St. Louis Cardinals (1995–present)
In 1995, DeWitt and
Stephen F. Brauer purchased the St. Louis Cardinals from
Anheuser-Busch for $150 million. He oversees all league, financial, operational and baseball affairs for the club.
Forbes estimated that the team was worth $1.4 billion in 2014 and $2.1 billion in July 2019. The Cardinals are one of the largest privately held firms in St. Louis, bringing in an estimated $233 million in revenue in 2012. In 1997, DeWitt established Cardinals Care, a
nonprofit organization that builds baseball fields, helps youth baseball programs, and awards
grants to children's boards. Through January 2017, Cardinals Care had distributed some $900,000 a year. As of 2013, the organization has built 18 baseball fields in the
Greater St. Louis area. Since 2004, the organization has run Redbird Rookies, a network of 20 leagues for nearly 4,500 children around Greater St. Louis and in rural sections of
Missouri and
Illinois. who would not otherwise have the opportunity. It provides equipment and other necessities to the players, training for coaches and organizers, and workshops for parents. The Cardinals have purchased three of their minor league affiliates since the DeWitt group took over. In 1998, DeWitt purchased the
Palm Beach Cardinals of the
Florida State League (
minor league A-ball) and, in 2005, the
Springfield Cardinals of the
Texas League (AA). On November 16, 2013, the Cardinals announced a resolution to purchase the team while the city purchased the stadium. The Cardinals agreed to lease the stadium from the city while Memphis will upgrade the park. In 2013,
Forbes listed the Redbirds as one of the ten most valuable minor league franchises. To expand the Cardinals' international presence, DeWitt opened baseball academies in the
Dominican Republic and placed representatives in six foreign countries. In 2006, the Cardinals moved from their old home,
Busch Memorial Stadium, to
Busch Stadium in
2006. The $365 million stadium is one of the few majority-privately funded MLB stadiums, along with the
San Francisco Giants'
Oracle Park and the
Los Angeles Dodgers'
Dodger Stadium. Busch Stadium cost $45 million (12%) in a long-term loan from
St. Louis County, while, by comparison the
Milwaukee Brewers'
American Family Field ended up drawing 77.5% in
public funding. In conjunction with opening the new Busch Stadium, a mixed-use retail, entertainment, hotel, residential and office space known as
Ballpark Village was planned for development adjacent to Busch Stadium. However, several years of delays postponed the groundbreaking and construction until spring of 2013. In
2009, the Cardinals hosted the
All-Star Game. DeWitt began emphasizing developing talent as much as possible through the
minor leagues, rather than relying mainly on
free agents. Seventeen of the 25 players on the Cardinals' 2011 World Series roster were Cardinals' draftees. In January
2014, the city of Memphis cleared the Cardinals to purchase the Memphis Redbirds from the MRF. Ballpark Village construction was completed and it opened in March 2014. The Cardinals also announced the rechristening of the team
Hall of Fame Museum, with an annual selection process commencing in 2015. Twenty-two former Cardinals players and personnel were announced for induction into the Hall of Fame for the inaugural class of 2014. Closed since 2008, when the
International Bowling Hall of Fame moved to
Texas, this reincarnation of the museum is located in the newly constructed Ballpark Village within the same building as the
Cardinal Nation Restaurant. The Cardinals' value exceeded $1 billion for the first time in 2015 when
Forbes appraised the Cardinals outright at $1.4 billion, making them the 27th-most valuable sports franchise in the world, and sixth-principal
franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB). Their revenue was $294 million while their operating income was $73.6 million, Reports surfaced on June 16,
2015, that the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were reviewing an alleged incident involving Cardinals' front office officials
hacking into the
Houston Astros' database of players, scouting reports and proprietary statistics. It was regarded as the first known case of
corporate espionage involving
computer network hacking in
professional sports. On September 19, 2015, the Cardinals became the first team in MLB to clinch a playoff spot that
season. It also extended a franchise record of five consecutive seasons of reaching the postseason, a record which the club had set in
2014. DeWitt has had votes in the Contemporary Baseball Committee in 2011-13, 2016–19, 2022, and 2024. ==Political activities==