Press Conference: New Executive Appointments — St. Louis Cardinals

[0:00] My role will be to ensure that everyone is aligned and working together on our common goals. [0:05] On the baseball side, we know that there's still a lot of work ahead, [0:09] and we're committed to a plan that will lead to a sustained competitiveness and hopefully a championship. [0:15] And so far this year, we're off to a great start. [0:17] On the business side, we have significant opportunities ahead of us [0:21] as we continue to strengthen our connection with fans, [0:24] navigate changes in the media landscape, [0:27] and continue to push our team to be best in class at everything we do. [0:31] Since joining the Cardinals, Anouk has taken on increasing responsibility across the organization, [0:37] and he's become involved in all aspects of the business. [0:40] He has earned the trust and respect of people throughout the organization, [0:43] and he's positioned to help us navigate some of our most important priorities [0:47] and opportunities in the years ahead. [0:49] I'm excited about this group and the future of the Cardinals, [0:52] and now I'll turn it over to Anouk. [0:54] Thanks, Bill. [0:56] I want to start with a few thank yous. [0:58] First, thank you to the DeWitt family for your trust, [1:01] for your dedication to this organization, [1:05] and for your support of what we're building here. [1:08] Thank you to Haim for your partnership over the last year. [1:12] Thank you to my amazing teammates here at the Cardinals [1:15] for everything that you do for our fans. [1:18] It is a privilege to work alongside a group of people [1:21] that are as dedicated and as committed to this organization [1:25] and to our fans as you, and of course, thank you to my family, [1:30] in particular my wife, without whom I would not be up here today. [1:34] I am deeply honored to take on this responsibility. [1:37] I understand the weight that comes with it [1:40] and the standard that's been set by those who've held this role before me. [1:44] I am clear-eyed about where we are as an organization [1:48] and what we need to do, but more than that, [1:51] I'm incredibly excited about what we're building toward. [1:55] St. Louis means a great deal to me. [1:58] I first came here in college when I attended Wash U, [2:01] and now I'm raising my family here, my wife and I are, [2:05] and being a part of this community has really reinforced how special it is [2:10] and how much the Cardinals mean to people here. [2:13] You know, you see it in the way that people talk about this team. [2:17] You see it in how it shows up in everyday life [2:21] and how it brings people together. [2:24] You know, it's really a part of who people are, [2:26] and there's both a pride and an expectation that comes with that. [2:33] And I want to make sure I'm speaking directly to our fans here. [2:36] You know, the last few years for many of you [2:39] haven't just been about where we finished in the standings. [2:43] It's been about how it's felt along the way. [2:45] And this season has felt different. [2:48] I think it's given us a glimpse into what the future can look like, [2:52] but the expectation here has always been excellence, [2:56] both on the field and off the field. [2:58] And our job is to live up to that standard, [3:01] and it starts with how we operate as an organization. [3:04] So the question is, how do we get there? [3:09] Well, you've heard Haim talk about getting back to what has driven success here [3:14] for more than 100 years, drafting and developing the right way. [3:18] That's how the Cardinals build winning teams. [3:21] But just as important has always been the support of this fan base. [3:26] It's the families who make the drive-in from across the region, [3:29] parents and grandparents passing down the tradition to the next generation. [3:35] The way that our fans show up night after night, [3:39] that's when the Cardinals are at their best. [3:41] And, you know, that support is not something that we can assume. [3:48] We have to earn it every single day. [3:51] And that means putting our fans at the center of every decision we make [3:56] and every action we take. [3:59] You know, that's the focus of our business organization. [4:02] And so my job is to make sure that this is an organization that is aligned, [4:07] that is disciplined, that is accountable, [4:10] one that can support a consistent winner on the field [4:14] and can earn the trust and respect of our fans. [4:17] And that's going to show up in how we make decisions [4:19] and how we work together [4:21] and ultimately how we deliver for our fans every day [4:24] because that's what you deserve. [4:27] So it's our job to give you a reason to show up, [4:31] to make coming to the ballpark an experience [4:34] that's worth your time and your money, [4:36] to make it easy to stay connected to this team [4:39] and to make sure that Cardinals baseball matters [4:42] to the next generation of fans. [4:46] We're going to approach this with urgency. [4:49] We are going to be clear and consistent in how we move forward. [4:52] And just as importantly, we're going to listen [4:55] because putting our fans at the center [4:58] means acting on what we hear. [5:00] So over the last two years, we've already begun this work. [5:05] We're going to keep building on it. [5:07] There's work ahead of us. [5:09] We understand that. [5:12] But there's also a real opportunity ahead of us. [5:15] We all know what the Cardinals can be at their best. [5:17] That's what we're building towards. [5:20] And ultimately, that matters. [5:22] It matters to this organization. [5:24] It matters to this city. [5:26] And it matters to every one of our fans. [5:28] And we're ready and we're going to get after it. [5:31] So I'm excited. [5:32] Thank you for your time. [5:34] And I think with that, we'll open it up for questions. [5:36] Two titles and a few months success, certainly, in your positions [5:48] and obviously for the entire organization here in St. Louis. [5:52] So with that, we will open for questions. [5:55] If you raise your hand again, I'll call on you. [5:57] And just let us know if you've directed a question to you. [6:01] Joe? [6:02] Bill, when you talk about the significant decisions [6:06] that you will still be involved in on a day-to-day basis, [6:08] what changes for you with today's announcement? [6:10] What makes things different from you from a day-to-day perspective? [6:14] What changes? [6:15] For your day-to-day operations in terms of your relationship [6:19] with the team and you being the chairman of the team, [6:20] does anything change, I suppose, with the announcements today? [6:23] Well, nothing's really changed. [6:25] I stay in touch with, obviously, Bill III. [6:30] Baseball stays in touch with me. [6:31] I talk all the time. [6:34] So I may or may not be here, but I'm here in spirit. [6:39] And available 24-7. [6:42] So, you know, I'm in touch with all the things we're looking to do. [6:47] And, you know, it's working out pretty well. [6:52] Right? [6:53] Bill, what is the single most important thing you've gotten out of watching your father? [6:59] What's your biggest takeaway in your career that you'll try to get from? [7:03] We were meeting with employees before this, and I got that question. [7:08] And I touched on the fact that his passion for the game was just literally part of his DNA. [7:18] When we got involved 30 years ago, I would watch games with him, [7:22] and he would have insights into what was going on in the game that I was like, [7:25] how did you know that? [7:27] Or that's not what I was thinking, you know. [7:29] But, and so I think just that passion for it and the passion for the day-to-day interest [7:36] in how the organization is evolving, especially young players, [7:40] being just excited about, you know, when a player hits three home runs [7:46] or four home runs down in the AAA is maybe somebody hitting one up here. [7:50] So I would say that's the big one. [7:58] Anouk, you touched on this in your comment. [8:00] I'd like to ask you and also Bill the Third about this. [8:03] The timing of this, especially where the industry is writ large, [8:08] you just saw the team through the turbulence of the regional sports network collapse. [8:14] There's a CBA coming up. [8:16] I wonder how you guys see this as an entry point for you at these positions [8:21] and what the next 12 to 24 months could look like in the industry [8:25] and how that could impact the car. [8:29] I'll start. [8:31] Yeah, I think we really liked the model that we sort of stumbled on with Haim [8:34] where he came in, he was sort of a free agent, and we snapped him up, [8:40] and he consulted for a year. [8:42] And then, obviously, last year made a number of changes in the organizational structure [8:48] during Mo's last year. [8:52] And that seemed to work well. [8:53] And Anouk kind of similarly had a good runway here. [8:59] And so it made sense, given that he had, you know, [9:03] shown that leadership capabilities during his previous, you know, two years plus. [9:10] So that kind of drove it from my point of view. [9:15] Yeah, and I think as much as today's announcement formalizes new titles, [9:20] this has been very much an evolution in terms of responsibilities, you know, [9:25] starting with Haim taking on his position. [9:27] And, I mean, all four of us have, you know, kind of been working in a model in terms of [9:36] how we're collaborating on decisions, [9:37] that it's not going to be the case that tomorrow is just a brand new operating model. [9:43] This has very much been an evolution. [9:45] So I think that answers your first question. [9:47] And then, yeah, I think on the second point, you know, there's always challenges you're dealing with. [9:52] And that's just kind of part of it feels like operating in the modern world. [9:59] The media landscape is changing, how fans and consumer behavior is evolving is changing. [10:06] And part of the role is to stay on top of that and to evolve with the fans. [10:14] And that's very much what we're focused on. [10:17] And I think there's a lot of cool opportunities that we've talked about, some of which we've implemented, [10:22] some of which we've only talked about, that we'll be focused on in terms of ultimately fulfilling our purpose [10:30] of connecting with our fans and allowing them to feel close to Cardinals baseball. [10:38] And, you know, it is a CBA year, so things can change in the whole landscape. [10:42] But just being ready for a lot of different types of scenarios is one of the things we've worked on. [10:49] And I think everybody needs to work on just scenario planning. [10:56] For Bill Jr., you won two World Series. [10:59] Obviously, a lot of great years in between there. [11:03] But to win a championship twice, can you put into words what that means to you and your franchise? [11:10] Well, everybody aspires to winning the World Series. [11:13] And we've been fortunate enough to have two of those, and we've been there additional times. [11:20] So, you know, at my age, I can look back as well as look forward and know that, you know, [11:28] this is a great baseball town, and it's helped continue the baseball spirit to have one like that. [11:39] One other thing I would point out, which probably most of you know, I know Derek would know this, [11:45] my father started with the Cardinals in 1913. [11:48] So our family goes back pretty far, and we're all in. [11:54] We just had lunch with our grandson, who happens to work for the Cardinals. [11:59] So, you know, we're excited about not only what's occurred to date, but what the future is. [12:07] You mentioned connecting. [12:15] Obviously, connecting is different than it was in 96 or 06 or 06. [12:18] How do you connect with fans now? [12:23] Yeah, I mean, it is certainly different, and I think you have to connect in different ways. [12:29] You know, it is – the media landscape has become much more fragmented. [12:33] There are people that still read the newspaper, and there's people that watch YouTube videos [12:38] and everything in between. [12:40] There's people that stream the game. [12:43] There's people that watch on cable, you know, the way they have watched for many years. [12:49] There's people that just watch social media highlights and clips, you know, not even clips of the game, [12:55] but behind-the-scenes content that showcases what players are doing and thinking when they're not playing baseball. [13:03] And I think what's important in all of that is we need to understand how our fans are connecting with, [13:10] interacting with our brand, whether that's online or in the broadcast or when they're coming to the game, [13:17] and recognize that it's not – our fans are not a monolith. [13:21] You know, we have fans that have young kids and young families. [13:24] We have fans that have been diehard Cardinal fans for 80 years and have held season tickets for generations. [13:33] There's people that are coming for a fun night out with their friends or to close a business deal. [13:38] And we have to understand how we can provide value and how we can provide a compelling and entertaining experience, [13:47] both in the ballpark and across all of those touch points, where we can meet our fans where they're at. [13:52] And so that makes it a little bit more, you know, nuanced and challenging, [13:56] but that's very much the direction that we've been working towards. [14:00] Kind of along those lines, can you speak to some of those initiatives, obviously, [14:07] the family section and the right field section, kind of catering to those different groups, I suppose, [14:14] of what Cardinals fans look like and maybe where you look to go from here with regard to some of those game day initiatives? [14:20] Yeah. [14:20] Yeah, we have tried out a few different things over the couple years that I've been here. [14:26] You know, fundamentally, I think the groups that we focused on, last year we introduced Friday Night Live, [14:33] which is, you know, an attempt to create a more lively and dynamic atmosphere on Friday nights at the ballpark. [14:39] And that's primarily, like, when we conceptualized it, it was primarily how do we get younger fans here on a Friday night. [14:46] It's turned into, you know, it's not just young fans that want to have fun on a Friday night, and that's great. [14:52] You know, that's another way to engage with people. [14:56] And we have fans that just come for the social experience of being in Budweiser Terrace on a Friday night. [15:01] You know, so that's one example. [15:05] This year we launched an initiative on Sundays called Kids Sundays, where we are trying to create an experience for families with young kids [15:15] that is beyond the baseball game, you know, both pre-game and into the game. [15:21] There's activities from ice cream sundaes, which we've done for a long time, our hot dog and soda program, [15:28] which we've done for a long time, but we've enhanced that with other activities and things that kids would find interesting. [15:35] And really the recognition, and I can speak to this having young kids who have a much shorter attention span than I do, [15:42] of it's hard to go to anything for three hours with a four-year-old, or in my case, four- and nine-year-old. [15:51] And there's got to be something that breaks it up. [15:54] And so that's, you know, that's another example of what we're doing. [15:57] We've been really focused on fan value. [16:00] We know that we need to deliver value. [16:03] And I think that's different than, you know, talking about ticket prices. [16:07] It's for the price you pay, you need to feel like you got your money's worth or more than that. [16:12] And that could mean you paid $500 or $5 for your ticket. [16:16] You know, the statement still needs to be true. [16:18] Or going to the Coke section and paying $30 and trying to beat the house with $15. [16:22] Yeah, there's been some amazing records set in the Coke, all-you-can-eat section. [16:31] But it's finding ways to deliver value to our fans, and that comes in many forms. [16:36] I did, yeah. [16:39] And then Ray, for Bill III, you touched on the team's success this summer. [16:45] I wonder how that might inform decisions here on the near term and also short term, [16:51] because the team has outperformed expectations, and there has been some buzz and response from the fans, [16:59] both with ticket sales but also with taking their shirts off. [17:02] I'm wondering how that might inform or even, like, make you think about what's possible with this team, [17:09] if that accelerates the timeline for contention, how you look at that. [17:13] You know, Haim's at the table here, too, you know. [17:16] And has a microphone. [17:19] You know, it's funny, because we're already getting those trade deadline questions, [17:22] and for as long as I've been involved, everybody I've talked to in senior management baseball and business [17:29] has started entertaining trade deadline questions this early, [17:33] but literally doesn't start to actually heat up until, like, a week before, [17:40] when you kind of are where you are at that decision point time. [17:44] But for sure, I mean, look, I mean, this team has been really fun to watch. [17:49] We've got a lot of young players who are sort of coming into their own, and I don't know. [17:58] You know, maybe we're a little ahead, certainly a little ahead of where we thought we were. [18:02] Still a long way to go this year, right? [18:05] But if they can keep this up, it could change a little bit how we think about things. [18:12] But, you know, always hedging on stuff like that until you get to that actual decision point. [18:18] You want to add to that? [18:19] Yeah, I think, you know, from my perspective, obviously, you know, I sat here in the fall, [18:26] and I've said it a number of times since, that, you know, we have, you know, pretty ambitious goals, [18:30] and we want to make sure that we have a good plan to get there [18:34] and that we don't get distracted from the things that need to happen in order for us to reach those goals. [18:39] I still feel that way and still feel, as I felt then, you know, shortcuts aren't going to get you where you want to go. [18:46] But even though I did say that, obviously, when we were willing to make those hard decisions [18:50] to focus us towards our long-term goals, nothing's changed with that. [18:53] But at no point are we not going to walk in this building looking to win. [18:57] I think the cool thing about what's happened to this point, in part because of what we did in the offseason, [19:02] I think there might be a lesson in this. [19:03] We did it with a focus on a certain ambition and a certain goal, and that the success that we've come by, [19:10] I like to think we've come by it honestly. [19:11] We've come by it, you know, not through taking those shortcuts, not through, you know, trying to find cheap thrills, [19:17] but really to try to build something. [19:20] And we've experienced a lot of success so far along the way. [19:23] So I do think we have to keep that in mind. [19:25] Obviously, you know, like Bill said, we've got a lot of time between now and when the deadline action really heats up. [19:31] Anytime you have a deadline, most of the action is going to happen pretty darn close to that deadline. [19:35] And, you know, so that may inform some of the opportunities that are available then, [19:39] and where we stand might inform some of the specific decisions. [19:41] But I think we want to keep in mind, you know, we want to have this success through building towards something. [19:47] I think that really, more than characterizing us any one specific way, [19:51] just keeping in mind what we're building and doing justice to that and trying to win through doing that [19:56] really needs to continue to be front and center for us. [19:59] Bill III, you've obviously overseen business operations for a long time. [20:07] Now it's business and baseball. [20:10] I would assume you have the business operations pretty close. [20:12] But how close is the baseball model to what your philosophy is right now? [20:19] Well, like the business, there's been a lot of change, [20:24] and that change has been accelerating probably over the last five years. [20:28] And I think right now the baseball organization is in good shape with Haim and some of the changes he's made. [20:41] But, you know, I don't come into this saying we have to change the following things on the baseball side. [20:50] I come at it more as somebody that is ready and sort of willing to go a little deeper into the organization on the baseball side [21:01] than perhaps I have in the past and just really learn. [21:05] Because I think when you're, you know, I was in this role for 18 years, [21:09] and sort of you know everybody in the business side. [21:12] And so when issues come up, what people's opinions are, you're collecting them, [21:15] you know where people are coming from. [21:17] I want to get to that point on the baseball side, which shouldn't take long, [21:21] because I pretty much know most of the people. [21:23] But I haven't collaborated in this significant way down through that organization as I have on the business side. [21:30] So it's just kind of going a little deeper in that regard [21:36] and just being very much a patient listener for the time being until I get a little more confident. [21:45] Five o'clock, and Haim says an agent needs an answer by six. [21:54] Where does the buck stop? [21:57] I mean, just we're both going to be involved in those conversations. [22:00] Yeah. [22:01] Actually, Randy kind of hit on that for both DeWitts. [22:12] How will this be the same as it has been as far as, like, a trade deadline discussion? [22:20] How will it be different? [22:23] Well, with that particular topic, it's just a three-way call is usually how it goes down. [22:32] So, yeah, I mean, like, when you think about it, most big decisions are collaborative anyway. [22:40] I mean, it's very unusual. [22:41] I mean, I guess some owners have overruled their general managers all the time. [22:48] I've seen that a lot in your case. [22:51] You have at times done that. [22:53] But I think, you know, you look at the draft room, and there's many people in the draft room as in this room. [23:00] You know, it's a collaborative process for all that stuff, particularly the big decisions, to be honest. [23:05] You want to get everybody's opinion. [23:07] And usually the opinion has consolidated to the point where I'm, or before him, Moe, you know, has a recommendation based on all those opinions. [23:20] And at that point, you're just kind of double-checking and triple-checking how that collaborative process has led to that opinion. [23:35] And I would say we're a draft and build organization. [23:39] And, you know, when the trading deadline comes up, teams have a tendency to, oh, if I get one more guy, I'll give him two of my draft choices. [23:48] You know, then I can make the playoffs. [23:51] That's kind of not our model. [23:54] And, you know, we'll obviously engage at the deadline, but it'll not be for a two-month, you know, hopeful. [24:03] It'll be, you know, a good reason to make the deal, regardless of where we happen to be. [24:10] For Bill III, we've chatted about this before, but the idea that Cardinals fans pass down the team to their kids, almost like an heirloom, so to speak. [24:22] The franchise is literally your family's heirloom. [24:25] Can you describe the, I guess, pride in your promotion and what it means to this city for the next, if you will, 50 years or whatever the length of time you want to talk about? [24:36] Yeah, I mean, I think there are a lot of businesses in St. Louis that are sort of generational. [24:41] We're sort of a medium-sized town. [24:44] It feels small sometimes, but we've got great cultural institution. [24:48] It's big in some respects as well. [24:51] So I think people in this market are familiar with that pattern. [24:55] I'm certainly proud of it. [24:56] I mean, I love pointing out my grandfather's role here, which was here about 20 years as treasurer, worked with Branch Rickey, and that's a point of pride for me. [25:07] And, you know, we have partners. [25:09] I think it's important to acknowledge and get their contributions as well, and they've been a key part of our, this collaborative approach that we've had on the ownership level, too. [25:22] So that'll continue. [25:23] But it is, yeah, it's pretty cool. [25:27] I mean, it isn't too often that you see particularly an organization like this have that much heritage in one family, and I think it's pretty cool. [25:41] You know, we were just talking to Chip. [25:43] Chip helped us with the employee event, Chip Carey. [25:47] And, I mean, he was talking about his grandfather, and now his kids are involved. [25:52] And so you have that in baseball, I think, even in other big sports, but the ones in baseball tend to go way back. [25:59] Chip's family is like that. [26:00] It's fun to have that aspect in the announcer ranks, too. [26:05] And so, yeah, it's a point of pride. [26:17] Bill, when your family took over this franchise, your dad was actually, I think, a little bit younger than you are today. [26:38] Do you envision a day where you would be his age, older, and passing this down to another generation of your family? [26:46] I know in January I asked your dad about this a little bit, but is that how you envision the future of the St. Louis Cardinals, [26:51] remaining in your family in that kind of control for the decades to come? [26:55] I don't think that that's, like, the primary goal of life, to do that. [27:03] Having said that, I mean, it's certainly a possibility, and I think it would be cool if it could be done. [27:10] There is a third generation that's here and contributing in several ways. [27:20] So certainly leave it open, but I also don't think it's at the point where you would say, oh, yeah, that's the goal. [27:30] Well, thank you again. [27:34] Congratulations to me. [27:36] I know it's a busy day, a lot of sports news here in town. [27:38] We appreciate you coming out, and that's our ballgame tonight. [27:41] So thank you, everyone. [27:43] Thanks, Brian. [27:44] That's right. [27:44] Well, yeah, the ownership stays the same. [28:02] Yeah. [28:03] Yeah. [28:04] Yeah. [28:05] There's still a no- [28:06] Yeah, I mean, well, here's the thing. [28:12] Daniel, thanks. [28:13] So that's a complexity on whether you want to do that. [28:37] It's not as simple. [28:38] It's not as simple.