Nintendo Owns the Seattle Mariners.

[Perkar]

The videogame company becomes the principal owner of the Seattle Baseball team.

Nintendo company officials said Thursday that former president Hiroshi Yamauchi, who led the $125 million dollar buyout of the team way back in 1992, sold his privately held shares back in August to Nintendo's American subsidiary.

That sale has now boosted Nintendo's total ownership of the team to over 50 percent, making Nintendo the principal owner of the Mariners.



article from gc.advancedmn.com

[EricRyan34]

Damn, the M's are my team. Thats cool!

[badinsults]

Yeah. Who didn't know this?

[Cmosfm]

Yeah. Who didn't know this?

Me, Perkar and EricRyan make 3 that didn't know this.

[Gapporin]

I knew that after Howard Lincoln left Nintendo, that he became of the owner of the Mariners. I think Nintendo's always been involved with them in one way or another.

[Lady Jaye]

Not always, but since 1992. The book Game Over does chronicle Nintendo's involvement with the Seattle Mariners. Back in the day, it was controversial, because here was a Japanese company stepping in to save a franchise (because the Mariners were having lots of financial problems back in the day).

It figures that it was the Mariners who brought in the first Japanese player in the MLB...

However, there's a difference between being a minority owner and a majority owner. Now that Nintendo owns more than 50% of the Mariners, they could easily do tie-ins with their products (or do like Disney did with the Mighty Ducks and bring in a Nintendo-related mascot -- why not Yoshi?).

[Lemmy Kilmister]

Yeah. Who didn't know this?

No doubt. Sorry to anyone who didn't know, but I thought it was basically common knowledge to most hardcore gamers.

[Nez]

Thats cool I just might have to go to one of there spring traning games.

[MegaDrive20XX]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v129/Akumajo22/Try.jpg

Now you're playing with Power...

[Aussie2B]

Now that Nintendo owns more than 50% of the Mariners, they could easily do tie-ins with their products (or do like Disney did with the Mighty Ducks and bring in a Nintendo-related mascot -- why not Yoshi?).

Good, the moose sucks. :P

It's kind of interesting watching Mariners games. There's always Japanese Nintendo advertisements everywhere because they know they're getting a ton of Japanese viewers. I'm not into baseball, but I've always been somewhat fascinated with Nintendo's involvement in the Mariners, especially since both are home state companies for me.

[theoakwoody]

It figures that it was the Mariners who brought in the first Japanese player in the MLB...

The M's were not the first team to have a japanese player. It was the Dodgers who brought over Hideo Nomo and then several other teams followed their lead back in the early 90's. If you're referring to Tikatsu he didn't start playing until the late 90's like 5 years later.

I was aware that Nintendo owned the M's but its news to me that NOA not Nintendo of JP owns the team. GlAd to see ownerships back on american soil.

[EricRyan34]

Wow, I have been a huge Mariners fan since griffey beat the yanks in the 95 playoffs, and not once have I heard about this :/

[Lady Jaye]

It figures that it was the Mariners who brought in the first Japanese player in the MLB...

The M's were not the first team to have a japanese player. It was the Dodgers who brought over Hideo Nomo and then several other teams followed their lead back in the early 90's. If you're referring to Tikatsu he didn't start playing until the late 90's like 5 years later.

I was aware that Nintendo owned the M's but its news to me that NOA not Nintendo of JP owns the team. GlAd to see ownerships back on american soil.

:embarrassed: Oops, brain fart. Thanks for the correction!

[EnemyZero]

well I'll be damned

[Griking]

Yeah. Who didn't know this?

Many people knew that Nintendo had a stake in the Mariners but only recently did they actually become majority owners of the team

link (http://sports.excite.com/news/11252004/v1025.html)

[Dobie]

I knew that after Howard Lincoln left Nintendo, that he became of the owner of the Mariners. I think Nintendo's always been involved with them in one way or another.

Howard Lincoln never owned any part of the Mariners. He is the CEO, and was appointed when Yamauchi bought the majority share of the team in 1992.

And to clarify the debate with Ichiro, he was the first Japanese POSITION player to make the major leagues. There have been a lot of pitchers over the years to come over before him though.

Interesting bit of trivia regarding Ichiro and the Mariners... they almost DIDN'T sign Ichiro. He was their second choice to sign. Hiroshi Yamauchi all but told Howard Lincoln that if he didn't sign a particular hot Japanese high-school pitching prospect (can't think of his name at the moment), that he would no longer work for the Mariners. Lincoln offered the kid a ton of money to sign, but the kid turned it down. So instead, Lincoln signed Ichiro. The young pitcher hasn't even made a significant impact in Japan, let alone the US, and we all know how the Ichiro signing turned out! :D Long story short, Lincoln kept his job.

[link1110]

After the disgraceful loss of the Yankees this year, the Mariners are my new second favorite team (after the Mets.)

[delafro]

After the disgraceful loss of the Yankees this year, the Mariners are my new second favorite team (after the Mets.)

LOL @ Yankees fans. People wonder why everyone hates on them? The large amount of fairweather fans might have something to do with it. You wouldn't happened to have been a Dallas Cowboys fan in the mid 90's would you?

[NE146]

Hey all I know is I was a mere 20 sum seats right behind homeplate when Ichiro hit his record breaking hit just a couple of months ago. That game 100% rocked :D

And yes, the Mariners have been Nintendo bred for a looong time. :) I mean hello, look at all the japanese ads for the GBA behind home plate every inning!

[allsport11]

Too bad the Mariners have gone down the toilet with no hope in sight. Sort of fitting that Nintendo owns the majority share of them. ;)

[NE146]

Too bad the Mariners have gone down the toilet Yes they have :P


with no hope in sight.
I wouldn't say that.. I mean, we all know sports trends have a way of biting even the most informed prognosticator in the ass.. or not. ;)


Sort of fitting that Nintendo owns the majority share of them. ;)

Now that I don't get.. do you mean that that portends some kind of major future success? It might take a couple of years :D

[Dobie]

Hey all I know is I was a mere 20 sum seats right behind homeplate when Ichiro hit his record breaking hit just a couple of months ago. That game 100% rocked :D

And yes, the Mariners have been Nintendo bred for a looong time. :) I mean hello, look at all the japanese ads for the GBA behind home plate every inning!

Dude, I sat almost right next to you then. I was there, section 131, about 25-30 rows back. I went to the Edgar retirement game the next day too. Two awesome days right in a row.

[qbertandernie]

so are we thinking Seattle Mariners Limited Edition Gamecube?

id buy one...

i bet MarioAllstar2600 would too!

[EricRyan34]

Nintendo just gave them a shitload of money to help sign some good players. They will be good again. :-P