3 Millionth Fan Shows How Far M's Have Come

Robby Gross was drenched in confetti, presented a Mariner jacket and hat and told he could throw out the first pitch at last night's Mariner game.

He was celebrated as the 3 millionth fan to watch the team play in the Kingdome this season.

At 6, the Mariner cap held up by his ears and grateful grin, he was symbolic of Seattle's new baseball fan. At 6, he had no idea of how significant he was.

The significance, Robby, is that the Mariners are assured of being one of baseball's major players into the next century. When you're grown up.

Drawing 3 million fans is a big deal.

The Yankees have never drawn 3 million fans. The San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A's won't draw 3 million fans this season. Combined.

Half the teams in baseball - including Anaheim, Houston, San Francisco and Cincinnati - won't draw 2 million.

Historically, only 12 teams have exceeded 3 million fans. With 41,975 last night and advance sales of more than 150,000 for the final three home games against Oakland, the Mariners will be close to 3.2 million.

In 1983, when Chuck Armstrong became president of the club, the Mariners drew 813,537 fans, an average of 10,034 per game. This year they average 38,937 a game.

They rank behind Baltimore and Cleveland in the American League, and Colorado, Atlanta and Los Angeles in the National League.

"We still consider ourselves a small-market team," said Armstrong, "because of our population base and geographic isolation."

Sure.

For the first time since George Argyros owned the team, the Mariners will make money, Armstrong said. It's taken a combination of sensational attendance, improving broadcast revenues and a reasonable payroll, if $45 million is ever reasonable.

They have gone from have-not to have. And just in time.

The five teams with the largest payrolls - the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins - are in the playoffs this season.

From losses that approached $20 million a year in the mid-1990s, the Mariners will be increasingly profitable with the opening of the new stadium in 1999.

According to an independent study, the new stadium should increase revenues by $15 million per year, based on an average attendance of 33,000.

The average in the new park may be closer to 43,000. Virtual sellouts of 45,000 could be assured before the 1999 season starts. It happened in Cleveland.

Season-ticket sales topped 18,000 this year. They'll only grow next year, with the fallout of this season and the anticipation of the new park where current season-ticket holders will have preference.

The scenario couldn't be better for the Mariner owners. Even if the team ages and ebbs into the next century, attendance should remain strong because of the stadium's draw alone.

Interest at the gate has been mirrored by the numbers watching on television. Seattle's TV ratings are the highest in baseball. At some point, revenues should reflect interest.

It all means the Mariners will have money for players. They have the 11th-highest payroll in 1997. There will be no reason to fall back.

The key is to get the bang for the buck. This season the White Sox, Rangers, Reds, Blue Jays and Cardinals all spent more than the Mariners, but got less.

"We talked over the years," said Armstrong, "about how many fans we could draw if we won a pennant. We dreamed about 2.5 million but never 3 million.

"I'm astounded."

In 1994, with losses mounting, the owners had to decide to cut their losses or increase them: Would the Mariners be the Pirates or the Indians?

The pivotal point was the decision to spent $15 million to keep Jay Buhner from signing with the Orioles. They did, Ken Griffey Jr. committed long term, the magic of 1995 materialized, a new stadium was approved and what we have is a viable baseball franchise when we might not have had any at all.

Robby Gross didn't care about any of this as he marched to the mound to throw out the first pitch. But without it, he would have been home in his Woodinville bed.