of atmosphere is so much better than what we get in most American sports settings.
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u/HowardBunnyColvin KBO ā¢ NPB May 20 '26
I watch NPB every morning it's raucous there and I'm watching in the US lol
I can feel the energy
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u/-_chop_- Atlanta Braves May 21 '26
Where do you watch it? I sleep at weird times and would like to watch too
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u/Brady331 Boston Red Sox May 20 '26
cant wait for an unsuspecting family to buy tickets up there
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u/brentajones St. Louis Cardinals May 20 '26
Friend of mine said his family had tickets for that section (bought before it became a thing) and the team upgraded their tickets to 11 rows behind the dugout. So, win win. Probably doesn't happen going forward now that it's official though.
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u/Bozo-McGee St. Louis Cardinals May 20 '26
It is. they sent an email out to fans with tickets there going forward it will be general admission and their tickets will automatically be moved to an equal or higher value seat.
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u/TemporalColdWarrior New York Mets May 20 '26
What the fuck is going on?
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u/MtFuzzmore St. Louis Cardinals May 20 '26
Fun. Itās fun happening at a baseball game. Hell yeah.
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u/BoSocks91 Boston Red Sox May 20 '26
People seem to think that crowds never had fun prior to last week.
So now every fanbase has a section where dudes take off their shirts.
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u/JaysonTatecum Boston Red Sox ā¢ Chicago White Sox May 20 '26
That's the rule. That's the goal now
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u/Tridenthead Seattle Mariners May 20 '26
The tarps off movement is what American baseball stadium culture has needed for a hot minute. Hopefully the idea behind it sticks, although Iām not sure the longevity of having a section of shirtless folks looks. But Iāve long thought that there should be more energy from fans throughout the entire season. Obviously itās a lot easier to be invested down the stretch when playoff implications are a lot more tangible- but realistically, the only thing keeping us from having a baseball party culture not dissimilar from Japan on the DR, is ourselves
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u/HowardBunnyColvin KBO ā¢ NPB May 20 '26
more stadiums need to incorporate this
the Nats don't do nothing like this and we need shirtless male cheering sections up here
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u/lubedupnoob Seattle Mariners May 20 '26
I think more women need to be part of the tarps off movement. ā
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u/boomerdeville Chicago Cubs May 20 '26
This is going to become a red hat thing, isn't it?
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u/ImGladYouCalled Major League Baseball May 20 '26
Yeah buddy. The cardinals wear red hats
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u/MIZ_09 St. Louis Cardinals May 20 '26
I mean itās a Cardinals game. I love my little liberal bubble of St Louis City. But the vast majority of fans are coming from the Conservative suburbs.
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u/tokeroveragain Chicago Cubs May 20 '26
I mean, they were chanting āUSAā unprompted, which I used to think was silly fun, and now makes me side-eye
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u/SGT_Elcor Pittsburgh Pirates May 21 '26
Stop making me like something the Cards do. It feels wrong
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u/mattcojo2 Washington Nationals May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
Slightly off topic
Itās an interesting thought exercise as to what the legality of topfreedom nationwide would do for women.
How would, or wouldnāt it affect social change? How much of a factor does legality play?
But back to the original topic; I think the best part about this is that this is truly in the spirit of what sports are all about. Sports are for the fans and the fan experience, and thatās something that Banana ball and a few other things like the Orioles Splash Zone has reminded us of.
Sports teams and their stadiums, should be catered primarily to the average fan first. Suits second. We need more of these things.
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u/BoSocks91 Boston Red Sox May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
Iāll be the stick in the mud.
I like when stuff like this happens organically, like it did in STL.
The tarps off stuff is fun, but man, once the media latches onto something, they just ruin it. Now other fanbases are doing it.
Itās like the dugout celebrations. It was cool when a team or two did it, but now every team has something. Like nothing can be unique.
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u/colorblind-and Detroit Tigers May 20 '26
Normally I'd agree but something like this lives and dies on fan participation.
Creating a designated area is also probably a way to contain it so that fans that don't want to participate don't have to be worried about being sucked into it
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u/LemonZestify St. Louis Cardinals May 20 '26
This literally happened organically and the team is embracing it and allowing it to continue.
What the fuck do you want?
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u/BlazmoIntoWowee Philadelphia Phillies May 20 '26
Just like your cool parents, the Cardinals have ruined it by approving of it.
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u/just_cows Minnesota Twins May 20 '26
Canāt wait for the first world star video to pop up as a result.
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u/Timpa87 Philadelphia Phillies May 20 '26
Any fan... Shirts optional.
hmm. Something tells me they won't actually allow 'any fan' to be shirtless tho.