Who Owns The Seattle Mariners?

Who Owns The Seattle Mariners?

In 2001, Nintendo became the majority owner of the Mariners after purchasing a controlling interest in the team from Hiroshi Yamauchi. However, in 2016 a group led by John Stanton acquired a majority stake in the team from Nintendo for 1.2 Billion. He is still the current owner of the Mariners as of 2024.

Stanton is also the chairman and CEO of First Avenue Entertainment, L.P., which owns and operates several sports and entertainment venues in the Seattle area. According to Forbes, the franchise is worth 2.2 Billion, making it the 16th most valuable franchise in all of Major League Baseball.

About The Seattle Mariners Franchise

The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an American League (AL) West division member club. They joined the AL as an expansion team in 1977.

Where Do The Mariners Play Their Home Games?

They currently play all their home games at T-Mobile Park, which opened in 1999 as Safeco Field. The retractable-roofed ballpark holds 47,715 fans and is located right next to the world-famous Space Needle and the iconic Seattle skyline.

The venue has hosted some of baseball’s top events, including the 2001 All-Star game, an MLB record 26 consecutive sellout games in 2013, among others. It also serves up some mouth-watering food, classic northwest microbrews, and amazing views of the downtown skyline on crisp summer nights.

How Did The Mariners Get Their Name?

The “Mariners” name originates from the prominence of marine culture in the city of Seattle. They are nicknamed the M’s, a title featured on their primary logo from 1987 to 1992.

Their mascot is the Mariner Moose, an anthropomorphic moose who wears Mariner’s clothing. Through the 2022 season, the franchise has finished with a losing record in 27 of 40 seasons and has never played in a World Series.

Popular Franchise Players

The Mariners did not have a winning record until 1991, and any real success eluded them until 1995 when they won their first Divisional Championship, led by Ken Griffey Jr., Tino Martinez, Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Jay Buhner, and manager Lou Piniella.

The Early Years 

The Mariners began in 1977 when Seattle was granted an expansion franchise to replace the Pilots, who had moved to Milwaukee only one year earlier. The first game was played against the California Angels on April 6th, 1977, ending in a 7-0 loss for the new team.

But despite this early defeat, the team went on to have a surprisingly strong first season with an overall record of 64-98, far better than many expected from such a young team. 

The 1990s 

The 1990s were a tumultuous period for the Mariners as they struggled to find success on the field. This changed in 1995 when they signed Japanese star pitcher Kazuhiro Sasaki and drafted future Hall of Famer Alex Rodriguez with their first pick in the amateur draft that year. With these two players leading their roster, they made their first postseason appearance in 1995, where they lost to the New York Yankees in five games.

But this wasn’t their last taste of postseason play; during this era, they made three more appearances before finally winning their first division championship in 2001 with 116 wins—which remains an American League record today.

Recent Years 

The Mariners have seen mixed success in recent years but continue to be one of MLB’s most beloved franchises. In 2017, they became only the fourth team in MLB history to post ten consecutive losing seasons; however, 2019 saw them rebound significantly with an 89-73 record—their best since 2003.

And in 2022, they made their first postseason since 2002, when they swept the Toronto Blue Jays in the Wild Card round. Ultimately, they would get swept by the Houston Astros in the ALDS, but their future looks bright.